Wisconsin Art Education Association Feature Speaker

I have been working hard the last couple of months to get ready for a big event coming up later in October. I have been invited to be a featured presenter at the Wisconsin Art Education Association Fall Conference. The theme this year is 'ART FOR ALL'. I love this theme because it really embraces all aspects of the Arts in Education. I can't wait to see the many ways this theme is interpreted by some of the other speakers! 

I will be joined by many other AMAZING Art Educators throughout Wisconsin as well as Bob Reeker and Jeanne Styczinski. I have had the opportunity to meet Bob Reeker several times in the last year and I'm can say he is fabulous! I have no dought that he will bring an excellence to this conference.  Ever since seeing Jeanne's name on the list of speakers I have been following her work too. She is quite the illustrator and her work is featured throughout Wisconsin on a regular basis. 

 

I will be presenting two, 1-hour sessions right away. I'll be talking about Artist Trading Cards at 8 AM and then Learning Through Play later at 10 AM on Thursday. I'm passionate about both of these subjects so I'll be pressed for time in the hour... but I'll try to share every bit of information that I can in the time allowed! 

 

Then I teach three sessions that are 2-hours long, and hands on! We will be sewing a recorder case (or at least getting started on this project. We will be creating family portraits with drawing and watercolor. And finally, learning about sketchnoteing and how to bring it into your classroom. All three of these sessions have been selected because they were successes in my classroom, so I can't wait to share them with the conference attendees. 

 

I have attended the Wisconsin conferences in the past and let me tell you, it's amazing. These hard-working educators put on one of the best Art Education events of the year. It's worth taking a few days off Oct. 25th and 26th to connect with your tribe! Check out their website to see how to register. 

Collaborative Paper Quilt

I'm a person who is often inventing my curriculum over and over. I love the creative part of lesson plans. This year, I was greatly inspired by Don Masse of Shine Brite Zamorano who does a collaborative paper quilt every year with his students. I have always been impressed and this tradition is a highlight for Mr. Masse's school.  This year, as I moved schools, I thought... keep it simple, let the kids play, create something beautiful together... This led me to Don's collaborative lesson.  

Here is the deal... I believe that we build off from each other's ideas.  You will often see me highlighting other educators and Artist who have inspired my lessons. I'm sure it's never taught the same, or with the same emphasis, or even materials... That is why we share our ideas, to see where the seed can grow. Don planted this seed and over the years so many people from all over the world have planted that little seed into their own communities and classrooms. LOOK HOW IT HAS GROWN!!

I also believe that if you are going to use someone's lesson, share your tips and tricks with others too. So, here it the slideshow that was presented to my students (K-5) to teach this lesson. When going through the slideshow, you will see our inspirational Artist, Libs Elliot, as well as Don Masse and the links to his students' work. My students would ask me, do you know Mr. Masse, after I had introduced him as one of my BFF's. "When do you see him?" "How can he be your friend, he lives so far away." This was a great opportunity to talk about how I learn from educators and Artist all over the world. They would also ask, "Will you take a picture and show your friend?" Will I? Heck yes! I'll also share it with the whole world if you don't mind. 

Here are a few additional tips and tricks. 

I used the best paper cutter EVER. Every time I put this out there I have people ask... Where?? How?? I need one.  I get it.  I had to cut the white paper with my own 'traditional' paper cutter and it took me, no joke, 4 times longer.  So, yeah... get your self one. They ROCK! (click here)

When I was creating this lesson, I wanted to check off the list that I had reviewed with all my 3rd-5th graders how to glue with a glue stick and white glue. With my 2nd graders, it was an introduction to white glue... and with my K's and 1st graders... we used glue stick only for this lesson.  The 4th and 5th grade would laugh when they heard how I presented the instruction of the glue stick in my YouTube video... I would joke and say, "I know, Right? Well, this is how I teach my littles. You can teach little people in your life in the same way." They would all laugh and think that this was a good idea. But really, many of my 4th and 5th graders are still working on this skill of gluing and all the little tips and tricks really help. 

I had placed a tray at every table with the extra paper. They would put their scraps in there and I would add some little papers here and there. It allowed for the rainbow effect that you see on the wall. I would only divvy up certain colors at a time. The trays also had the scissors and glue in it so it was easy to pick up.  At the end of the day, I would go through all the trays and clean up the paper sheets and get it ready to go for day 2... then 3 and all the way through the 6th day of my digital day rotation. 

