lovely trees

I have seen a fellow art teacher and friend work on this project with her students with amazing results every time. I like to tie this lesson in with the Canadian Landscape Artists known as the "Group of Seven." Their work accentuates all that nature painting embodies; light, subtle details, and seasonal beauty.

My students carried out the task with thoughtful ease. The lesson focused on the elements of overlapping, shadow, color, and the natural details found in nature. Using a little painter's tape, liquid watercolors and brown colored pencils we could achieve a painting that focuses on the simplicity and beauty of aspen trees that even the "Group of Seven" could admire.

some like it hot

pastels, black construction paper, small circle stencil

I had first seen this project on the oodlesofart.blogspot.com and loved the simplicity and the function of this project. Introducing the theory of colors can be a little overwhelming but talking about them in a way that is understandable like "HOT" and "COOL" is fun and universal. Everyone can join in, even the youngest of artists can call out what colors are hot and what colors are cool. I began the project with drawing their own hands with black pastels, some paired up to draw each others hand which can help expedite the project a little faster. Then the students placed a circle stencil where they wanted to begin the circle pattern on the paper. It was interesting to see the results, I used the example of dropping a pebble into the water so they would have an idea of how the circles should form. I had one student create a little chaos with their circles which I thought at first oh no, but I found as the colors began to fill in the space as a very successful piece, how unexpected! It was satisfying to watch the sizzle of hot colors interact with the cools of blues, purples, and greens on the black paper.

as slow as a ......

The Snail, 1953-Henri Matisse

Though the summer has passed rather quickly,
my thoughts and actions have slowed to a snails pace.
I find myself at a loss of creativity.

Could it be the heat?
Do I need to eat more veggies?
Maybe I need to take an art class so I could play?
Do I need to exercise more?
Do I need some kind of therapy?

Questions I ask myself daily.

Perhaps the idea of summer winding down has me somewhat melancholy.

I do hope I find my creativity soon,
no stone unturned,
I am going on a quest......

so yummy i could eat them

The curvaceous shapes of sweet red pepper
inspired student's hands to roll, snake and coil
these wonderful pepper sculptures.

Snake upon snake and coil upon coil,
the shapely rolling curves of the pepper
reveals itself under the gentle slump of clay.

Its sweetness lies
in its status
as it sits proudly upon the kitchen window ledge.

we left our hearts in san francisco

Three lovely days with my daughter and aunt in San Francisco's splendor of clam chowder, Ghirardelli chocolate, windy afternoons, shopping in Union Square, cable car rides, street vendors, museums, Chinatown, and small yummy warm sugary donuts from Pier 39, oh it was sooo heavenly!

how much is that doggie in the window?

These are about
the cutest pups

in town.
Full of energy, loyal,
and they would love
nothing more
than to lick your face.


I think it would be really fun
to have a dog
who doesn't leave presents
in the backyard
(especially the smelly kind),
who looks happy all the time,
who is quiet,
who will stay when you ask it to,
who doesn't require to be fed
twice a day,
and makes you smile
every time you look at him.


Could they be...
a little like their owners?

Serious and Smart.

Fun and Playful.

Loyal and Gentle.

Thoughtful and Inquisitive.

I think so.

They are priceless!

nature's best

liquid watercolors, straws, large watercolor paper

Armed with straws we head outdoors to blow drops of liquid watercolors across the paper and the results were totally AMAZING!!! These beautiful trees are by far one of my most favorite projects. I loved that the project was unpredictable, that the colors uniquely blended on their own, and that the process was so very fun to watch. You will have to remind your students to take breaks especially if they felt lightheaded. We had a lot of fun and I know this will become one of your favorites too!!

dog days of summer

I would like to introduce you to some of my favorite friends.

They love to sit around and wag their tails.


They are fat and happy.

If you could throw them a bone or scratch them behind their ears they will
be your trusted friend forever.

picasso dogs

Fun and Picasso go hand in hand or should I say paw in paw.

if they could jump off the canvas...

