Blooming Clay Flowers

I LOVE teaching clay.  As a personal artist, I'd consider myself to be a painter and don't get me wrong I love teaching painting lessons, in fact we do it a lot, but there's something magical about clay.  I'm excited about it, the kids are excited about it...life is good.  There's a different type of creating and learning that happens when students have clay in front of them.  An application of building and a different type of thinking is certainly evident when students are hard at work.  Isn't it amazing how much better they listen when that clay project is on the line?  There's always an exception, but most students LOVE clay.  

I still have all of my clay pieces (as well as all my other artwork) from when I was in grade school even my squished, freaky little dinosaur in kindergarten to my first time throwing on the wheel in 6th grade.  These past three years I've been kiln-less.  At times it's a total bummer, because let's face it air dry clay just isn't the same.  As a child, seeing how glazes work is one of the most magical things EVER! I've worked really hard these last 3 years to find ways to make air dry clay more like the real thing.  I've definitely learned a thing or two.  If you find yourself struggling because you're living in a kiln-less world (say that as if your singing Don't Stop Beilievin') sign up for the AOE Summer 2015 Conference, I'll be sharing some air dry clay magic! 

In the mean time, look at the shine on these beautifully created flowers by 4th graders that were made for Mother's Day.  Aren't they just awesome?  I vote for more clay gardens--think of all the time we'd have (cough, cough, MOM)! 

But then again, fresh tulips are always nice.  

Artist Studies-The Floral Kind

Spring=Flowers, am I right?  After winter we're all ready for a little bloom and pop of color, and the idea that summer is so very near (I heard there's only 31 day of school left).  

1st graders took on Van Gogh's,  Red Poppies and Daisies.  I think they darn well rocked it.  This two day lesson certainly blew my socks off.  The students loved making their textured and patterned backgrounds using foam rollers and funky brushes.  And who knew saying the word "poppies" over and over in 1st grade is soooo fun?!!?

3rd graders explored the world of Georgia O'Keeffe, I was inspired by this lesson.  Before I go any further, let's talk about "analogous" colors....and how painful it is for students to try and remember what (and how to pronounce) the word.  As long as they can tell me what they are and how to find them on the color wheel--we're golden! 

Anywho, if your school happens to have access to BrainPop there is a pretty awesome one on Georgia O'Keeffe and the kids will pretty much BEG you to take the quiz at the end.   

  

All right, this lesson here I WAS SO EXCITED about, but it kind of seemed to be a bust.  We win some, we lose some I guess...but boy do I hate losing.

We started by looking at this painting by Renoir: 

Students drew beautiful tulips in their vase and we outlined them with glue.  I'm kind of over oil pastels for the year--I'm just sick of using them for this school year, and for pete's sake who keeps taking all the black's and white's???!!  So I experimented with soaking chalks in sugar water and absolutely loved it, but the result didn't really transfer over that well with the 2nd graders.  I probably should have stuck with the oil pastels, but if this lesson wouldn't have flopped I would have never known! The more you know.  

I have two classes that are a little behind on this project so I think I'll go ahead and try out the oil pastels...I'll share those results later.

I'm yet to see the sun in the sky this week.  I know the clouds are doing their job to bring us our pretty spring flowers, but I need a little sunshine.  The second I see the sun, you'll know where to find me.

Clay Mania

To preface this, you might need to know a little bit more about me.  See I'm the type of person who doesn't take the time to match my socks, I mean I don't mind if they're different colors as long as they're on my feet what's the big deal?  I'm guilty of wearing socks and sandals, not just a casual 'I got done at the gym so I'm going to slip my sandals on.'  In fact, I LOVE wearing socks and sandals, there's no shame here, besides how else would you see my mismatched socks?  I'm also the type of person that loves the cold.  Don't get me wrong, I live for summer, but there's something so refreshing about cold crisp air, ya know the kind that makes your nose hairs freeze?  I'm always surprised when I'm out on a run in sub zero temperatures and I don't see anybody else...like HELLO where are you?! 

So now you think I'm crazy, besides the fact that I am on day 12 of 21 of not having coffee (guys, caffeine withdrawal is real, I repeat caffeine withdrawal is real)...well I guess I am crazy, but aren't all the best art teachers?

Well my craziness transferred over into the art room because I decided it would be a grand idea to have 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th grade all do clay projects at the same time!  I mean it does make set up a whole lot easier and we all know how messy that clay is so for the sake of cleanliness I just wanted to make one big mess at once and be done with it..ya dig?  When I'm at my other two buildings on my cart it also makes it so much easier to have all the classes doing clay at the same time otherwise I simply don't have space!  

