Happy Halloween!

Where's Waldo!?

First Grade Scarecrows!

Grant Wood Inspired Landscapes

For this lesson we started off reading through some of the pages of Mike Venezia's Getting to Know book about Grant Wood. I love telling them the story about how American Gothic came to be and showing them a photo of me in front of the original in Chicago! Great opportunity to discuss the difference between copies and originals. We discussed the difference between portraits and landscapes and we did a step by step drawing of a horizon line, barn, trees, fence, sun (always encouraging them to add their own ideas because they are the artist!) ....The next class, after reviewing, we talked about pattern and drew the lines in the landscapes with patterns in them. Then they traced everything with a chisel tip sharpie. The next class was coloring in small details with construction paper crayons and then adding liquid watercolor paints. Students also had to show me an understanding of vocabulary by filling out an assessment to be glued to the back of their artwork. This project took longer than I anticipated, (4 classes) but they worked so hard and I am pleased with the results!

Floating into a great school year!

First project of the year! Bubble drawing with 3rd, 4th and 5th graders!

Let's Shine this Year!

Back to school bulletin board! Hope you all have a great 2016-17 school year!

Art this summer!

I lucky that my kids love art so much! They beg to do it! This summer we went to an amazing place called Bookworm Gardens in Sheyboygan Wisconsin. It is a botanical gardens with sculptures and interactives for kids all revolving around children's books. Loved that we found some art related sculptures! My 6 year old son has such a huge passion for art. He wants to be an art teacher when he grows up. :) At our cabin this summer we made art with things found in nature.