These fun little creatures would tickle your funny bone if they could jump off the canvas. Their cuteness undeniable. Made on a background of canvas and paint each creature was cut and sewn by machine. A story was created with each detail added to the canvas. Buttons and sharpies were used to make these one of kind masterpieces that may hang on a wall or transform into a pillow. If you happen upon one these fun-loving creatures be sure to introduce yourself for they love to meet new people.

wild friends

Each creature was made with love and care by small hands and big imaginations. These wild creatures met on the table were they got to know each other. After becoming friends they decided to keep in touch after they set out on their different adventures.

come fly with me

These lovely dragons will carry you away to a mystical place, where magic happens. We used tempera paint to create a flying dragon. Have the students create a body first, then add the legs, tail, and head, it is best to not sketch the dragon first. After the paint is dry the kids can draw in the details with a black sharpie. The background was painted by using liquid watercolors and salt, while the watercolors were wet we created a one of a kind texture by pinching and sprinkling salt over the wet areas before they dry. Hold on tight and enjoy the ride!

take a walk on the wild side

Nothing but watercolor paper, a sharpie, liquid watercolors, and a big imagination could create something so WILD! These wild beasts decked out in their fancy doodles and textures will gobble you up if you should meet on a hot summer's day, so BEWARE!!!!!!!!

mythological beauty

She, she, & she walks her dogs down the street,
she, she, & she is so lovely to meet,
long, shapely legs of quartz-like stone,
two arms to hold you tight when you are all alone,
all her eyes are warm and cheerful,
but if you find yourself just a little too close,
I would be, just a little fearful.

magazines, scissors, glue stick, watercolor paper,
sharpies, liquid watercolors, images of bearden's work,
mythological creature facts (cerebus, medusa, scylla, echidna)

First project for "wild creatures" art class. We looked at the book by Sara Fanelli, Mythological Monsters of Ancient Greece, (a great kid collage book) and images of Romare Bearden's collages. His work was our inspiration to create a one of a kind collage monster. Have the kids cut out heads and give them permission to draw fangs, horns, fire breath or mustaches on their faces (something they never get to do). Catalogs are great for finding arms, legs, and bodies. Mixing it up is so much fun, wheels for feet, shoes for horns, or a washing machine for a body, oh the possibilities! Bodies can have many legs or arms, spikes, scales, or even wings. I encourage a story to happen in the background, "does their monster live in the sky or on a mountain, does it fly, does it live underground and eat worms, does it live in the ocean.......the stories are endless." The kids are in a constant state of chatter during this entire project so I think, most of the fun will be when the students share their monsters with others and the tales they will weave. Let their imaginations go wild!

anxious hands

We sit and wait
wishing for the best today,
all our hard work
behind, one little door,
tapping fingers
pass the time (6 hours to be exact),
when it is simple,
is our clay....
okay?


oh yes success!

steady hands

Fired once
the clay is slightly gray
chalky to touch
it's coolness gone away,
using tiny brushes
we set out to paint
our sweet, little treasures
we are hopeful today.

playful hands

Using our hands
we began to play,
pieces of pvc,
biscuit cutters,
stamps, wonderful, moist clay
we can roll, snake, or shape,
the possibilities endless
our minds racing away,
we are kiln size limited,
not too big, i say.

georgia's flowers

watercolor paper, pencils, fabric sunflowers, watercolors,
paint brushes, small cups for water,
images of georgia o'keeffe's work

Using store bought fabric sunflowers, we viewed, sketched, and painted the flowers in an O'Keeffe way. Georgia O'Keeffe had an eye for beauty and detail. She would love to sketch and observe all things around her. Each large painting she painted was so cherished by her that it was hard for her to see them go, they were like family. O'Keeffe, an American woman artist at a time when the field was dominated by male counterparts and European art, she began to break down stifling boundaries by showing and selling her work in galleries, she was in high demand. She also helped define an American Style of art which was beginning to move into abstraction, this gave her an important and influential voice in the art world. She is so amazing!

The kids love the idea of holding their own flowers to observe closely. A little lesson on how to sketch followed handing out the flowers. Real flowers are absolutely wonderful and so beautiful but can be costly too, fabric flowers are a great source of inspiration and can be used repeatedly when sketching, and in still life vignettes. One of the first things to stress is the idea of sketching really BIG in an O'Keeffe manner where the flower begins to look less like a flower. Encourage drawing off the paper, oh my, how uncomfortable they will be. If you find some of the students feeling stuck on how to sketch the flower ask them to look for the shapes, starting with the large center shape and moving out to the petals, they can even break up the shapes further by looking at the gradations of colors in the flower. Painting will be the fun part of this project because they get to decide what color their flower will be. They do not have to follow the colors they see in the flower, in fact about this time is when I collect the flowers and pencils. If using palette watercolors this is a great time to explain how to use the lid of the palette as a place to mix colors (very fun!). I also do a little brush demonstration on how to sweep across the page rather that scrub the sink, this will help with the longevity of the brushes. Have them paint with their feelings, their colors will be exciting and unexpected. When finished, you will want a whole bouquet of these flowers!

first steps

The Jack Purcell's have been bought...I am up to my ankles now in cemented details. I have put the word out about my plans for the business. I have committed to some art classes and posted my flyers in several places.

