Linden Christ, Teaching Artist at McKinley Park Elementary School

The McKinley Park students were thrilled to get their hands gooped up in paper mache and their art shirts out of the closets to create artful props for the opera, Jason and the Golden Fleece. In two class sessions with CAPE artist, Sonja Henderson, the students created the head of the Fire-breathing bull, fire sticks, foam wave boards they are painted a lovely array of blues and greens with the white foam cap. Other students were working on painting the boat, The ARGO, while still others worked on paper mache fish. Even more students created wings for cupid and the evil harpies, as well as a mask for Hera, in disguise as an old hag. Every student was active working on their special project and all of these essential props will be transported to the other four schools for their performances of Jason and the Golden Fleece.

Sonja Henderson was incredible, in teaching the ways of art through practice and with so many projects happening at once it was important that team teaching artist, Danielle McCormick-Knox and I were helping in this fun adventure.

Here is a picture of the students working on the beginning steps to paper-mache the bull's head. And another picture of Sonja with the students working on fish!