The November Kid Quest explored the Element of Art Space. Participants had to think about how space can be in and around an object and how artists think about space when they are creating their artwork. Students came to the studio with a fun challenge of creating a mobile. We used colorful twisteez wire and model magic as our main components for this project. Students were able to create some fantastic sculptures that transformed into mobiles. I think part of the success with this project was the elimination of the tangly string. By using the wires, the kids were able to keep better control of their objects. The mobiles turned out fantastic and once again I was blown away by the creativity!
I was honored to be a part of the 2014 Red River Valley Writing Project’s Institute at NDSU this past summer. During this extensive two week professional development opportunity I was educated on many different reading and writing strategies, and inspired to be brave and incorporate more writing in my art classroom.
As I headed back to school this fall, I was challenged by our school improvement plan to include critical reading into my art curriculum once per quarter. I looked long and hard for an article that I deemed appropriate, and while scanning the pages of NPR, I came across a wonderful story about an art exhibition in London honoring the thousands of service men and women that gave their lives fighting in World War I.
The article we read is linked www.npr.org/2014/08/16/340649115/a-sea-of-ceramic-poppies-honors-britains-wwi-dead"></a>
Students read the article and following our AVID criteria for a critical reading, circled important words and underlined main ideas. Students also wrote a summary of the article and their learning.
To me this is the boring, technical part of the lesson, but I do think it was a great exercise for both the students and myself. It allowed me to model for them that in order to stay current with what is new and exciting in the art world, I have to look for and read about art daily.
This critical reading inspired me to do a project I have never done with students before. We made flowers. We took the lead of the artist who thought up the poppy installation to make a flower to give to someone or in remembrance of someone. I asked the students to think about who they would give the flower to, and to think about that person while they made the art.
For our art project, I had students think about someone in their life that was important to them. We talked about the emotion that can be involved when making art, and how the act of making art for someone can be a very special process. I had students pinch the flower petals individually and then slipped and scored them together. I fired the flowers, and we painted them with red acrylic paint and students had the option of gluing them to wood sticks, or leaving them as is to sit flat on the table.
After making our flowers, students had to write a poem as a tribute to the person they made it for or the person they were making it in remembrance of. I taught the students how to write a haiku and a tanka. They had the choice of using one of those, or they could write freely. Students brainstormed ideas, wrote out their poems, and typed them on the computer. We printed final poems and laminated them to accompany the flowers on their journey home.
It was a proud moment for me to see my students walking down the hall with their flowers tucked safely under their arms. I was honored to have given them the opportunity to make something special for someone special in their lives. Art is bigger than all of us. It says things we are unable to say with words.
Arlo has always liked to play with cars and blocks. When he was younger, he would always line his cars up. He hasn't done it for a long time and then the other day I looked and here was one of his line ups!
I had a fantastic time at our first Kid Quest for the season. This year we are learning about the elements of art and today was all about FORM.
The art makers got to get their hands dirty by making their very own "treasure nest". Brianna and I collected lots of goodies from the outdoors and the kids (and parents) got to experiment with raw clay and imbedding their goodies in the clay.
My favorite part about Kid Quest is the open ended interpretation that guests are allowed to take. Even though we all had the same supplies, every person walked out of the museum with something unique. Next month we will be looking at space and making MOBILES!
I am pretty excited to be the guest artist at one of my favorite shops in downtown Fargo, Modern Textiles!
I will be featuring my current printed collages. I will also have some of my jewelry and ceramic work there too.
Corks and Canvas is Thursday, August 14 from 6-9. Stop by and say hi!
Crisp:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup oatmeal
1 1/4 cups butter
Mix together, pat half into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
Blueberry Filling:
4 cups berries
1/3 cup water
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 TBSP lemon juice
Bring to a boil, cook 5 minutes until thick.
Apple Filling:
1 cup white sugar
3 TBSP corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
6 medium apples peeled and sliced
Cook in saucepan (1st four ingredients) until thick, add apples, vanilla and cinnamon. spread over crumbs.
Crumble the remaining topping over fruit and bake for 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees.
I feel so humbled by all the people that came out to support me and my craftiness. I loved being able to meet new people and the other vendors.
The people beside me sold beautiful baby mobiles and diaper clutches. You can find them at www.dundryhill.etsy.com
The makeup lady beside me had an interesting story as well. She went to school to be a chemist and quit her day job six months ago to into the make up business full time. www.aromibeauty.com
And of course A Couple of Artists make fabulous things too. Their website is http://asharbono.wix.com/couple-of-artists#!__about-us.
Bakeology had an amazing booth filled with many flavors of delicious cupcakes. They are my favorite! http://bakeologyfm.com
Ashely and Justin from Unglued Market organized the show and are awesome and if you are in Fargo, you should check out their brick and mortar shop on Broadway. www.ungluedmarket.com
And, finally, you can find my shop online at www.jennysueinc.etsy.com
