Artists as Writers

This week Ms. Howle's literacy group has been using art to inspire ideas for writing. While examining authors' words and illustrations, we have been learning how literary devices such as simile and personification can be used to write creative descriptions that paint a picture in the reader's mind.

Beth Olshansky, a teacher and author at the University of New Hampshire, describes the relationship between art and writing:

"The relationship between pictures and words can be summarized simply. Although these two languages are both used to make meaning, they function very differently. Yet clearly they serve to complement each other: pictures, a visual medium, can perform the verbal function for telling a story; words, a verbal medium, can perform the visual function of painting a picture. Using both languages expands our capacity to think in new and interesting ways" (The Power of Pictures, 2008).

Prior to writing this week, the students painted landscapes and seascapes using crayon and watercolors. After painting, they brainstormed creative descriptions of elements in their artwork (mountains, stars, clouds, reflections, water, etc.) using the devices we've been talking about. These ideas will later be used to write a story inspired by their piece.

Take a peek at our artists/writers at work...