Art
Welcome to Art at the Madeleine. I am Ida Galash and I am delighted to be your child’s art instructor. The Madeleine community has been part of my life for 25 years as a parishioner, school parent, and volunteer. This newest role that I entered in February 2010 is one I embrace with enthusiasm. Born and raised in Oregon, I have always been captivated by the state’s natural beauty. One of my favorite quotes is “Nature is the Art of God” and I can think of no better place to bring this philosophy to life than here at the Madeleine. A self-taught artist for most of my life, I eventually returned to school to continue my education and pursue the goal of becoming a certified art teacher. I feel blessed to find myself teaching art at the Madeleine.
I teach art to all 250 students, grades K through 8, so the Art room is a very busy place! Students experience a variety of media and techniques, from paint to pastels and papier mache to pointillism. Merging the art curriculum standards of the Archdiocese of Portland with the spontaneous and fluid nature of art leads to rich, multi-faceted projects, though the students may think they are just having fun creating something. Students will learn the basic building blocks of art such as mixing their own colors, the elements of art and principles of design and how to combine these into their work. They will be introduced to artists, contemporary and from the pages of history, and learn to talk about art. This year Middle Schoolers will complete and present an in-depth research project on an artist. Students will paint, draw, print, sculpt, construct, and work with fibers. Above all, I hope they will enjoy the experience. The Art room is a place for exploration and discovery. A favorite spot in my room is a shelf filled with bird nests, shells, real butterflies, squishy, tactile things, a vapor-making light and other goodies. I want foster a sense of wonder. Art is non-competitive. One need not be a straight A student or talented athlete to make beautiful or expressive things and realize the sense of accomplishment that creating art can bring. Art is a journey not a destination.
In my spare time I enjoy gardening, camping, baking, reading, and making art. I play the Celtic harp and am a black-belt in Korean Taekwon do and also study Shaolin Kung Fu. This will be my ninth year teaching the after-school Art program at Beverly Cleary Fernwood School. I have been married to Neal for 25 years and we have 3 children: Emily 21, Jacob 19, and Adrian 12