Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, October 31, 2008

Gallery (click any photo to view the gallery)

The workshop leaders talked about the "triangle of consciousness," in which the face and hands convey different emotions.

Colored markers, wispy feathers, glitter and the World Wide Web came together in a mask-making frenzy at Glendover Elementary on Halloween.

Kindergarteners and fourth-graders participated in a videoconference workshop with students from a school in Pennsylvania. The art leaders, from the Philadelphia-based ArcheDream’s Mask Theater Co., led the kids through various steps – from choosing warm colors for intensity and anger or cool colors for quietness and fear, to adding geometric symbols and stickers for interest and expressiveness.

“They use this kind of drama and mask-making in therapy. It’s not just for fun; sometimes it’s helping people,” said Diana Hendrix, a district technology resource teacher, as the older children worked on their individual masks.

The students kept up a steady pace during the 45-minute session, coloring their paper masks, adding accessories and tying on the strings. Workshop leaders encouraged them to think about what movements would fit best with their mask designs, and they talked about the “triangle of consciousness,” in which faces and hands are used to convey different emotions.

Some kids, including fourth-grader Iain Knight, got a chance to show their creations to their Northeast counterparts up close on the screen. Iain shared a full description of his mask, which featured a yellow-orange sun, blue for the earth’s oceans and green for the land.

“It’s really neat to incorporate the arts and technology,” said Glendover art teacher Janet Geissler.