Glass Fusing

The students are always excited to work with the glass for this project.  Not sure if it is because they are introduced to cutting glass, bending glass with fire and working with the kiln, but it is a great opportunity for the students to recognize that buildings, skylines and landscapes can be used as a subject for art. 

The students are introduced to the different types of glass and discuss what will happen to the glass when it is fired at a specific tempature.  Using stringers, frit, liquid frit, sheets of glass, grinders, cutters and fire the students created fore, middle, and background to help give their project a similiar look to the actual skyline or landscape chosen.

Once the project was completed they were loaded into the kiln and fired with a tack fuse program.

District Art Show

Last weekend the Mason City School District had their DAS (District Art Show) and all the buildings and grades were represented.  There was a variety of art work displayed from the students and the 8th grade shared their glass, metals, water color, sculptures and paintings. 

The 8th grade also displayed their giant thumbprint portraits with the following notes attached:

 "After working in the style of Chuck Close for a couple weeks, Mr. Benham's 4th bell students wanted to see if they could create a large painting of a person similar to how Chuck Close had created several portraits.
With further research regarding his styles, the students found that Chuck Close had created some portraits using his thumbprints.  the students decided to create a portrait with the same technique.  With approximately 340 thumbs from the 7 classes, the students chose a familiar subject - Mr. Benham"

"Mr. Benham's 3rd trimester 8th grade students created this portrait using values of purple with only their thumbprints.  The background was created by several MI students, and as you step back and squint your eyes a little you can see the image of our "Super Segrist".

Mr. Segrist was chosen as the subject of this painting because the students wanted to show their support for Mr. Segrist and give him strength as he battles pancreatic Cancer.

Just another reminder for all that , 'NO ONE FIGHTS ALONE!'"