Mrs. Jaime Simmons showcased her amazing creativity and the artistic talent of FPD’s elementary art students with a beautiful Nutcracker-themed tree at the 2017 Museum of Arts & Sciences Festival of Trees.

The name of the tree is “Nutcracker Magic – The Hour of Enchantment” and, in addition to beautifully designed ornaments, the topper is a real, working owl clock thanks to FPD’s Robotics Team.

The elementary art students recreated the scene of the Nutcracker ballet when Clara is about to enter her dreams.  Every single ornament and piece was handmade by Mrs. Simmons and the students, using different mediums and textures.

• The First graders created little mice with cardboard, joint-compound, and paint.
• Second graders created mini clocks on small canvas squares.  They modge podged bright tissue papers and foil as well as actual music selections from the Nutcracker ballet.  The added texture of metal springs and wires coming out of the center of the clock simply reiterates the magical hour when Clara’s dream begins.
• Third graders used Lizella clay to create the angels seen in the Nutcracker with white glaze and gold glitter accents.
• Fourth graders created flat wooden hand-painted nutcrackers.  Each student designed and painted their soldier to their liking with a limited color pallet as well as added textures like glitter, sparkling jewels, pom pom balls, and feathers.
• My fifth graders had a choice of creating a ballerina or a soldier.  These students started with nothing but TIN FOIL to create the shape of their sculpture and then added sculpty strips (which is similar to plaster and paper mache’ combined). Then they were hand painted and adorned with foils, tulle, snowflakes, flower petals, glitter, feathers, and jewels.
• Mrs. Simmons made a cardboard Clara and Rat King as well as the large clock tree topper.

The tree can be viewed at the Museum of Arts & Sciences throughout the Christmas season.