Sargent's Oyster Gatherers

David Draime · 05-14-2007, 12:38 PM

Here's this year's collaborative piece, Sargent's Oyster Gatherers at Cancale. Every year, all my Art 1 students do one of these. This year I wanted to see how a more "painterly" painting would turn out, so I chose Sargent. Most of you know how it's done but for those who don't:

I take the poster, cut it up into (in this case) 154 equal sized pieces, laminate them, shuffle them, and hand them out to all 5 of my Art 1 classes. The students don't know what the final image will be until all the pieces are completed and assembled. Their task is to reproduce (using colored pencils) as accurately as possible their particular image on a paper nine times as large. The final piece is then quite large...

Every year we enter it in a local art show, and this piece won a top award - 4th year in a row we've won. This year the award was $40 - so I excitedly tell my 154 students that we won (they applaud)...and that they each get 26 cents!!! They stare at me....

Garth Herrick · 05-14-2007, 01:14 PM

David,

What a wonderful project, and what a wonderful art teacher you are! Big congratulations to all of your team!

Where will this go on permanent display? Show some details!

Garth

Dan Landrie · 05-14-2007, 07:01 PM

I just completed a master copy of this very painting, it's one of my favorites, theres actually an oil sketch version(this is the one I used) as well as the final painting, your students did a much better job then I did. congratulations to them and you.

Marina Dieul · 05-14-2007, 07:59 PM

Great collective work!
Tell your students that it's not the amount of money which is important, the glory is enough.
Well... At least at the very beginning of an artist's career ...

Tom Edgerton · 05-15-2007, 08:42 AM

David--

Many congratulations....and what a great idea!

I would have killed to have been in your class at that age.

--TE

Enzie Shahmiri · 05-16-2007, 11:08 AM

Your students did a great job! I think you should start making them paint these on more sturdy surfaces so they can be permanently placed on a school wall.

David Draime · 05-17-2007, 03:09 PM

Garth, thank you very much. Details - as requested. Right now it's been put in our new science and technology building, on semi-permanent display - up for a while anyway.

Dan, Thanks. Would love to see your copy - have you posted it?

Marina, the students unanimously chose to have a donut party at the end of the year - instead of collecting 26 cents. They're not thinking "glory" - they're just thinking donuts. In fact, we should never underestimate the power of donuts as a motivational tool when it comes to teenagers.

Tom, thanks!! I only wish more of my students felt the way you do!!

Enzie, that's a fantastic idea - I hadn't thought of that. I will start scoping out a suitable wall somewhere on campus. Thanks!

Enzie Shahmiri · 05-19-2007, 10:59 AM

David,

Many years ago, I did a mural for the outside wall of a school library.
The surface was some sort of metal casing, that also held the windows in place. If I remembers this correctly I put on a sealant first and then used acrylic paints and varnished the hell out of it to protect the work from the elements. To my amazement the the mural is still in tact!

If you can't locate a wall inside a building that is suitable for canvas or wooden panels, maybe you can get a donation going for sheet metal and attach the work to an outside wall. Just some thoughts!