Super Bat Weller???

Some students were confused thinking that I dressed up as Batman today, on "Super Hero Friday"...but they were wrong...

...I just dressed up as myself...just a normal day in the art room.  :)

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Drying Time

Ceramic Gargoyles from Mrs. Hall's class...in the drying process...

Gargoyles are widely believed to have been sculpted and placed on 14th and 15th Century monuments, churches and cathedrals to ward off evil spirits.  However, this isn't the case.  Originally, gargoyles (derived from the French word gargouille...'from the throat') were sculpted by stone masons and used by architects as gutters.  Yep...gutters.  A series of gargoyles would be strategically placed to divert water away from the foundations of these large architectural monuments, thus ensuring that the foundations would not erode and wear down.

Today, most gargoyles are created and used as decoration and ornamentation, usually a nod to their art historical roots.  My 5th graders spent a few weeks learning about the history of gargoyles and then created their own 'water spitter' utilizing slabs, pinch pots, coils, and hand building techniques with ceramic clay.  These wonderful creations will take a few weeks to dry completely and then it is my plan to have them glaze them once they've been fired in the kiln.

Art to Remember

Late last week personalized Art to Remember envelopes and order forms were sent home with students from the following homerooms:

6-Orr-Orange Team

6-Cotner-Yellow Team

6-Latham-Red Team

6-McChesney-Red Team

All of the 5th Grade Blue Team

All of the 5th Grade Orange Team

These envelopes allow you the opportunity to purchase an artwork that your child made in art class on a variety of 'stuff', like t-shirts, coffee mugs, iPhone cases, and much, much more.  Should you wish to order something with your child's art on it, please follow one of the following steps:

1. Place an order online (using the web address and personalized ID located on the back of your form) 

2. Fill out the order form and return it to me, with money, by Friday, October 31st.
It is important that orders are turned in by the 31st so that they can be processed, created and shipped to me prior to winter break.  So please make sure you take some time to order, if you wish to do so.

If you do not wish to order anything from Art to Remember this year, simply discard the envelope and return nothing.

The Art to Remember fundraiser is an important way to earn money for the Creekview Intermediate Art room.  In the past, I have purchased a Smart Board, paint brushes, clay, misc. art materials...and iPads for the art room with the money raised through Art to Remember.  So, while ordering is not mandatory, I certainly do appreciate your help in earning funds for the CIS art room!!!

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me when you get a chance.  Hope to see those orders coming in this week!  Thanks!!!

A Closer Look

Here's a closer look at some of the fantastic 5th Grade Monochromatic Self Portrait projects currently on display in the Creekview Commons!

Have a great weekend!!!

Self Portrait Displays

5th Grade "Monochromatic Self Portraits" and 6th Grade "Text Me" projects share some space on the display board in the commons!

5th Grade "Monochromatic Self Portraits" and 6th Grade "Text Me" projects share some space on the display board in the commons!

I just love displaying student work around the school.  The latest displays showcases some great self-portrait projects from both 5th and 6th Grade.  The details are a little hard to see in these pictures, but I'll get some detailed close ups of them and post them tomorrow and all of next week...just so you can see the intricacies of these amazing works of art!!!  

Converse Day!

Yesterday was "Converse Day" during our CIS musical rehearsal for The Jungle Book.  This turned out to be such a cool picture...I just felt I had to share it!

Shenanigans!

There are lots of words you could use to describe my classroom...one of which being spontaneous!  The art room is a tad more 'relaxed' than your standard school classroom, mainly because art should be an expression of ideas and..at times...spontaneity.  I cherish this part of my job...not knowing what each day, and often each moment, will bring.  I'm sure others might peek in the art room and see chaos.  But...it's just the art room.  I welcome this chaos...I just happen to call it spontaneous awesomeness!  :)

Have a happy Thursday!  Sorry for the lack of posts these past few weeks.  Ultra busy!

Monochromatic Self-Portraits

Monochromatic Self Portraits in the drying rack from C-Day; Mrs. McDaniel's class...

I tend to try out a variety of new projects each and every year...but there are some projects I just cannot bring myself to give up simply because they turn out so amazing.  For example...my fifth grade monochromatic self-portrait projects.  I just love this project, and love how each individual project turns out.  I think it's mainly due to the fact that the kids get to interpret their own black and white image to add the color scheme.  Projects are now for the most part fully painted, and we can begin the background/collage portion this week.  Finished projects should be done by Friday.  And you can bet I'll be putting some examples here on the blog later this week!