Anthropologie taste with a Thrift Store Budget.

I always browse Anthropologie's furniture collection. They have an amazing team of artists working for them. I've seen beautiful pieces inspired by anthro on blog's of artist .This weekend I came across a free metal chair on the side of the road as I was headed home after dropping my friend off at the airport. I am going to use this chair as inspiration for my new design. Will post b/a pics soon.

Clay Club - a solution to a time crunch

So as I have mentioned before I teach art to a large school. My classes meet for less than 30 minutes each week. So this leaves little time for projects such as clay. My friend Debs- teaches a clay club at her school so I decided to seek her advice in creating my own. This consisted of me calling her and asking for very detailed information about her club so that I could copy it;). My clay club lasted for only 6 weeks. ( Meeting for 75 minutes once a week) Students completed 3 pieces during that time. A frog on a lily pad, a turtle , and a vase.
Thanks Deb.
I was a bit worried, because I have no confidence in my clay making abilities. But in the end it was worth every minute. The kids loved it- and we got to display our work in the official display case in the front of the school. Here are some of our projects:

Time for Change O'Keeffe Lesson Grade:K

So I have been doing some serious thinking about the future of the blog- and propose to create more positive entries that consist of lesson plans divided into short time slots to help other teachers with similar schedules as mine.
So here it goes:

Georgia O'keeffe Grade: K

I love teaching kindergarten. It seems no matter what subject we study the kids always get super excited. Their enthusiasm is refreshing. When the O'Keeffe exhibit came to town ( to the High Museum of Art) I knew I needed to study her in some of my classes. So I chose two groups, one 3rd grade class and one Kindergarten.
Way back since my freshman year of collage I knew I wanted to be an art teacher. Even when my major was theater, secretly it was art education. So since 1999 I have been collecting art books and art calendars. Every year after Christmas I would go the Barnes and Noble and buy cheap art calendars- because I knew one year I would use them. Recently a retired art teacher who had the same idea gave me tons of O'Keeffe examples in various sizes pulled out from small and large calenders. So these went to great use!

Day one: 30 minutes
First Day: I introduce Georgia, talk about how she was from Wisconsin, studied art in NYC and moved to New Mexico. Talk about how her boyfriend, a photographer who helped her have her first show. Then I hold up examples and discuss her flowers. We talk about scale, and abstract shapes and color. We discuss that her flowers sometimes do not look like flowers but are just abstract paintings of organic shapes that capture the flower shapes and colors.

I tell them they are going to create their own giant flowers in the style of O'Keeffe and that we are going to study her paintings. I always tell them that they can't mess up- and that they are going to need to draw really really big.

My kindergarten classes are arranged so that they sit 4 to a table and their are 4 tables in each class. So I pass out large 12x18 paper and have students use crayons to draw from examples placed at each table. Some students share calendar examples, and some use their own. I tell the students that they must draw the shape over and over and make it big drawing all the way to the edge of their papers.
OK- end of first class.

I repeat this again and again using my arms to emphasize that I want them to draw it big.

Ok so by the end of the first 30 minute session they are finished with the drawing because Kindergarten draws really fast. - They do this because they draw with confidence!
If any finish before others- I have then color in shapes of petals.

Day Two: 30 minutes
They color in their flowers using their own color choices but they must stay away from neutrals. ( Easy huh?) They also have to color using their muscles. I say this a lot in my classes. If your hand hurts- shake it out- and continue ;).

Day Three:
Color ( repeat)

Day Four: Paint! ( 30 minutes)
Some tables used tempera others used watercolor. I like to mix it up when I can. I am an art teacher who looks for different results and solutions. This prevents me from getting bored with the lessons. This is why it is difficult to find enough space on my cart sometimes :).
So students apply paint on and around their pieces covering any white space. I recommend black paint to a few students around the edges of their flowers.

So it only took us four weeks but the results are fantastic! I displayed these proudly around the school to help celebrate Youth Art Month.

PTA Support

Last year I began a photo club and opened it to 10 5th and 6th graders. It filled up and the kids had a blast. PTA agreed to sponsor the entire club, which was about $350 for cameras and purchasing and developing film. I decided to run this club again and have even been asked by several students when it would take place. So, yet again I went to PTA to ask for their financial support. I emailed the President asking her to add me to the agenda and was preparing to give a speech on why they should put up the money for my club again this year. I was amazed when I learend they already had me on the bill for $250 in the event I decided I wanted to have another photo club. They also said that if I needed $300 it wouldn't be a problem. This is pretty cool, I must say. I haven't really had any dealings with other PTA's but mine is pretty amazing. They are all for extra arts and any programs that will add to the quality of their student's education.
With this money I have planned out the photo club schedule. We will be taking pictures of textures and learning about composition the first week. We will also be learning about some of my favorite texture photographers like Margaret Bourke-White. The second week we will be making a photo documentary. The third week students will make cyanotypes using sun print paper. I even have enough funds to purchase a kit for them that they may take home. I thought this would be a fun project to introduce alternative photography, which I have been doing a bit of myself lately. The fourth and last week we will be making photo collages from all of the sub prime photos and looking at artists who do this as well. On the last session I purchase ice cream and toppings for sundaes, which the kids loved last year. I'm pretty excited about the whole club and every week it seems I have even more kids ask when the photo club will be. Can't get any better than that!

Andy Goldsworthy

A couple of 3rd grade classes created Andy Goldsworthy inspired art. We are not finished with the project- they still need time to mess around with the photography.
But over all- fun fun fun- I had a lot of fun. ;)

This is what art teachers to when they have time off.

They make felt circus elephants and hide them in their house plants. Then they create a photo story of their
elephant taking an adventure cross country.

Who is the best?

So-I get a phone call today from a woman who is organizing a very big state art show. Each school is allowed to summit only two pieces of art and the applications had to be turned in about a month ago. When she called- I was at once proud of myself for making the dead line, but then realized that instead of submitting 2 names I had submitted 5. I guess I got confused with the entry numbers and wanted to make sure I had the max amount possible.
After realizing my mistake I at once have to pick two students out of the five and at that moment what should be an easy answer turns into this philosophical question of who is the best?
Details:
Lest dissect the group- I have 4 girls and one boy. One in kindergarten, one in 1st, one in 2nd, and two in third ( the boy being in third grade).
The student in 3rd grade is amazing- every piece of art she makes is beautiful and she also just had a writing piece place on state level...
My little kindergarten student made this awesome mixed media piece and I love it so much I just want to show it off to the world. Because it makes me look good... ( This is bad I know)
The second grade student- her art even though quite good- I mean she is very talented.. I don't think it will stand out enough- because of the art lesson - not because of any lack of talent on her part.
The Boy- shows little interest in art until recently and them boom! He create this awesome oil pastel.
The first grader- so sweet and her teacher thinks it could really boost her self confidence. .. plus her teacher is awesome..
Solution:
Awesome third grader should go- but she just experienced a lot of success in her writing and I really do want to share the wealth.. so I have to say no.
Kinderpicasso- she is 5 and like an amazing artist- plus she is really cool. I won an art contest in Kindergarten and it changed my life... so Yes?
No to the boy- because am I just choosing him because I want and even boy and girl entry?
No to 2nd grader- because the first grader's art stands out way more.

So who is the best?

Lesson Learned:
If you have this much trouble picking art entries for a contest- you will never make it as a CEO or principle, or military leader. ...