I am nervous and scared at the same time.

I have to admit, the art classes were hard to schedule because I was unsure of how to be most accommodating to families. Schedule too much and you are overwhelmed, schedule too little and there are not enough choices for kids to fit into, and how do I price so that the classes can be affordable in today's economy and yet inviting? Lots of queries.

One thing that is really great once you commit to putting yourself and ideas out there, others who know you will ultimately provide encouragement and great advice, perhaps opening a door for you. Thank you to all my door openers!

starry, starry night

pastels, black construction paper 12 x 18, scissors, glue sticks,
assorted colors of construction paper, images of van gogh's work

In the last few years of van Gogh's life he nearly painted a painting a day. He completed over 2,000 works of art in various media and 900 of those were paintings. His work prolific, his style totally unique, and his energy relentless, he was only an artist the last 10 years of his life and sold one painting before his death, but his influence on art has been amazing, overwhelming, and duplicated by no other.

After showing examples of van Gogh's work and sharing a little history on the artist I passed out images of "Starry Night." We took this opportunity to look at the work closely and discuss those intimate details that one must do when looking at his work. Using words like motion, energy, pulsating patterns, heavily applied, painted strokes and bright colors to express his unique style of painting and vision we had a conversation about "Starry Night." Giving the kids a chance to be a van Gogh they were asked to duplicate a starry night scene. I had to encourage and challenge the students to use only dashes and many colors to create pulsating movement on their black paper. I have to tell you, it does take a bit of encouragement because they will want to color and smudge with the pastels. After they have created their night scene with the pastels have them use construction paper to cut the shapes of a small town (or even a big city, one child did NYC buildings and the Statue of Liberty, have FUN and be CREATIVE) and glue to their paper, giving their scene a little dimension. They can add windows and doors with pencils and pastels. It is fun to listen to Don McLean's Vincent (Starry Starry Night) or to even read the lyrics to add other sensory aspects to the project. It is hard not to lose yourself in the painting or in the song for that matter, this project will turn all your nights into a starry, starry night.

classes!

photo courtesy of Grayman!

@the ArtHousewhere creative imagination lives

JUNE
"wild creatures"
10-2 on Thursdays
11th, 18th, 25th, 2nd (July)
bring a sack lunch
This fun class will focus on creating your own
wild creatures using different mediums.

$60

"sketchbook summer"
9 to noon on Mondays
beginning on the 15th thru 17th (August)
This summer we will be using downtown Reno
as a sketching backdrop and covering various art techniques
to create a personal sketchbook. A somewhat focused art class
but absolutely FUN, (a sketchbook will be provided and
we will be meeting downtown every week,
all grade levels and skill levels are welcome).

$75

"watercolors"
10 to noon on Wednesdays
10th, 17th, 24th
Who doesn't like painting with watercolors?
Fun projects with a focus on color theory.

$30

JULY
"wild creatures"
10 to 2 on Thursdays
9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th
bring a sack lunch
This fun class will focus on creating your own
wild creatures using different mediums.
$60

"storybook"
10 to 1 on Wednesdays
1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th
bring a sack lunch
Lets make a book or two.
$50

"printmaking"
1 to 3 on Mondays
6th, 13th, 20th, 27th
We will print with everything but the kitchen sink.
$60


AUGUST
"watercolors"
10 to noon on Wednesdays
5th, 12th, 19th
Who doesn't like painting with watercolors?
Fun projects with a focus on color theory.
$30

ONE DAY ART EVENTS
An entire day doin' themed art and havin' fun!

DOGSJune 19th
"bolt"
NATUREJune 26th
"my neighbor totoro"
HARRY POTTERJuly 24th
"order of the phoenix"
SPACEJuly 31st
"robots"
COLLAGEAugust 7th
"night at the museum"
BIRDSAugust 14th
"hoot"

bring a lunch (snacks will be provided)
we will create, watch a movie, and play hard!
9am to 3pm
$25

All classes are for students in
1st thru 6th grades
(except for sketchbook summer).
Ask me about multiple kid discounts and also, I will thankfully take
$5 off for your referrals of others to my classes.
I can come to your house for a play group art project for
a group (8 kids max) at $40/hour.

submit your inquiries to shannons.arthouse@hotmail.com