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!

Still Life

My 4th and 5th grade art clubs got a lesson in still life. First we drew in the room. We used still life objects such as, fake flowers, fruit, etc... Then we took it outdoors and drew what we saw in nature. I'd say this two week lesson turned out amazing!

Kinder Monets

My Kinder friends got to experience painting like Mr. Monet. They "dabbled" leaves and "swished" water on like pros. They loved using oil pastels for the details!

Collaborative Cities

2nd graders just completed their collaborative cities. We collaged our middle ground and painted our backgrounds and foregrounds. This was a great way to teach collaborative art making!