For my littles, I had them practice cutting a triangle together. It was many of these kids first day EVER in school (or in my art room) so we really broke it down... "Here is a square, everyone turn it and show me a diamond. Great, now pur the top corner and the bottom corner together.  Now press it down on your table. Now, what shape do you have??" They would call out together, "A triangle!" I love the wonder and enthusiasm of K's. 

I never said, "You're Wrong". See this is the first day in Art Class for these buddies... If a student didn't 'follow the rules', I would let it go. This was not a formal assessment, they will all look amazing on the wall, and if the kid is proud of their work, so am I! 

I would ask students to arrange their 'mini' quilt on a table when completed. This would give the work a little dry time and allow me time to arrange it on the large format after the students have left. This way we both got to practice our composition. As you can see below, I measured out the paper before attaching the individual sheet. I also numbered and marked it for the connecting points so it would be placed upon the wall correctly

I took some training on a practice called ENVoY this summer and I started implementing it right away. One of the practices of this is to have the directions posted on the board.  I'm sure there will be a LOT more writing on some of the ENVoY tips and tricks but in the meanwhile, check out their website. 

Because kids in the Art Studio have different times that they finished up (Art is an hour long at my school), I was sure to have some 'play' available. I had blocks, toys, cleaning tools, books, and free draw. Only some opportunities were 'opened' depending on the time left in class for the students. 

I had the quilt slowly growing over the last two weeks... this allowed for everyone to see the progress of the Art Project. 

I shared my lesson plan slideshow with my staff. This allowed them to understand what we were doing in class and what to expect.  It gave credit to the Artist, Libs Elliot, and the inspiring teacher, Don Masse. Plus, it gives others the opportunity to collaborate with you... as you see here, a coworker and friend of mine brought in a quilt that her grandma made and she shared it with her students and myself.  It was awesome and filled my heart. 

I labled the work and tried to educate more people with some little tidbits on Libs Elliot and pictures of her work. EVERYONE that uses the school (sports, scouts, and so on...) is in this area of the school at some point.

And yes... I took a picture with the Artwork. I was so proud of getting this done, up, and displayed! It was a big job but yep, I celebrate my students work too... That called for a picture upon completion. 

Illinois Art Education Association FREE Webinar

Have you registered for this FREE event? Illinois Art Education Association has opened this webinar up to anyone who would like to participate... Non Members as well!!  They host several webinars over the year with truly amazing Art Educators highlighting the 'GREAT' in their classrooms.  

I will be sharing the many ways that I'm creating a Connect Effect in the many communities that I belong to.   My students, my homeroom teachers, my school, the families of my school, my local community, my online tribe, and my global world. No matter what your goals are this year, creating a Connect Effect in your classroom will not only enhance your students experience but help support and fill your soul! 

Can't wait to 'see you' all on Sept. 10th at 7:00 CST.  Sign up by clicking here. 

Bringing Community Experts into your Classroom.

I'm so excited to share in Seattle about 'Bringing Visiting Artist into the Classroom' in a carousel-style presentation, more on that later in this post.  I'm writing this post to support one of my points I will be making in my presentation... Visiting Artist do not have to be 'Artist'. 

I have had a dream of doing this project for years.  I have wanted to have the students create a case for the recorders (an instrument) that students play in Music class starting in 3rd grade in my district. I have resisted because of my fear of teaching fibers. How do you manage teaching fibers? Are these artist going to be able to do this? How will I keep the calm and get them past the frustrating parts of learning? Despite all these 'roadblocks' (and about a million more), this was going to be the year to take on the recorded cases. 

About a month before I was going to start this project, I decided to reach out to community experts. Experts might be a stretch... I actually emphasized that there was no experience needed... but I was going to call them experts, and really, they lived up to their name. 

I reached out to two groups.  First I sent an email home with my request and plan. From that inquiry, I got a handful of Moms and I a few more Grandma's that were willing to donate an hour or two. Then I requested our local retired adult volunteer group called RSVP's to see if anyone in that community would be willing to help out.  Again, a handful of ladies signed up.  I was hoping and even specifically asked for men to join the ranks of volunteers... maybe next time. 

I had the recorder cases scheduled for 4 to 5 weeks, so I asked my helpers to come in for the first two times for each section. Day one lesson was threading a needle and stitching a line. Day two, students had reviewed and started sewing one felt shape onto their case. 

I started this project with one group before the volunteers... There was tears, frustration, anger even. These kids could hardly handle the task of threading a needle (and that might be a conversation for another post... but not today). The next class I had the community experts. These lovely ladies kept the calm and cheered the kids on.  They walked them through the steps and helped the kids feel confident. My request of having the helpers in the classroom for two classes was by design.  Once the kids felt comfortable (or at least majority of them did) I was able to take away the assistance and allow the students to blossom as sewing Artist. 

