I am a Masterpiece!

Anything is possible with art!



One's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

It is remarkable to watch the development of 4th graders as they conquer self-doubt and lack of experience with a medium to create magnificent works of art. My slogan is "Turn your mistake into a Masterpiece!" It is posted all over the studio. Students at the start of the year are so willing to give up. That is simply not allowed in the Fine Arts Studio! Instead, we have to look at what we have accomplished and keep going. Mistakes happen but they can be the springboard for turning our work into a masterpiece. We overcome our frustrations, transform our work and experience a new way of expressing ourselves.

More than a Virtual Trip to Greece?

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Inspired by Athletes, Myths, and Poets

I heard just a few weeks ago that I didn't get the funding from Target Field Trip Grants for our field trip to the Blanton Museum of Art for the lesson I published in School Arts in December. I can't complain as they had generously funded our art field trips for two years in a row. So, I am working hard to rally support so that this group of 5th graders can get there too! We are going to be hosting a Fine Arts and PE event in late February where KidsArt Fairs will be a part--Frames for the artwork are the fundraiser! Such a great idea, I can't wait to see if it helps us get where we want to go! At least I know we can get there... virtually.

What is Art?

As I prepared my classroom yesterday for the start of school and 2011, I set a group of prints around the easel for our Art of the Day discussion. The big question will be "what is Art?" As we explore the different approaches by individual artists, the cultural, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual implications of their works will hopefully shine through in the conversation. The constant evaluation of the students' personal connections to art and art-making, informed by a growing understanding of media and technique, will engage these 4th and 5th graders in what will be, no doubt, an interesting debate. I can't wait for 2011 to start in the Studio!

As I explored over the break, I found this awesome video that begs the question: What is Art? It is great for the laugh, and for the (edited) shortened clip to share with students in a discussion. The video is by Creature Comforts, and I found it on Art Matters. It is also a great example of claymation:

Art in Miniature--Revisited

My book order arrived last week, and today, the Art Institute of Chicago shared a post on The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone. It is a fantasy-tale that takes place in and around the Thorne Rooms at the AIC. It will be a focus for my 5th graders in the spring, and I can't wait! If you are looking for an adventure tale to share with your 2nd-6th grade-level readers, this is a great choice. We'll be doing a read-aloud to introduce students to the book, while also connecting to some great American art. We will then launch into projects related to the Japanese Traditional Interior, that while not a part of Jack and Ruthie's adventures, still leads to a fascinating cultural exploration! We will create Bento Boxes, inspired by my colleague, Nancy Walkup's lessons, and write and illustrate Haikus as well.

Get Ready, Get Set, Sketch!

There are some fantastic sites that focus on sketching and on sketchbooks. One of these is SketchCrawl which celebrates sketching with drawing marathons from around the world
On 01.22.11, they will be celebrating their 30th Sketch Crawl, and this is all you need: Materials. If you are looking for inspiration on creating your own sketchbooks, check out this neat site (Thank you, @craigr on Twitter!)
Take a look at the SketchCrawl Flickr site for further inspiration!

Connecting through Art Ed!

I learn so much from my PLN! I finished compiling the resources for the TAEA Elementary Division wiki and am amazed at what we can glean from fellow art educators from all over the country. I am so impressed by educators at every level, who pool ideas, links, and their own creativity to immerse their students in new endeavors. One of the art educators whose websites and blogs inspire us to do more is Craig Roland (@craigr on Twitter) whose Art Junction site lead me to find this link to an article about sketchbooks. TAEA has created a new sketchbook initiative to engage the artist within each teacher, and this post provides some food for thought. As a way of inspiring elementary art educators to participate, we launched a theme for elementary: Connecting! So let's start connecting our thoughts, media and creativity, and immerse ourselves in creating art!

Inspired by Others

Made with My Cool Signs.Net

I took a little time this morning to take a look at what others are doing on their art blogs and websites. It is so inspiring. I found this sign maker via one of those discoveries. There are so many great art educators out there, who bring in so much to their classrooms, share their ideas, and connect with others. I love what these educators are doing to inspire children of all ages through art education.
I am going to add more links to the blog roll to connect to these incredible teachers. So much to learn!