Student Art

I found my camera and thought I would share some of the art that my sixth grade students have been making in my after school class. They tell me this is the favorite day of the week for them. We have three more classes left and then we are on winter break. So here they are...

Zoe - who has almost filled her journal - she creates with abandon

Ruby - who fills her journal with intricate sketches and paintings of trees


Lexy - who likes to chat and dance while she makes a little art

Laura - who has used every technique I have demo-ed

and works in her journal at home

Jean - who's finally having fun - she makes art and
then makes a card for her boyfriend every week.

Here is some of the stuff I have shown them each week, they all watch and then some of them use the tips, but some just want to do their own thing. I walk around and give advice and then sit down to do a little bit myself. Usually they think it's pretty cool :-))

Demo 1 - stamping and making lines with a fabric wheel

Demo 2 - altering magazine images and painting

And finally, here is an art piece I recently did for my friend Susan's birthday. I used the left over botanical monoprints I made in the class I took from Mary Margaret Briggs, earlier in the year. Sorry for the glare - it measures 12" x 24" and I really loved it. Kind of thought about keeping it, but I needed to give her something besides a scarf or a martini glass - which she had already been given. She loved it!!

Ciao my babies...

xoxoxo

Over the Top Award From Jennifer

My first blog award ever - how exciting!!

Thanks for thinking of me Jen :-))

Jennifer's blog is here check out her beautiful art!!

The rules are: I need to pass this award on to five people, post on their blog to let them know I left this award, and then I need to answer a list of questions in ONE word.

So here we go:
1. Where is your cell phone?… desk
2. Your hair?… medium
3. Your mother?…writer
4. Your father?… sweet
5. Your favorite food?… Thai
6. Your dream last night?… daughter
7. Your favorite drink?… tea
8. Your dream/goal?… art
9. What room are you in?… living
10. Your hobby?… Art
11. Your fear?… failure
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?… studio
13. Where were you last night?… home
14. Something that you aren’t?… skinny
15. Muffins?… morninglory
16. Wish list item?… security
17. Where did you grow up?… everywhere
18. Last thing you did?… email
19. What are you wearing?… pajamas
20. Your TV?… daewoo
21. Your Pets?…chihuahua
22. Friends?…many
23. Your life?… busy
24. Your mood?…relaxed
5. Missing Someone?… nope
26. Vehicle?… reliable
27. Something you're not wearing?… bra
28. Your favorite store?… thrift
29. Your favorite colour?… red
30. When was the last time you laughed?… tonight
31. Last time you cried?… ages
32. Your best friend?… undefined
33. One place that I go to over and over?… imagination
34. Facebook?… yes
35. Favorite place to eat?… home

This was hard, as I love to chat!!

So the five folks that I am passing this award onto are:

Deb

Elizabeth

Carol

Timaree

Nicolette

Pass it on ladies :-))

Congestion

I am on day six of this cold and I really feel pretty darn good!! Neti-pot is my friend and I am almost at the end of this whole thing. I haven't done much in the way of art, but I play a bit with the kids in my weekly class. I took pictures last week, but now I can't find the camera. I will post some kid art tomorrow. Off to run some saltwater through my sinuses - see you later :-))

More Art Opportunities

My other baby - little Yoda

It's funny how when you start visualising where you want to be, things just start lining up. At the beginning of the year when I took ownership Blissfully Art Journaling I had this vision of the groups membership growing to 500. I wanted the group to be a resource and inspiration to fellow journalist. I knew I could make it grow, I just wasn't sure if it would happen in under 12 months. I think it is safe to say that it's going to happen, we only need 20 more to hit my goal. Each day new people want to join, which keeps me inspired to continue and look for other ways bring more art opportunities into my life. It's fabulous!!

Just this month came the chance to teach art at my daughter's school and get paid for it. I am now pretty heavily involved in getting an art docent program up and running in the school. I've also been asked to work at the high school with their Art Boosters Club. And today I was hired to develop and create art pieces for a local business woman who is ramping up her Life Coaching business.

When the kids and I began our new life 5 years ago I had short-term goals like making a living, getting a house, creating a safe and stable life for us. Those have thankfully, been achieved. My long-term goal was to re-invent my income earning model by the time both my kids were in high school. I have a couple of ideas to do that and need to get those going as that deadline is less than a year away... I am surrounding myself with art/business opportunities, so I really believe this will become a reality. One step at a time :-))

Good night my friends
xoxoxoxo

Teaching Rocks

This is my mum and my babies in August of this year - no so little anymore!!

Well, I have three weeks of teaching under my belt. It's small class, but going well. The kids are having lots of fun and using the tools and techniques that I am showing. I am also learning a few things myself - flexibilty, letting things go and teenage girls can be fun. If they are not your own daughter - that can get touchy...

I have been meeting with at least two teachers each week as I am in the building more this year (actually more than I have been for the last 5 years). They all seem interested in art docent assistance. The Health teacher wants to do self-portraits while they look at body image. Social Studies wants someone to work on making masks. Japanese teacher wants someone to teach Sumi painting. The Librarian wants to have an ongoing display of art shown.

The two new "art" teachers (actually science and l.a. are their primary subjects) have been really working hard to figure things out. This last week we met and started working on a syllubus, grading guidelines and a curriculum. This will be for next quarter, as there are only 2 weeks left for this one. I mentioned that they are really my guinea pigs, since it's looking more like there will not be an actual art teacher next year either. So, they are helping me develop a program that can be handed off to all the teachers who pull the short straw next school year. Thankfully, we have this whole year to lay the ground work, so the Art Department will be fully functioning on day one in 2010.

As, for my own art... not much going on there. I am using the left over botanical prints for another collage. This is for Susan's b'day. She was here last night and since I still haven't come up with an idea for what to give her I offered it to her when it's finished. So, I am letting yet another art piece go as a gift... She was very happy :-))

The kids are gone today. Oldest is at a workshop for 3d animation at Digi-pen and the youngest is with her dad for the day. I am going to putter... who knows what will happen

Ciao for now
xoxoxo

mary margaret briggs

This is the workshop I took earlier this year -

It's Official!!

I am now a paid art teacher - submitted my proposal on Monday and heard back yesterday. They want me - so now I fill out the forms and meet with the director tomorrow to go over lesson plans. I am so excited - this will be fun!! Once a week, two hours, helping kids get the journaling bug - how cool is that??

Off to do paperwork and maybe some art in honor of this amazing opportunity - see you all later...

kso
xoxoxoxo