Nature inspires Central Language Academy students
ONTARIO - Central Language Academy students learned how to apply nature to art on Wednesday.
Twenty students had one-on-one time with author and artist Sim n Silva, who encouraged an appreciation of visual arts though nature.
"This was really cool," sixth- grader Sifa Ngalo said. "He taught us about the rules of color and how to draw, and how everything has rules, even nature."
Twenty students had one-on-one time with author and artist Sim n Silva, who encouraged an appreciation of visual arts though nature.
"This was really cool," sixth- grader Sifa Ngalo said. "He taught us about the rules of color and how to draw, and how everything has rules, even nature."
Students interested in participating with Silva had to write a persuasive essay detailing why they wanted to work with him, why they thought they should be chosen and about their passion for art.
"I'm a big fan of anyone who tries, and I have to admire and respect you for that," Silva said. "Hopefully I can teach you something that you can use the rest of your life."
His lesson centered around "biomimicry," a new discipline that studies natural designs and processes to solve human problems.
Silva noted that shoebox designers were inspired by how peanuts fit into a shell to create new shoe styles. He also noted how car designers created an energy-efficient concept car modeled after the tropical boxfish.
To help apply the concept to real life, students were given colored pencils and four sheets of paper - two with exotic colored insects and fishes and two with a blank T-shirt and skateboard.
Students colored them in using the biomimicry approach.
"The slug bug was pretty weird and disgusting, but once he showed us the patterns and how they can be developed, it became beautiful," sixth-grader Carolina Garcia said.
Silva also offered the Rules of Art, or principles of good design, which have to do with contrast and balance, light versus dark and pattern.
"When you go outside and look at a flower or the mountains and if you look at nature, the reason why it's appealing is because nature has used a lot of these rules in creating perfection and creating beauty," Silva said.
Silva pressed the importance of art and how it's about respect.
"Now I know that when I observe a painting what I'm really doing is giving the artist respect," Carolina said.
"I'm a big fan of anyone who tries, and I have to admire and respect you for that," Silva said. "Hopefully I can teach you something that you can use the rest of your life."
His lesson centered around "biomimicry," a new discipline that studies natural designs and processes to solve human problems.
Silva noted that shoebox designers were inspired by how peanuts fit into a shell to create new shoe styles. He also noted how car designers created an energy-efficient concept car modeled after the tropical boxfish.
To help apply the concept to real life, students were given colored pencils and four sheets of paper - two with exotic colored insects and fishes and two with a blank T-shirt and skateboard.
Students colored them in using the biomimicry approach.
"The slug bug was pretty weird and disgusting, but once he showed us the patterns and how they can be developed, it became beautiful," sixth-grader Carolina Garcia said.
Silva also offered the Rules of Art, or principles of good design, which have to do with contrast and balance, light versus dark and pattern.
"When you go outside and look at a flower or the mountains and if you look at nature, the reason why it's appealing is because nature has used a lot of these rules in creating perfection and creating beauty," Silva said.
Silva pressed the importance of art and how it's about respect.
"Now I know that when I observe a painting what I'm really doing is giving the artist respect," Carolina said.
Photos by Thomas R. Cordova
Leave a comment