The Treasure Box

So much of my childhood influences my art teaching as well as my artwork. My elementary education took place in the best possible setting- the One Room School. Since my teacher had to teach Kindergarten through 6th grade, art was one of those subjects that couldn't be grade specific. So on Fridays, last thing, everyone did the same art project. These projects had to be open ended, so everyone could do them. And we all brought TREASURE BOXES. TREASURE BOXES were shoe boxes filled with the most marvelous things- bits of rickrack and lace, buttons from grandma's button jar, knobs, broom straw, yarn, string,bits of cloth....... Oh, the things you could create! It cost nothing and opened up the imagination!
I am sure that is why I am a mixed media collage artist and so many of my projects for kids have those elements.
So, I continue to have TREASURE BOXES- old Scrabble tiles, buttons, yarn, nothing has changed too much.

Pumpkin Patch

I found a large quantity of the fabric used for this project on super clearance. Since it was on sale, of course I had to buy it thinking there would be a use for it someday.
Years later, I got the idea of making a pumpkin patch with my second grade class. As I was looking for fabric, I remembered that orange circle fabric I had in my stash.
The students drew pumpkins on paper and traced around with sharpie on fabric. I cut these out with a pinking shears and sewed around , leaving an opening for stuffing.
The students stuffed these pumpkins with pillow stuffing. I sewed the openings together.
Students glued on felt eyes, nose, etc.

                                        From "ugly" fabric to a super cute pumpkin patch

Drawing with a Stick

Once upon a time when I was in a college drawing class, we picked up sticks, dipped them in ink, and did drawings outside. I always liked the way that drawing with a stick made you draw with a beautiful broken line.
This is how I did this project with my middle school art classes.
1. I collected an assortment of glass and plastic containers before they went into the recycling bin. ( syrup bottles, canning jars, olive oil, juice, etc.) This is our still life.
2. The students created compositions by sketching an arrangement of containers using a pencil.
3. Pencils lines were redrawn by dipping a stick into tempera paint.
4. Chalk was lightly applied.

Owls-glue batik

I love using this technique. It's so easy to do. I use unbleached muslin, torn into about 8"x12" pieces for each student. I hem the top about 3" under to create a casing for sticks to hang the artwork. 

1. Draw your owl on the flat side of freezer paper.

2, Turn over to the glossy side of the freezer paper and lay the muslin on top. 

3. Trace around the design with gel glue.

4. Let dry.

5. Paint with acrylic paint and let dry.

6. Soak in hot water until the glue is dissolved.

7. Iron or heat set in the clothes 

drier,

8. Put a stick through the casing and tie yarn or string on to hang.

Matisse Inspired Still Life with a Window

After a study of Matisse still life's, my fifth grade class created their own Matisse inspired still life's. The requirements were: a window, pattern in at least three spaces, and a table. Markers were used.
The scene outside the window had to be inspired by nature and demonstrate the use of perspective.

Tiptoe Through the.......

Spring has sprung and so have the tulips, perfect for a still life using WATERCOLORS.I brought in a vase of cut tulips. We made a simple crayon drawing and painted over with water colors , making a point to use more than one color on the petals.

SIMPLE BUT BEAUTIFUL!

Bee Mine

Valentines Day is always buzzing with excitement, so the kindergartens practiced their cutting skills and made these colorful bumblebees. All it took were lace doilies with a cut out triangle to make heart wings. Ovals were cut out of yellow paper for the bodies. Black stripes were added, although some chose to make black with yellow stripes.