I will do this lesson again without a doubt! The kids are SOOOOO proud of their recorder cases. I will share more about the specifics of the recorded cases in a future post. I really wanted to focus on bringing community experts into your classroom to help you keep the calm with your students and give the skills you feel is important to your classes.

If you want to learn more about this, or other ways to bring Visiting Artist into your classroom, I would suggest visiting our session. Actually, I would suggest any Carousel style presentation... they are always my favorite! Come early, they fill up fast! 

Thursday

1:30PM-2:20PM

Center/Meeting Room 619 & 620/Level 6

Elementary Carousel of Learning: Working with Visiting Artists in the Classroom! 

Paper Sculpture

I'm excited to introduce you to another Guest Blogger on MiniMatisse.  Matt Cockrell is an active participant in the Art Education Twitter community. I have been impressed with his conversation during #k12ArtChat on Thursday night as well as his shares on social media. Matt Cockrell, or Mr. C`s Art Class (@MattCockrellArt) as he is known on Twitter is an Art Teacher at Martha Layne Collins High School, in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

Paper Sculpture

When I was in high school, many many moons ago (in the 90`s, shhhhh…. ha!), in my Art Classes, we didn`t do a whole lot of `upper advanced` high school projects. We did the same things, from Art 1 all the way thru Art 4. Our `projects` consisted mostly of watercolor sunsets, writing in old English with a marker, tracing, drawing the `rubber band man` to make the human figure, and making clay coil pots. Our high school art teacher didn`t allow us to `think outside the box` either. We basically did the basic `run of the mill` art, so basic that our creativity wasn`t challenged to the extent that it could have been. I mean, just how creative and engaged can someone in high school be by tracing?!

So when I became an Art Teacher, in my mid-twenties (another time for another story, and my 1st career), I vowed to myself that I wouldn`t be like my high school art teacher, that I`d not only `step outside of the box` but that I`d `create another box and another and another`. Creativity to create a lesson/ project that pushed my thinking was what I was going to strive for each and every day. By pushing myself to create `real world relevant` and `just plain cool` projects, I would, in turn, test the limits of my students thinking, and their creative process, all at the same time.

Anyway, I better get up and going with this `project/ lesson` because I could go on and on, Trust me, my students know!

Scouring both google images and youtube, for a unique sculpture opportunity, with a unique everyday, ordinary material, I came across sculpture made out of paper, by Dutch artist Peter Callesen. Mr. Callesen creates his sculpture using a single sheet of paper. I put the `youtube` video on, which is a Euromaxx Art production. (For those of you that do not know, Euromaxx Art has 40+ videos about various working artists, all around Europe) At the end of this 5-minute video, I have a short discussion about process, about how Mr. Callesen uses his materials, to sculpt.

Students then look up Mr. Callesen`s website, and scroll thru his endless supply of paper sculpture, getting inspired. Students then must choose one of his paper sculptures and blend it together with their own ideas, kinda like a half/ half creation. Half his, half theirs. They must employ the same methods that Mr. Callesen does, experimenting with the process and materials until they have it. Experimentation is the key.

Students have to do two (2) paper sculptures & have Three (3) weeks to create their projects.

While this is a choice-based project, students still have to make their paper sculpture in the same ways as Mr. Callesen.

Students also MUST only use ONE SHEET OF PAPER! This is what gets their creativity flowing! Now, they can have a backing with construction paper and even use colored construction paper within their sculpture, but, their ONE MAIN PIECE OF PAPER must be over 90% of their sculpture. There are exceptions, but, they are discussed with me, Mr. C, beforehand. Any built object, such as a hummingbird or birdhouse, MUST be built by using ONLY the Cut-out Sections of their main white drawing paper.

With over (3) Three Weeks to create these sculptures, my students will go thru the `ups and downs` of creativity. They will be productive most days, but then there are `those days`. That`s when having that positive relationship with them comes in handy.

I also play music, fairly loud, to help students focus and to inspire them while they are creating. Music helps students to zone everything else out and concentrate on the task at hand

Materials:

1. You can use any type of paper, but I find that Jack Richeson, 90 lb. drawing paper works the best for me.(While ordering from school specialty (sax arts) might be challenging at times, especially with some product not showing up when it`s clearly listed on the packing list, or, it gets back-ordered, it IS a cheaper alternative ordering source to go through)
2. Scissors
3. Blending Stumps
4. Dental Sculpting Tools (paper clips work fine too)
5. Elmers Glue (not washable, as it will not have the `hold` that is needed)
6. Non-latex gloves (for those students who do not want glue on their fingers)
7. Colored construction paper
8. Photo-copy box lids
9. A portable fan (for drying)
10. Drawing pencils
11. A shelf dedicated solely to the placement of projects/ materials while student work on these.
12. Finally, having plenty of Patience! This will take time

This project (I don`t use the term `unit` in my classroom because that's a word my students hear all the time in their regular classes. In the Art Studio, we do projects!), is a mix between learn-by-watching, learn-by-experimenting/ doing and choice based.

