Life cylces in Multi-media with 4th grade

We got a little out there but with great results. The students researched the life cycles of their animal then created a circular cycle on a poster. They got to choose the type of items to create the depictions--clay was a popular addition. One group chose to paint their cycle complete with glitter paints and texture. The bunny group did much more detail on the written part than the art but learned to use tracing paper to transfer their drawings.

HOTT Tole Month display at Wells Branch Library

What a fantastic variety of handpainted/tole painted items the members of HOTT (Heart of Texas Tolers) are sharing with the public in this display. The top shelf is devoted to holiday items from the bunny thru many Santas and great pumpkins. Peggy really outdid herself on the paper mache as the basket even includes mini vegatables. Many of the items on display are from classes that have been offered during monthly meetings or at special seminars.
Thanks to Wendy Watson, Marie Welsch, Peggy Ashmore and Dianne Koehler for items in this year's display. When I was putting the display together on Saturday several people stopped to look and ask questions. What a great way to share our passion!The display will be in the cases for a few weeks--mid October through early November at the Wells Branch Community Library. A selection of books on painting that can be checked out is also part of the display.
The panda box on the bottom shelf is one of our Memory boxes for the North Austin hospital's berevement program. HOTT members paint and donate more than 40 boxes per year for use in the program that supplies parents who loose a newborn with a box for their memories to help with the grief.

Catching up on art in Wells Branch

It has really been a busy and productive couple of weeks for the artistic at the Wells Branch Community Library and the classes I teach at the Renaissance Academy. We have been drawing up a storm everywhere and with all ages. I learned to make an awesome claydough in colors for the school that let us make massive totems with the 3rd grade class. This followed last week when they painted and beaded native american medallions. Adults and teens drew and painted the best realistic sunflower (me too although mine is not complete) as a part of the Picturing America activities. 
Kids at the library and at the school painted and embellished an apple tree scene for Johnnie Appleseed's birthday--including the sleeping in the tree--they all had stories about what was going on in their painting. 
Next week foil fish==sounds like fun!

WBCL arts & crafts frames for Diez y seis de Septiembre

We learned a little history this week and a couple of Spanish words then made a colorful frame / art project. The group learned about Mexican independence day (diez y seis de Septiembre). We took colorful cardstock, homemade confetti, beads and tissue paper to make the frame and add flowers to the frame. Running cardstock and construction paper through the paper shreader makes great confetti and at a price we could not match!

Everyone was able to make the twisted flowers from tissue paper and a bead. But putting out tissue and beads launched them on other design elements that I hadn't planned. One of the moms used the tissue, confetti and glue to create her own design paper then cut it into shapes to put onto the frame. Several of the group thought that lots more beads would make the project into just what they envisioned. It continues to amaze me that so many different projects can come out of the same supplies. Aren't imagination and creativity wonderful!

Making glass bugs is harder than it looks @WBCL

Armed with wire, drapery rings, glass florist beads, pony beads and a variety of pliers the group last night created some pretty special looking bugs. One dad was heard explaining that his bug had only 4 legs. One of the kids made a scorpion with a golden stinger. It took a lot of adult and kid participation to get the legs wrapped and mostly the same length but sudden sighs of "oh..." were heard as each group mastered the legs and moved on to assemble the bodies, add eyes, spots and other decorations. This is definately a project that we'll do again.

Making hidden secret compartments from old books at WBCL

This week the crafters took an old book that I had already cut a compartment into the middle of. Use of a super-sharp exacto knife is just not in the program for this group! They did pick out all kinds of fabrics and make a book cover with decorations cut from more fabrics. Finishing the project required the folding of a few pages over the edges of the cuts and more gluing. I heard suggestions of keeping money or jewelery or even a diary in the secret compartment. Should be fund to see what ends up in them. Maybe I'll ask?????

Fewer participants are attending now that school is back in session so there is plenty of room to streach out in the class. I am getting a lot of donations for recycled art projects again. Good to set of the planning part of the brain.