Blogging revival!

Life update! Since my last post... I have graduated from Boston University with my masters in art education. Before starting my 'masters research project,' I also had made a commitment to myself to be healthier and lose some weight. Last January I started taking yoga classes 2-3 times a week and there was just nothing else like it. It made me feel incredible, and while my peers in my masters class were all freaked out about our papers, I stayed relatively calm. Then a good friend of mine from Knoxville TN suggested I do research on mindful art in the classroom- which led me to think about yoginos, and so I started practicing yoga with my third graders as well as one own. The students love it! I still have am running an after school yoga club this year for my students in second, third, and fourth grades.
My paper was titled, cultivating a mindful art room, and discussed the benefits of yoga practice before the creative process in art making. The experience was so powerful that it inspired me to begin a teacher training yoga to become certified to instruct yoga. My blog will now be dedicated not only to my experiences in the art but also in yoga and holistic practices.
I welcome everyone to follow me on this journey as I have developed some dreams, am setting some goals, and document my progress along the way.

Love, light, & peace

Namaste :)

Here is a funny photo of me at the graduation ceremony, enjoy!

Being a teacher, and keeping calm

After teaching for 7 years, and can honestly say that this job isn't easy! So what kinds of things do you do in your "free" time to relax and maintain your sanity? 

I have had an interest in Buddhism and meditation for several years now, and part of my yoga teacher training is meditating. In the digital age, there is an app for everything. My new favorite app is one that is called breathe. It takes an assessment of how you are currently feeling, and offers you several short guided meditations to meet your present needs. It also keeps track of which meditations you have listened to, and gives you stickers! I don't know about you all, but much like our students, I'm all about little rewards! The app is awesome and I highly recommend it! Here is a screen shot of the app. 

A sweet spin on 2 Point Perspective Drawing

One of our MNPS curriculum skills for fourth graders is perspective drawing, both one and two point! I found an image on Pinterest of a candy box drawn in perspective and thought what a neat way to teach 2-point to students. Not bad practice of drawing from life either! I had the students follow along with me in drawing their boxes in perspective, then I passed out actual candy boxes for them to draw from. It was up to them to draw the lettering and images in perspective along the sides of the box, which they did a pretty good job. Here are some of the better examples, and as always more can be found on my artsonia page linked at the top of my blog! :)

       

Considering Pursuing Your Masters???

 

So about a year and a half ago I decided and have since started to pursue my masters degree in art education. I apologize for the serious lack of blogging this past year... But this may I plan on walking in the Boston University's College of Fine Arts graduation ceremony to receive my MA in Art Education! The experience has been really great and I'm so glad I decided to attend BU. Nearly the entire program is online, and is geared towards the working art teacher. However, the best part I feel is the on campus summer studio session in Boston for 10 days. Here I met some amazing fellow educators from all over the world and have formed life long bonds. If it wasn't for attending this summer studio and making friends, I wouldn't much care about going back to graduate.

Needless to say I'm not done yet! Currently I am working on my masters research paper, the final piece in the completion of my degree. For my research I was inspired by the Yoginos program started at the Crow collection in Dallas by Elizabeth Reese. So I am studying the effects of yoga in the art classroom. I'm also currently teaching at Cheekwood on Saturdays... I know I'm a busy person. Here are some photos from last summers studio session in Boston as well as some recent goings on in my art class. Thanks for stopping by!

 

  My Bruce Monroe inspired wood block. 

                           Book Arts class! 

I might have gotten a bit carried away :) New favorite medium! 

Justin West's incredible tunnel book inspired by children's illustrations! 

 

My amazing friend Jenny from Ohio! 

Kindergarten paper sculptures :)

3rd grade color wheels! 

One point perspective shape drawings... 4th grade

Even better 2-point perspective candy boxes! 4th grade :)

My new toy!

New goals and research... Creating a more relaxed learning environment :) 

More to come! 

  

Sargent Art- Stands Behind their paint!

At the beginning of 2012, it was the first year for Cane Ridge Elementary. I started with only what I brought with me from my previous school. To get me started, I bought some Sargent Art- Art Time tempera paint at our local hobby lobby. I loved the quality of the paint that Once we were given a budget, I ordered art time gallons. However the gallon paints seem thinner than the pints I had purchased from hobby lobby. The white even cracked really badly as it dried. This year I decided to contact Sargent Art about this issue, and I received a very apologetic and friendly response. The company even sent me a few gallon replacements! This paint was better! THANK YOU SARGENT ART!!!!!

Here is a close up of some q-tipped painted snow from last year, and this year.... 

Last years gallon....

This years gallon....

No cracking in this one! Here is the project that we did :) 

Here is my inspiration for this first grade lesson! 

David Hockney Inspired Landscapes

First graders explore the landscape paintings of David Hockney. These are their versions! We used the Tru Ray bright colored construction paper and portfolio oil pastels. The results are stunning :) 

Donor's Choose!

I know you would have to be living under a rock to be a teacher and not know about donor's choose! BUT I have to blog about it! Last year was the first time I had posted projects that unfortunately did not get funded. It was the first year that my school was open, so we did not yet have our title 1 high poverty status. This year we do! When I worked at Shwab Elementary, a 99% free and reduced lunch school, my projects were funded right and left. That high poverty status makes the difference. This year Cane Ridge Elementary has their high poverty status and I had a project funded in less than 24 hours! 

This art teacher got a brand new 24" paper cutter in less than a week! I'm really excited that donor's choose has added venders that they are working with, including amazon.com. They shipped me my paper cutter in a day! Amazing :)