Angels and Devils

The class assignment was to create different characters.

We studied facial expressions and discussed how certain features could inspire different moods.

This is what they did,

Angels and Devils!

Angels and devils also adequately describes the class overall, third grade. The fear of adults is not longer with them. Pushing any and all boundaries is the protocol.

Just before Christmas they were ....hummm...how should I put it?

A room full of 24 barking, 8 month old puppies.

When the teacher walked back into the class I'm not sure how she knew it had been a bit ruff. Maybe it was my eyes rolling back into my head that may have been the sign of it not going well that day. When I returned the following day I had 24 hand written apology notes on my bag.

The best one was, "I am sorry for crawling under my desk and throwing paper at Jorge. I hope you forget about it".

It wasn't until the last class, in the last 5 minutes, at a point of desperation,

I played a quick game of, "Simon Says".

It worked!

For the first time in 6 weeks they were focused and following directions all at the same time. Not one was under a table, tattling on a friend or spinning in circles.

Yippee, one more trick up my sleeve!

These collages are a few of the stronger pieces from the class.

It just goes to show, if you want a fresh approach to your art; spin around 5 times, drop to the floor and crawl under your table. Come out the other side and retrieve a random color of tissue from your neighbor, talk loudly as they tattle on you but glue it to your paper quickly to retain property rights.

This will insure a truly wonderful piece of art.

Art Class: Kindergarten

Here are my Kinder Peeps.

Here are the girls.

And here are the guys.

I love working with this age.

They are true artists.

Creative purity.

This is where we begin.

Then the years of sophisticated art instruction settle in and we can lose ourselves.

Those of us who live to create, find ourselves striving the rest of our careers trying to regain what we once had.

Children's Art Classes

Another successful art class.

This project worked for both kindergarten and fourth graders.

With Napa Valley California in full color right now, it was easy to pull inspiration from the vines.

I drew out large leaf shapes onto 8 1/2" x 11" white craft paper.

The collage materials were bins of colored "stuff" , mostly toss aways, that I divided into warm color and cool colors.

With glue sticks in hand the kids collaged their individual leaves.

I brought them home and applied a coat of watered down Elmers glue to help adhere and seal them. I individually cut each of them into the leaf shapes. This would have been difficult for the age of students I had. The canvases were painted with black acrylic for the four grade triptych, 18" x 36" and cream for the kindergartners 18" x 24" and 24" x 36".

I glued down the leaves and applied Liquitex Acrylic medium gloss to seal the art. I love how the kids choice of colors popped against the backgrounds.

These are now off to an art fund raiser for the school.

Kids Art Classes

Monsters, they are monsters.

Every last one of them.

Oh yeah, they may look like really cute little people from a distance, as they smile and wave excitedly. But, this isn't Oz and they are not little munchkins.

Nope they are monsters!

I had 19 under 3'8" and 32 under 4'10" today as I began teaching art at a new school.

Tomorrow I should be adding another 25.

All I can say is, "WOW".

All these photos and wonderful digital graphics were created by Jacque Lynn Davis
If you go here you can download these great graphics and more from her flickr site.
Then you too can create your very own pretend monsters and think of me.

What a week!

What would be like "Fashion Camp" with teens?

Herding "wild" cats!

Flickr photo: Mr Flibble
And what is it like when all those little paws start playing with fabric and thread and pins and needles and sewing machines and running with scissors?

Flickr Photo by: Susanrudat

They begin unleashing their inner creativity.

We created inspiration boards and designer labels.

Made headbands, wrist cuffs, necklaces,

purses, flowers, aprons

and "snuggle puss" dolls.

They revamped tee's, shorts, tie dyed shirts and

costumed 6 year old "Rock Stars".

Don't let these smiling faces fool you...

They're "Wild" Animals!

It must be a self portrait

This is the plate I found in the sink

and

this is the photo I found on my computer.

(This is a picture of Material girl.)

I'm seeing a resemblance.

Have a wonderful Easter.

(Material Girls art from when she still liked being around me.)