First-graders Huntur Wright, right, and Gracee Hueckman work as a team on an art project in Peggy Murphy's class.

CANYON CITY — Humbolt Elementary first-graders were introduced to several artists and art forms last week in Peggy Murphy and Mandy Ipson’s classrooms.

The weeklong focus included meeting a new local artist each day, and trying various styles of art. Murphy said the artists talked about how art affects their lives and the lives of others in a positive way.

Each day the students worked on their own art, and learned about famous artists and types of art, from pottery to painting to fiber arts.

Visitors to the classrooms included Grant Union Gold dance athletes Mackenzie Woodcock and Joshua Taynton, singer and guitarist Gregg Boethin, fiber artist Sharron Feiger, painter Sophie Cosgrove, wood craftsman Rick Callahan and Caroline Colson with food art.

The first-graders shared what they learned during the week.

“Art makes you smarter,” said Keira Stiner.

“You can do art just to relax,” said Dahlia Nicodemus.

Makenna Forrester said one of her favorite parts of the week was hearing Boethin sing an original song.

“He made everything start with an ‘F’ for the fox one and ‘S’ for the squirrel one,” she said — the class knew the word their teacher was looking for: alliteration.

Sonya Harig enjoyed Woodcock and Taynton’s “robot dance,” Gracee Hueckman said it was fun sculpting play dough, and Jerett Wadell liked making pipe-cleaner sculptures.

Cosgrove, a retired Humbolt teacher, said she shared her process producing paintings, including a wall mural of dolphins in her former fourth-grade room.

She showed them sketches, finalized drawings, examples of experimenting with colors and a folder of her painting ideas.

“Ideas can come from anywhere,” she said. “The idea can change and combine.”

Students in Murphy’s class were trying chalk “pull” art last Thursday, making patterns using a handmade stencil, chalk and tissue to rub a design onto paper.

She taught her students to fill in the following blanks: “You can be … creative. You can create … your own design.”