Students use these Elements of Art within their sculptures: Line, Shape, and Form.

The cut-out sections also allow students to play around with `positive and negative space` which also turns those cut-out sections into the `shadow`, creating an interesting, created look of `shadow and light`!

Students learn that anybody can make art if they put forth their creative effort. Students also learn how a professional artist, from northern Europe, makes a living by sculpting with paper. In our school, we use Standards Based Grading. When students near the end of their project (and I only collect them on the due date not before), I not only push their creative limits by giving them advice on how to make their projects better but the student and I discuss ways for them to go `above and beyond` any expectations.

Matt has so many great ideas and he is totally open to answering questions via Twitter. Be sure to find and follow Matt on Twitter Mr. C's Art Class, @MattCockrellArt.

Art Ed Blogger Network- Artist that Inspire Us

I am so excited to announce my involvement with a new Art Education Blogging Group called Art Ed Blogger Network.  Each month we will be posting on a similar subject. I'm very excited about this post because it's going to allow me to celebrate the latest Artist soon to be in my #WelcomeWall. 

Images found on Amazon

Two years ago I made a commitment to myself to collect Artwork to display in my house. I wanted this art to be original pieces.  I have created a uniformed size and I common color of blue, but my goal is to collect many different kinds of Art to display in my home. I call it the #WelcomeWall and have posted a bit more about the project here.

I have a piece that is coming my way in the mail and I'm so excited to celebrate the Artist who created the work. I think this Artist is one that we can all incorporate in our classrooms as a living, working Artist. I'm excited to share her work with you.  Allow me to introduce you to Clare Youngs. 

I first found Clare on Instagram posting her amazing collage work.  I fell in love the textures of the papers, the color palette, and the energy of her characters. This find led me to her beautiful website where I learned that Clare also has several books and many that look quite interesting to an Art Education Teacher.  

What is great about Clare Youngs is that you can learn a lot about this humble Artist with a couple social network searches.  It was quite a find to run across Handmade Home YouTube Channel where Clare Youngs was interviewed. It makes her so real and it's always amazing to listen to someone talk about their passion, whatever it may be (video above).

Explore Clare Youngs Instagram and Website... You'll fall in love! I know I will be overjoyed when her artwork created for our family arrives... should be any day now.  You better believe this project will bring joy to our house and my #WelcomeWall. Her work already is inspiring to me and my work so it will only be a short time until I bring that inspiration into my classroom as well. I love the paper created by her as well as the subject matter. I think Clare Youngs work would inspire many of us in the classroom and in our personal work.

Check out the whole list of participating blogs below to find out what each one of us wrote about in our first post as an Art Ed Blogging Network.

PARTICIPATING ART TEACHER BLOGS:

• Art Class Curator - Artists That Inspire
• Art Ed Guru
• Art is Basic
• Art Room Blog
• Art with Mr. E
• Artful Artsy Amy
• Capitol of Creativity
• Cassie Stephens
• Create Art with ME
• MiniMatisse
• Mr. Calvert's Art Room Happenings
• Mrs. Boudreaux's Amazing Art Room
• Mrs. T's Art Room
• Party in the Art Room
• shine brite zamorano
• Tales from the Traveling Art Teacher
• There's a Dragon in my Art Room

#Crush Announcment

The last two years I have celebrated February with a series called #Crush. This February I would like to continue my #Crush celebration but this time I'm going to crush on Mediums.  See every week since the start of school all of my elementary students have had the same kind of warm up as they enter my classroom. They come in and I introduced them to a new Monster Medium. The purpose of the warm-up is to get students to 1) understand the what the word medium means in Art. 2) To help them recognize different media use and techniques 3) To create some routine fun-- yep, you can have a system set up to have fun. :)

I'll highlight the Monsters a bit more in March when we have brackets to vote for our favorite Monster Medium. This month, I'm going to #crush on different Media. Here is my schedule.  I think it would be fun to hear what your favorite lessons, uses, or techniques are with these mediums. I'll be sure to share some of mine as well! Hashtag your shares with #Crush and tag me on Twitter with @MiniMatisse and on Instagram with @MiniMatisseArt. Something to look forward to this month.