I live in a no kiln world, so air dry is my method.  My room is filled with clay projects, It was almost like magic--I kept finding more and more places to put clay!  So now I've got all these projects sitting in brown paper sacks for the classroom teachers to send home at conferences next week, so it actually worked out quite nicely.

Because I do work with air dry clay and am only with each group once every eight school days clay has to be one day lessons.  No way can we save it for the next class.

2nd grade made these precious little flower plaques.  Texture was key in this lesson and students did such a nice job slipping and scoring that not a single one broke! Seriously?! That's a first.

I gave them the base, that I had rolled out.  But for a couple classes I forgot my rolling pin at my other building so this is me being resourceful.  But honestly it was awesome.

1st grade embarked on these little clay hearts and stars.  (I guess I didn't get any images of the stars, most students went for the heart)

I gave them a piece of paper like this and students filled in the shape with "snails" and circles, smoothed it all out, flipped over the clay piece and revealed all of the patterns.  Before students added oil pastels on top I dipped them in a watered down black acrylic bath.

Can you tell this student loves Ireland?

3rd grade made these coil pots with red Amaco air dry clay.  I'm trying to be more of a "yes [wo]man" so I let students use whatever color oil pastels they choice, but I'm thinking the method I tried last year worked a little better.

Well now I'm going to go into my classroom and drown in my piles of clay.  If you don't hear from me for a while you'll know where to find me.

Original Works

My last rotation of classes had to take a little hiatus on the art projects we've been working on (and so very close to finishing) to help the PTA and classroom teachers out with an Original Works project.

If you don't know what Original Works is check it out here.  It's very much like Artsonia, but only focuses on creating one art project.  It's a great fundraiser for the school and the orders usually come in around the holidays so they can make for fun gifts.

All of these projects were one day lessons.  I helped the 5th and 6th graders get started and whatever they did not finish they were to finish on their own.

This was the kindergarten lesson.  Just a very simple flower done with oil pastels and watercolor.

1st and 2nd graders made this fun fish using oil pastels and watercolor.  They all really loved making the silly fish lips.

Per request 3rd grade took a wintry approach and made these snowman with oil pastels and watercolors.

4th graders made these funky parrots.  It was their first time using liquid watercolors, they had a lot of fun with it!

5th graders made these lizards.  I wish I had more pictures of these to share because there were some that were on their way to being masterpieces!

6th Graders made these hand trees.  The idea came from here.  In drawing their hand they were asked to come up with a theme or to create an about me tree.  I was surprised at how nicely some of them turned out.

SO MANY projects are being graded and finished up this week, I can't wait to share what the kiddos have been working hard on!

1st Grade Whimsical Flowers

I'm just now getting around to posting some of the first finished art projects of the year.  So expect to see some exciting projects--there are some I have been super anxious to share!

This was 1st grades first project of the school year.  We started out in full force to get these babies done.  The walls in the school are so long and white we needed to get something bright and colorful up ASAP.  This was a two day lesson: Day 1 was spent painting the background with neon orange and pink, students also used blue, green, and purple liquid watercolors to create the centers.
Day 2 was all about cutting and gluing.  I forgot what a challenge this could be for 1st graders.  I used leftover scraps of any type of yellow paper to create the petals.

That 1st Day of Kindergarten...

Oh kindergarteners, how you challenge and test me.  So what do you have them do on the first day of art class? MAKE SOMETHING REALLY AWESOME.  And of course something they can mirror you to see if they have the ability to follow instructions.  I did this lesson last year, but decided this was going to be my first project this year. Simple cutting, gluing--DON'T forget the sharpies and paint too (insert kindergarten cheers here)!!!!

So far I've seen each group of kindergarteners (7 sections) 3 times.
Here are my favorite things they have said to me:
"Are we going to talk about stranger danger today"
"This place (talking about the art room) is so awesome I'd like to take naps in here."
One student will only call me Mister.

I'm often referred to as:
"Mr. Artmaker"
and my favorite...
"Mr. Paintbrush Master"

...and then there are always a few vases that accidentally get knocked off the table.

End of the Year Kindergarten Projects

I was all over the place with my kindergarten classes this year.  I had some very tough groups so we couldn't always do the same thing as the other classes.  Here are a couple of projects we did in the last couple weeks of school, and I mean literally every single class did something different.