Garden Club Presents: Art Market for the Garden on October 25th!

Once there was a mud pit....

We had a dream to build a garden where we could think, write, investigate, and read in. Then, with the help of many there was a garden.....

Creating portable seats for the garden

Now we are in need of a few final touches, like, dirt, seeds, mulch and a sign. The Garden Club has been working hard on handmade art to sell on October 25th from 3:30-4:30 in the garden. Join us for a look at the garden and a chance to buy handmade art to support our garden's needs. 

Creating our handmade art to sell

Original Works On-line ordering coming soon!

West Ridge Original Works is on its way!!! Below is just a sneek peak of what's inside this box! The students are super excited for their parents to see their Original Works Art! You'll have to wait for our on-line gallery to be up and running in a few weeks! In the meantime look for a letter from me about this amazing fundraising program in your child's Friday Folder!

Original Works!!

Students have been working hard on their Original Works Art Fundraiser. A percentage of the proceeds go to our Art Program. I use the money for all the supplies we use everyday, markers, crayons, paper, paint, clay, you name it! I was also able to purchase four I-Pads last year for research. They are used daily! Here's a sneak peak of just a few projects!

Digging in!

These last few weeks 4th and 5th grade students have been having a blast creating their own designs for the Original Works Art Fundraiser. They are encouraged to use the coloring techniques they learned in the past in their original designs. They realized that when applying their techniques it really makes their art POP! I came up with these techniques with a student teacher of mine years ago and they have been an on-going West Ridge art tradition ever since. 

 Below are our posters of the marker, crayon and colored pencil techniques. One favorite is the "dotallism" aka pointillism technique. When done nicely the dots can make your art sparkle (without the glitter bomb mess).

Giving students the freedom and the resources to chase after their inner artist allows them to create what they want. I feel  they have a better sense of who they are and can be proud of their hard work. The best part is they are all unique and that is what this year is all about!!!

Brand New Year

This year is brand new! I look at it as an opportunity to create new things, open minds and think outside boxes. Art is not just a "time filler," it's so much more. It's a chance to see things through the lens of an artist. It's a chance to problem solve, process creatively, discuss, reflect, make mistakes and work together. Creating new things is exciting and I'm so lucky to facilitate that in this community of learners. As one of my former students said, 

"Art is the chance for the quiet to be heard over a million voices." 

What does an art teacher do in the summer?

I look forward to summer every year. This is my chance to recharge, spend time with family and pursue my endeavors.

I love having time to paint! Below is my workspace that I share with my 6 year old son. As you can see it is light, and full of things I love such as, music, artists and color!

Each summer we travel! This year we went to South Carolina, specifically Hilton Head, Savannah, and Charleston. I love eating new foods, checking out the sights, and soaking in local culture.
Here are some highlights:

Boone Hall Plantation

Beaufort

Hilton Head Beach

Forsythe Park

The Garden of Good and Evil House

Dolphin Cruise

 I also love to spend time with my family exploring Denver and the surrounding areas. I get a lot of inspiration from the Denver Art Museum, the mountains and my own backyard!

Food Trucks at Civic Center Park. Yum!

Denver Art Museum

Denver Art Museum

Hiking in the mountains

My backyard

These are all the reasons why I come back refreshed and ready to go back to school in the fall! What do you love to do in the summer? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!