Here is my post on Crayons, Paints, Markers,

Alphabet Soup

A few weeks ago I welcome my first guest blogger to MiniMatisse, Mark Rode. His Paper Dinosaur Sculptures are adoreable, be sure to check them out.  Today I'm honored to present you with an Art Teacher I have admired for years.  Lauralee Chambers has been an Art Educator for 25 years in Westchester, New York.  She teaches over 900 students, 6 sections a day at two different schools with a total of 36 sections in a 6 day cycle. Yep, you read that all right. This woman is a rockstar!  Lauralee not only teaches to the masses but also shares, shares, shares on her Instagram, @2art.chambers and on her Pinterest account, Lauralee Chambers.  This is how I recently saw Larualee's latest and greatest lesson, Alphabet Soup.  She was happy to share with us the process of this adoreable project right here on MiniMatisse.

Lauralee writes:

I have 6 sections of first grade and our classes are 45 minutes every 6 days. I begin this project by telling them that “I know first graders are alphabet experts” and ask them to recite the alphabet to me. I ask them if they know any alphabet books and I tell them that I have been collecting alphabet books for a very long time because I love letters! I share some books in my collection and show them my other assortment of letters objects that I have including my alphabet necklace. I also created a smart board document with many, many images of letters on things, with the last slide being a bowl of alphabet soup.


Day One:

Materials:

• 9x12 white drawing paper 90lb, or other for painting, with a pre-drawn pencil circle outline
• Oil Pastels
• Alphabet letter sheet visuals on tables to help them remember

Process:

After looking at many alphabet visuals and resources, teacher will demo how to draw letters of the alphabet in the circle (bowl) by pressing VERY HARD to put oil pastels down onto the paper. If not done thick enough, soup will cover their letters! I show students how to scatter their letters, rather than putting them in a line like they do for writing. They can go ANYWHERE, upside down, sideways, etc. Rotate the paper for each letter trying to keep them all large enough and thick enough. Colors should be repeated and if there is too much white space left after doing each letter of the alphabet, I have them hide their names in the bowl!

Day Two:

Materials:

Liquid watercolor: I mix up a batch of broth color using yellow and orange and pour into containers for each table to share. This will wash over the letters from last class. Going outside of the lines is fine because teacher will cut circles out so they stay round! This should not take long. Put these away on drying rack and start plaid background “tablecloths”.

• 12x18 white drawing paper with a larger circle, pre-drawn with sharpie. I traced these circles over to one side of the paper. (This is where they will glue down their soup in next class, as flat and centered as possible.)
• Water based markers
• Water containers
• paint brushes, I like size 10 or 12

The Process:

Add any needed letters, prep for painting, demo washing broth over letters quickly in long strokes. Put these away on drying rack and begin plaid backgrounds.

Each student has 12X18 with a sharpie circle. Gather them around to demo a plaid pattern of vertical and horizontal lines leaving spaces between lines as you wish. I ask them to choose 3 or 4 colors that work well together. Students will need directions on how to JUMP over the soup bowl and continue their line on the other side. A bit challenging for some, but the irregularities add charm! Once drawn, students take a paint brush dip, and wipe, in water and trace/drag over the marker lines. Some chose to trace only over the vertical lines, others did all. Lots of options.

Put on the drying rack. Don’t forget names on the back!

Day Three:

Materials:

• Soft black vine charcoal broken into small pieces
• Off white paper or tag board, cut to the size of a folded napkin
• Glue sticks
• Plastic metal imitation spoons
• Glue gun for teacher use
• Plastic alphabet beads, stickers (optional)-- The beads the photos are from Roylco

Process:

Everything comes together. Students glue their already cut out soup circle into the center of the larger circle and then glue down their napkin paper. Teacher demos the placement of shading. Students apply charcoal to the bottom and one side of the napkin and run along that line with a finger to soften or blur. Also apply charcoal around side and bottom half of the sharpie circle and smear with finger. Teacher will glue on spoons with hot glue.

Before the shadow is added:

After the shadow is added: 

Lauralee writes: The focus of this lesson combines literacy and letter formation/identification with an understanding of mixed media, using more than one art material in a lesson to create something that looks like real life objects.

This lesson is truely a treasure! I adore the end result. I want to thank Lauralee Chambers for sharing and celebrating on her Instagram so often.  A special thank you for being a guest blogger for MiniMatisse. It was so great to learn the process.  For more on the happenings of Chambers classroom visit her Instagram or email her at, [email protected]