Art Auction 2023
Information and Instructions
The Art Auction is a tradition of the Hudson Montessori School. We auction off the artwork that the students (Bridge Primary through Middle School) created with their classmates reflecting that year’s yearlong theme. In the past we have auctioned them during our Year End Celebration performance at the NJCU Margaret Williams Theater. It was always a live auction surrounded by a lot of excitement and enthusiasm from the parents, staff and the students. This year, to keep our time indoors as brief as possible, we will not hold a live art auction this year. Instead, we will have the unveiling of our classrooms’ collaborative art auction pieces at the event and we will host our art auction virtually as a silent auction online like we did last year. Bidding starts NOW. These art pieces are created by the entire class, and they are the ultimate memento, commemorating that classroom's fantastic year. Art auction proceeds will benefit all school programs.
Please note that you may place your bid on any art pieces and you are not restricted to the art piece for your child's class.
You may continue bidding during the evening.
The silent auction will end Wednesday, June 14th and shortly after, the winners will be announced.
Constellation
Abstract Topography Map
“A Journey of Twists and Turns”
As we study the history of trade and commerce, how did we know where to go? What could we expect on our journey? One of the developments of the 19th century was topographic maps. These maps show the elevation and contours of the earth by using curves and swirls. The more lines and circles, the steeper the terrain. In this eye-catching upcycle, students cut, measured, and bent papers to make these swirl patterns using only old paperwork. Within the work, we've used documentation of the Montessori approach to learning and calendars of years past, which is a nice connection to our daily school lives. Artists dipped the edges into acrylic paint and glued it to the surface, adding gold and colored leaf for a touch of excitement. Their names are in gold acrylic within the swirls and around the perimeter.
Galaxy
Faux Flower Upcycle
“You Can Buy Yourself Flowers”
One of our initial discoveries about trade revealed that flowers were a hot commodity and were traded from the Ottoman Empire to Holland. Using this as our inspiration, we upcycled cardboard coffee caddies. We first prepped the work with acrylic gesso, then added color acrylic with images of flowers for reference. Once dry, they were varnished and attached to our faux ivy, and names were written in a light green amongst the leaves.
Aurora
Coffee Can Up-cycle
"Cozy"
After studying the variety of goods traded through South America, we looked to the food for inspiration—coffee being a favorite. Using coffee cans of different sizes, artists measured, cut, and applied contact paper around each can and filled the inner walls with colored leaf. An adult adhered each can to the other using cement glue. It is meant as a wall sculpture; each can has had both sides removed. When battery-operated tea lights or fairy lights are put inside, it creates a beautiful cozy effect.
Comet
Receipts upcycle
"Show Me the Receipts"
Inspired by the poem by Khalil Gibran, "On Buying and Selling," students were given and brought in their own receipts to paint. The artists gave back through creative energy but also were prompted to think of how much we consume. The poem makes the reader reflect on consumption and equity, and our art piece is meant to make the viewer make connections as well. Once they laid down a background in liquid acrylic, they went in with acrylic markers to create a unique design. If you look closely, you can even see where some of the receipts are from!
Middle School
Upcycled 3D printed chair
"The Best Seat in the House"
Our eldest group of students decided they wanted to do an upcycle of something interesting, and as luck would have it, our school is full of interesting items! After years of looking at our 3D-printed chairs, we gave one a fresh, new look. Large bleeding tissue paper paintings, a few hours of decoupage, and several layers of acrylic varnish later, we have a super fun, whimsical chair. You can add books to the bottom for an indoor reading nook or have it be a fun patio conversation piece. Either way, it is one of a kind and reminds us of vibrant clouds at dusk. As a fun addition we’ve included a custom pillow featuring images of their self portraits.
Ivory White
Raw Silk Wall Hanging
Using raw silk as the main fabric, the children chose a textile to weave through the loom creating rows of cozy texture. The children were given various choices, including wool, rope, pom-poms, and raw silk. This way, we connect this art piece to the class theme of travel along the Silk Road. Each macramé tassel has a wooden bead with each child's name written in gold pen on the surface. The back is completely enclosed with raw canvas for a warm, bohemian, but clean design.
Ocean Blue
"The Journey of Coffee"
This art piece by Ocean Blue portrays a woman in a traditional Ethiopian headdress enjoying a cup of coffee. The artwork pays homage to Africa, the birthplace of coffee, by incorporating coffee beans into the woman's hair and using brown-painted cowrie shells to symbolize coffee beans. To add value, the students used various shades of coffee to create a background with different color gradients. They also included 21 coffee beans in the steam to represent them and their hard work throughout the year. This elegant piece is perfect for any home or office and is an inspired conversation starter.
Harmonious Orange
"The Salt of the Earth"
Salt is one of the most amazing minerals on earth, from its history to its nutritional value. Children made a salt, glue, and watercolor painting on particle board to connect to the class theme. Everyone loved squeezing and squirting. Everyone took turns grabbing handfuls of salt and spreading it all over our board. Liquid watercolors were perfect for spattering over our salt and glue. The magic was watching the salt and glue spread and mix the colors. Wow!
Celestial Blue
"Paper Paper Poster"
"Paper Paper" is a play on words for this larger-than-life, incredible artwork made collaboratively by Celestial Blue students. This project was inspired by papyrus paper, a writing material made from the papyrus plant, a reed growing in the marshy areas around the Nile River. We used brown paper bags, tore the paper into strips, and washed each strip in a special glue and water solution. Once washed, we laid each strip on parchment paper and decorated it with oil pastels. All the images were photographed and made into an 18 x 24 poster due to its grand size. All the original artworks will be displayed at Year End Celebration so you can see how magnificent each piece is.
Serene Indigo
"Golden Tea Party"
Tea was a significant part of global trade, from China and Mongolia to Turkey and beyond. In this artwork, students used actual tea bags to create organic streaks across the canvas. Gold leaf was added for flair as a cheeky nod to tea “leaves.” Each student has signed the work in gold acrylic next to the gold “tea leaves.”
Peaceful Green
"The Spice of Life"
Inspired by the colorful spices of a Moroccan spice market and patterns from simple map keys, Peaceful Green's young artists combined color, texture, and pattern into this impactful and happy painting. After following patterns on paper with black marker and paint, students sprinkled matching colored sand ("spices") on top of an acrylic paint and glue mixture. The painting has been spray varnished to ensure longevity and reinforce our "spices."
Sunny Yellow
Amber Blossoms
The transparency and colors of amber inspired this beautiful process art piece. This two-piece artwork includes an amber coaster set and an alcohol ink painting adorned with cherry blossoms. The inks were dropped and spattered onto Plexiglas, and the student names are among the branches of the cherry blossoms. The resin coaster set is a beautiful compliment to the artwork and a functional piece for use at home.