About Art in Action

Art in Action is high quality, comprehensive visual art curriculum. Students learn about works of art from cultures around the world, how to look at art using art vocabulary and concepts; and how to express themselves by creating their own unique masterpieces.The multifaceted lessons develop students’ critical-thinking skills, creativity, visual literacy, self-esteem, and an appreciation of other cultures. 

Sonoma Plein Air funds Art in Action at the elementary school level, with individual schools determining which grade levels receive the classes and how best to weave the program into other planned arts lessons.

Every Art in Action lesson is built around a particular artist and work of art across cultures and eras. It includes an open-ended discussion designed to help students carefully observe a work of art and analyze it, supporting their ideas with evidence and listening to the ideas of others.

The program includes curriculum, art supplies, teacher training, and ongoing support and meets all National and California State Academic Standards for Visual Arts, and aligns with Common Core and multiple other subject ares.

Art in Action: The Color Wheel Lesson

Second grade students at Flowery School had a lesson in the color wheel and learned about the artist Wassily Kandinsky as part of the Art in Action curriculum funded by Sonoma Plein Air Foundation. Kandinsky was an abstract artist known for exploring how different colors can affect emotions. Upon viewing his 1913 painting, Color Study, the children learned to identify the use of line, color and shape. They drew concentric circles and explored color-mixing, using the primary colors of red, blue and yellow to make the secondary colors of green, purple and orange. They learned how warm colors (red, yellow and orange) are considered lively colors and cool colors (green, blue and purple) are considered more peaceful. The students painted their own Kandisky-inspired creations of concentric circles trying out different color combinations to create varied effects.