Seventh grade Art Tech students are currently working on a project related to the San Damiano Cross. This original iconic crucifix painting was created by an unknown artist, possibly a Syrian monk, in Umbria, Italy in the early 1100’s. Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) is said to have been praying before the large wooden cross where it was hanging in an abandoned chapel which had fallen into ruin near Assisi, Italy. While praying, he heard the voice of God commanding him to “rebuild my church”. (Sources: https://franciscanmissionservice.org/2012/10/san-damiano-cross-telling-the-history-of-christs-passion/ and https://www.monasteryicons.com/product/Story-of-the-San-Damiano-Crucifix/did-you-know)
The students’ drawings of Jesus on the unique shape of the San Damiano cross are the early stages of a long-term art project. After drawing people, things, and places that they are thankful for in the space of the cross surrounding Jesus, students will photograph their work. The photos will be colored and edited with the Sketchbook app on students’ iPads, as Jake Zambardino has already done in his artwork. Each student’s final image will be their personalized version of the cross. The area outside the cross will be designed and colored to simulate a stained-glass window.
Kindergarten art students traced cardboard rectangles to draw the main shapes of the bodies of their giraffes. By arranging the rectangles to create the general shape of the animals, students learned that simple shapes can be used to make more complex forms. Tempera paint was applied with cotton swabs and fingers.
