March Art Literacy

During March, Tillamook County elementary students will created their own kinetic mobiles inspired by the interdisciplinary work of Calder. This lesson gave an understanding of balance and motion from kinetic energy while using the formal elements and principals of design. At the age of eight, American sculptor Alexander Calder began developing a passion for sculpture. Later on he obtained a degree in mechanical engineering and began combining his love for the Theory of Kinetic Energy with his passion for sculpture. In his artwork he explored the formal elements of design and combined stable (fixed) and mobile (moveable) sculptural elements. This exploration led to a body of work featuring mobiles and installations with a balance of science and art, creating colorful kinetic sculptures that are now displayed worldwide.