Students at Timpanogos Elementary recently participated in a two-week project to create piñatas by stacking cardboard and gluing layers of colored tissue paper. Artist in Residence Clar Amezcua worked with art teacher JoLin Cook to guide third, fifth, and sixth-grade classes through the construction process.
The lessons connected technical skills with history, providing students with context regarding the tradition of making piñatas.
The project involved students practicing patience and sequencing as they transformed materials into various shapes. The finished pieces included cylindrical forms, rounded shapes, and more complex designs, such as a large guitar featuring a colorful bird inlay.
Beyond the physical construction, students learned about the cultural role of piñatas and how the tradition has been shared and adapted across generations.
The project culminated at the schoolwide Timpanogos Art Show held on April 16. The event invited families to view the finished student works, which were displayed on tables that previously held the raw materials used during the lessons.
