Discovering Impressionism with Monet This week, our students began learning about Impressionism, an art movement that started in the late 1800s.
At that time, the invention of the camera made many people wonder if painting was still necessary. But instead of giving up, a group of artists turned this challenge into an opportunity.
They began to capture on canvas what a camera could not: the changing light, colours, and atmosphere of each unique moment.
The most famous of these artists was Claude Monet, often called the founder of Impressionism.
He painted outdoors, studying how sunlight and shadows changed the way trees, water, and landscapes looked throughout the day. His paintings showed not only what he saw, but also what he felt in those moments. In class, the children explored Monet’s life as a young boy and as a painter.
They then experienced Impressionism for themselves by creating beautiful willow tree artworks with oil pastels, inspired by Monet’s style. Each child expressed their own unique brushstrokes, lines, and colours, showing how light can completely transform the feeling of a picture. The results are wonderful, full of creativity and individuality. I am very excited to see how these Impressionist-inspired works will be completed in our next lesson!
