Germantown Academy

Student Teacher: Avery Rogusky
Cooperating Teacher: David Love

Lesson #1: Expressive Self Portrait Project

All grade levels explored the expressive self portrait project. Students first learned about artist Marlene Dumas’s portrait process and how to create dramatic lighting. They then learned about an alternative painting process of crushing charcoal and making it into ink and then using only their fingers, paper towels, and Q-tips to paint. Students were asked to think of three emotional states they experienced over the past year and to recreate it using this technique. To create a safe space to reflect on emotional moments, students discussed community agreements on how to support one another during tough times.

Grades 9,10,11, & 12, Crushed charcoal on wet watercolor paper

Lesson #2: Foundations Positive & Negative Trace Monotype Project

2D foundations and 2D foundations II classes learned about the trace monotype printmaking technique by doing a collaborative class print and inverse of the print. They then experimented with combining the two together to invent something new. Both classes took their new knowledge and applied it to making individual prints. 2D foundations based their prints off of personal objects that hold meaning. 2D foundations II based theirs off of their go-to drawings, doodles, or imaginary scenes. Students combined photocopies of their positive and negative prints together to create experimental prints. Many lessons were learned during this project. Their favorite was learning to take risks to get to somewhere new and exciting.

Grades 9, 10 & 11, Akua ink on Reeves paper

Lesson #3: Honors Floral Still Life Project

2D Honors Art were asked to do two, one-day still life paintings of flower arrangements, each done different painting techniques. For the first still life, students learned a traditional technique of doing a neutral underpainting using burnt umber acrylic. For the second still life, students learned how to layer primary colors with acrylic glazes to build up color. Students found that working fast and having options felt refreshing and exciting.

Grades 11 & 12, Acrylic paint & glaze on canvas board

Lesson #4: Botticelli’s Primavera Sidewalk Chalk Mural

Originally this was just an Honors project that eventually led to the whole upper and middle school making contributions over a period of one week. Honors students started the mural by gridding out the space and blocking out the figures. They delegated tasks to upper school friends and middle schoolers and shared their art history knowledge to those who were curious about the subject matter. This sidewalk mural is another form of proof that art has the power to bring people together, even during a pandemic!

Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12, with some additional middle school artists, Chalk pastel and sidewalk pavement

Lesson #5: 2D Foundations II Abstraction Project Part 1

2D Foundations II were asked to select a word that describes an aspect of their personality that they are proud of. They then were tasked to create a photograph that explores their word. Students had to simplify their image by only using shape and avoiding any outlines with sharpie. They then had to zoom in on a spot and simplify further, repeat the step once more, and then do an inverse of their last zoom. This was a difficult project to take on because students had to retrain themselves on how to draw without using any outlines.

Grades 10 & 11, Sharpie on Bristol board

Lesson #6: 2D Foundations Signature Project

2D Foundations were asked to write their signature. After many thumbnails of possibilities, they had to select a part of their signature that felt complex and intersecting. Students then zoomed into this area and simplified the lines into one flowing shape. Students completed their projects by creating an inverse of their zoomed in area.

Grades 9 & 10, Ebony pencil on Bristol board

Avery Rogusky
TYL ‘21, MED

At my essence I am an artist. Painting and drawing is the way I make sense of the world. Art is how I can connect with people and give back to my community. This is why it was an easy decision for me to become an art teacher. I studied art all throughout my educational career. I went to the University of Delaware to receive my BFA and then later found myself back again for more at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture for my master’s in art education. I absolutely love working with young people because they are so inspiring and hopeful. I believe teaching art is a constant dance between sharing knowledge and perspective with each other. It opens doors to greater things and is something I am proud to be a part of.

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