Seventh and eighth graders were treated to a special day of workshops at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield. Utilizing the museum’s current exhibit, Painting in Four Takes, as a backdrop, teachers and PEL fellows guided students through a variety of topics inspired by the works on display. Mr. Werner, Mr. Knebel, and PEL fellow Mike Vercillo invited students to look for clues in Hayal Pozanti’s work that related to the Mayan alphabet and then further explored pattern recognition by creating paper models of fractals. Mrs. Cahill and Ms. Lloyd along with PEL fellow Sigal Gerson Kadden took a close look at Steve DiBenedetto’s post-apocalyptic landscapes and recreated scenes through creative dialogue and dramatic tableau. PEL fellow Sarah Simon and Mrs. Ponden dived deep into Julia Rommel’s minimalistic layered paintings and explored the qualities of and relationships between colors culminating in a collaborative sound poem. And finally, PEL fellow Abby Verney-Fink along with Dr. Rasti led students through creating unique bookmarks in the style of Ruth Root’s vibrant and bold paintings. To end the day, students were invited to design their own work of art inspired by one of the paintings or artists on display at the museum. It was a rich experience that truly stretched students’ imaginations and fostered art appreciation through a curricular approach.