On November 16 and 17 Circleville Elementary School(CES) first graders were the beneficiaries of The Gasper Family Learning Fund’s annual project, a field trip to the Columbus Museum of Art(CMA). Jill Hoffman Gasper, a founding member of Circleville City School Foundation(CCSF), and her husband Joe created their fund within CCSF to promote the importance of arts education in our schools beginning with our youngest students. As an added treat for the students the Gaspers purchased matching t-shirts, designed by CES art teacher Andi Hoskins, for all the students and their Circleville chaperones to wear on their field trip.

Two CMA docents visited CES on November 15 to prepare the first graders for their upcoming field trip centered around the theme “Motion”.  Students were shown photographs of artwork from the museum and asked to identify how each artist depicted motion in their painting or sculpture. The docents challenged the students to be sleuths and to use all of their senses while touring the museum.

Throughout the museum students experienced multiple artforms. Some artwork the students viewed was produced with textiles in the form of quilts and coverlets, three dimensional sculptures, paintings, photographs and even Legos.  The Wonder Room, a sensory-based room with a multitude of different types of textiles, was filled with hands-on activities for the students.

Taking something ordinary and transforming it into something totally different was the task students were given during their studio time. First, the students stepped inside their own imaginary box and showed the instructor their favorite way to move. Next, using their imagination and some recycled craft materials, students were challenged to be creative as they made something that illustrated “motion”. Their personal masterpieces were their souvenir from a day at CMA.

Regardless of whether the students participated in the November 16th or 17th field trip, all of them were given the opportunity to observe, explore, experience and ponder artwork created by famous artists at the Columbus Museum of Art. Thanks to the generosity of the Gasper Family the CES first graders will undoubtedly remember their field trip to the Columbus Museum of Art for quite some time.