I think we're going to make it afterall...

It's Thursday - just before Holiday Break and I hope I get through the day without having to do a classroom meditation session (funny - I almost typed medication session).... 

I have been working on a very cute project with the kids grades 2-6 who are done with their work. The goal is to teach space, overlapping, collage and recycling (by using old holiday wrapping paper) to create a cityscape.  I found myself getting really engaged and now have to share what I did. I asked the kids to make the city pertain to their life -- make it all about them....so we have a lot of fun and creativity going around. The downside - the mess -- lots of little bits of paper all over the place. But hey, it's easier than painting!
So - enjoy my little Ms. G village....It's still a work in progress but you get the idea. I've had this gold wrapping paper lying around my front closet for a couple of years.

Silkscreen Made Easy from AzAEA conference.

I attended the AzAEA conference in October and snapped a quick photo of this process. I like the poster as a very cool way to present step-by-step instructions -- but the project is also really cool. They used inks from the YouDo line (don't know if i spelled that correctly).

Only bummer on this is that I don't know who to give the credit to....art teachers are so giving it's nice to give credit where it's due.

They used a embroidery hoop with tule as a screen. Modge podge was used to create the image. Once dry, you can use it to print -- cool and cost effective for the classroom.

Here comes the season...

I am looking forward to the upcoming holiday season but a bit of excitement and a little bit of OMG -- The worst part of this season is trying to get kids focused when they're excited about Santa. I have a few kids who don't celebrate ANY holidays so I am trying to find lessons to help keep it all about winter - not holidays so I am resigned to snowflakes, snowmen and snowwomen, cups of cocoa, ice skates, hmmmm....trite? maybe. Cute - definately.
I have a great link to my pinterest board for "Winter Art Fun". I also love looking on artsonia at some of the exhibits from this time of year to find some really cute projects.

The 3rd graders just started doing a holiday mug art project. We draw a 3D cylinder (or allow some creativity for shape of the mug) then add a "winter" design. Make sure to add the horizon line (to establish space). Outline the work with sharpie - then color details using white crayon to create a wax resist. Paint over picture with colors of choice and HAPPY. Last year I had the kids glue marshmallows on the top of the cup but it isn't necessary. These turn out really cute. Great sub plan - transitional plan or just fun project.
Check out this exhibit for more samples of this cute project:
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=344119`

Pinterest Board - Shiny Happy Art Teacher Ideas!

I love the visual format of this tool! Pinterest is my friend :)  Check it out:
http://pinterest.com/camillego/shiny-happy-art-teacher-ideas/

AZAEA conference, Pinetop, AZ October, 2011

I had the greatest of intentions to start blogging all of my fantastic ideas -- cool inspirations -- all that... Needless to say, it hasn't quite gone that way for me SO FAR this year. I don't know what is going on in the cosmos out there, but I think teachers are feeling a bit o' pressure. I sincerely couldn't get myself really grounded into the school year until the last few weeks.  What helped me??? Well, staying really really late in the classroom for a few nights and just cleaning up and attending my first art teacher conference. I went to the AZAEA conference in Pinetop, AZ a few weeks ago. It was amazing to be around other art teachers and artists and remember why I do this.

So here's a quick list of the classes I attended:

• Yoga in the art room!
• Finding my artistic voice: I was able to sit with other art teachers and be a student. We had instruction by our guest artist - who is AMAZING!!! The lesson she taught us I call "taking a walk through the elements". I will be uploading artwork and a lesson soon.
• Altered books - last time I worked on an altered book I cut my finger and got stitches...that was about 7 years ago.
• 3 in one class - made my first altered cigar box a styrofoam print and a grid painting.

The conference was relaxing - it was fun to room with one of my good friends - Lisa. I think both of us needed to regroup a bit and get some fire back. Creating does that...

The main thing I learned is that I'm over complicating the creative process for myself. Just DO - and the art will come. I think I've been afraid of taking risks with my own artwork.

One a good note - the Sunset Ridge artsonia gallery is booming! We are #1 for the state of AZ and #13 in the nation. I have had a lot of amazing help from some art room parents that make it possible.
Check out our site:
www.artsonia.com/schools/ridge1

Look for some activity now - the next few weeks I'm going to get to work on this blog. I spoke to an art teacher who said she had a blog too - she just didn't write much. She said that at the end of a day of teaching, it's difficult to get your thoughts in order -- at least anything worth writing. I TOTALLY agree. I'm just going to put myself out here tonight - and hope that I can continue with this blog with zeal and confidence.

Pinterest has gotten my attention lately - and I think I need to share my boards - good thing about Pinterest - you can just click a button "repin" and capture something. Not a ton of thought required :)

Check out my boards:  http://pinterest.com/camillego/

For now - happy teaching - happy art doing!

Summer Yoga Inspirations!

I had a wonderful Yoga class tonight and was able to visualize my next painting. I saw a spiraling tree -- colors coming from the ground were Red - then Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet (chakras) and spirals and swirls all around. Then in front of it - another trasnparent painting of me in a meditation - in front of the tree.

I can never believe the inspiration I get from going to a yoga class.


I am working at playing right now (did that make sense?) I have finally started painting and am getting into my groove and just realized I think I have 3 weeks left of chillin' and the whole school marathon starts again. Well, I am ready - excited to see the kids and all of my friends at Sunset Ridge. If things go well, I'll be able to teach 1st - 8th graders this year! Cannot WAIT!

I will post the masterpiece when it is born... Now I have to get to bed -- my big beautiful poodle is laying on the floor waiting for me to snuggle up with him.

Shared Lesson Plans - April 2011

An art teacher professional development was held on Friday, April 8th, 2011 at Sunset Ridge. It was a small crowd - only three of us were able to attend: Dede Daus, Mary Soule and me...Ms. G. "Staff development" is always a tough situation in our district because not every art teacher gets to come to our meetings. This has been a challenging issue since most of the time, the "development" hasn't pertained to us art teachers. For the past 6 years I have worked in our school district we have had various opportunities to gather and every meeting has allowed me to learn many things as well as share issues that pertain specifically to art teachers. My Principle has been so supportive of these opportunities and it makes life a lot easier! In order to make our meeting more beneficial to all art teachers, I have decided to blog about what we discussed. Please feel free to share your input!

Part One: Lessons shared by Dede Daus

Blue Dog art project

Dede brought a step by step drawing tutorial sheet along and explained some teaching strategies for describing each step. She has better results when having the students draw the nose by saying that it is "like a parenthesis". The bridge of the nose is "reverse parenthesis". Make the nose like a rectangle with rounded sides. Ears to at 10:00 and 2:00. The body is one head length long and the legs an additional head length. The last tip - to draw the leg, draw a bubble letter "L".

She has the students make their "Blue Dogs" in their choice of environment and says that she has amazing results! You can recommend the dog be colored in cool colors only and warm for the background if you are integrating a color concept into the lesson.

1st - 3rd Grade art books -

Dede used cardstock and pipecleaners to create mini bound books for grades 1-3. She said they are mini masterpieces and that each child is VERY enthusiastic to take them home. Some of the things that are in the books include:

Color Bursts (see image on right)- Fantastic and easy idea for teaching color theory. There can be "color bursts" created in warm, cool, primary, secondary, analagous, complementary, monochromatic color schemes.

Summertime Fun! - Glue resist with construction paper crayons. Dede had the students draw a border with pencil then sketch a "Summertime" design including items like a flower, surf board, sailboat, sun...you get the idea...

Once the drawing is complete, outline with glue. Once that's dry, the students color with construction paper crayons. She said that special emphasis should be paid to creating a fun border.

More posts to come.