Bloom Portraits

In our recent art project, 6th graders worked hard from November to January to create their own self-portraits. They began by practicing drawing different parts of the body on smaller paper. To inspire them, we looked at the amazing artwork of artists like Kehinde Wiley, Amy Sherald, and Kerry James Marshall. Each student then used an 11 by 17 piece of paper to create a realistic self-portrait, carefully shading their faces to match their skin tones. 
A special trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art helped energize our project. There, students explored the exhibit titled "The Time Is Always Now," which celebrates the work of Black artists and their stories. The exhibit features over 60 contemporary artworks that discuss important themes like identity and belonging. Students saw diverse artworks that encouraged them to think about how they see themselves and how others see them, too. In their self-portraits, students included symbols of "growth" in the background, representing their personal journeys and the progress they have made. This project was not just about art; it was about understanding who they are and celebrating their unique identities. Through this experience, students learned that art can express their feelings and stories in powerful ways.