Alexander Calder (1898-1976) was the subject of our Artistic Pursuits class today.
Calder is one of the most famous American modern sculptors and was the creator of the mobile- a kinetic hanging sculpture that is moved by air currents. He was also well known for his stationary sculptures and work with wire. His kinetic mobiles remind us all of much of the artwork we have seen at the Benini Sculpture Ranch in Johnson City.
He began his career in 1923 while he was attending art school in New York. He was inspired by a circus that he saw while there and started to make small models out of wood and wire portraying the circus. We watched this interesting video of Calder "performing" his circus in 1955.
Then the kids created their own Calder mobiles. They cut shapes out of cardboard and painted them in bright primary colors.
While those were drying they connected two wire hangers for the top of their mobile.
Then they poked holes in the colored shapes, tied yarn to them, chose their placement on the mobile hangers and tied them on one at a time.
Then we hung them up- we'll be enjoying these for a few weeks in our school room!
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