Get those instruments up off the floor! I never thought I’d be the type of person to display a guitar, a banjolin and a ukele on my wall, but now that I’ve done it I actually think they look quite stylish! Hanging them on the wall keeps them safe from harm and available to play all the time. During my hunt for inexpensive string instrument mounts, I found a handful of gorgeous — mostly handmade — ones that I would love to invest in some day. Take your pick! (Pun intended.
I have been dreaming of Photo Wall Ideas and Inspiration for the past few days. I REALLY want to create one in our family room, so I have been looking for inspiration photos to help me decide the direction I would like to go with it. I am pretty excited to get going on this
Preparing walls for painting is the key to a good paint job! I'm sharing my best wall prep tips and tricks for patching your walls, sanding, and cleaning away drywall dust that will make your finished walls turn out beautifully!
I am so excited to launch my first "series" of blog posts! It's making me feel all grown-up and blogger-like :)My first series is going to be on increasing student engagement in the classroom. Over
Explore Darling Dexter's 1361 photos on Flickr!
It's Saturday, so it's time to link up with my BBB Joanne from Head Over Heels for Teaching for Spark Student Motivation ! The weeks lea...
Gallery walls can cost hundreds of dollars to create. Lucky for you , I have assembled a guide for creating a DIY gallery wall on a budget.
April 16, 2012 This session I will be teaching my fifth grade class. Unfortunately my sixth graders left and will be moving onto the middle school next year:( I will miss them greatly. What a good bunch of kids! April 15, 2012 Silkscreening T-shirts with a Social or Environmental Message! Miss Flegal and I cashed in on these stretcher bars we came upon and combined them with white organza fabric to make silkscreens! Students brought in their own t-shirts and used elmer's glue to create a resist. The exciting component about this project was the glow-in-the-dark printing ink I was able to find to make their shirts really special! March 21, 2012 Sixth grade silhouettes complete! Our art program has been getting so many positive comments about the front entrance of our building and these vibrant mosaic silhouettes. Using marbled paper that the students made and thinking about color choice that coincided with their action or movement was very important. Lastly, we incorporated a literacy element inspired by Eric Carle's Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you see? March 9, 2012 My sixth graders are back and we are working on life sized art projects combining two types of art we just looked at and learned a lot about-- silhouettes and mosaics. These were inspired by an installation art piece we did last year as an entire building. I cannot believe how cool these are looking! Our media for this project has included cardboard, black latex paint, various colors of construction paper, shaving cream and tempera paint for marbling, scissors and glue stick. The poses for the silhouettes were derived from the children themselves and interests they have both in and outside of school as well an energy or emotion they are trying to evoke. When all is said and done we are incorporating an element of Eric Carle's Brown Bear, Brown Bear book. I can't wait to post more when they are finalized next week! December 2, 2011 This six week session I will be instructing my fifth grade class and will return to teaching fifth grade again in February. Stay tuned... November 11. 2011 Self Portraits in Chuck Close Style Students in sixth grade are integrating math skills by measuring and creating a grid for an exact self portrait drawing. This is the method that artist Chuck Close uses to create his portraits. After spending extensive time learning about his life-- he is my FAVORITE artist, we are now in the beginning stages of creation. So far, so good! November 4, 2011 Oh what a busy Friday! Students were busy glazing ocarinas as well as using acrylic paints to put finishing touches on their cubism Picasso sculptures. It was a great way to end a busy week and we will look forward to working in new art media next time. October 26, 2011 Pablo Picasso Sculptures in progress... Students are using some unconventional tools for their current sculptural project-- wood scraps, glue, wire and pantyhose. Yes, you heard me right. If your child has recently come home talking about using pantyhose as part of his art project, he is not lying to you. Here is what we have started in the past few days. October 19, 2011 Ocarinas We are trying our hand at constructing ocarinas out of clay. Students did extensive research online and here is what we have learned so far. The ocarina (/ɒkəˈriːnə/) is an ancient flute-like wind instrument.[1] Variations do exist, but a typical ocarina is an enclosed space with four to twelve finger holes and a mouthpiece that projects from the body. It is often ceramic, but other materials may also be used, such as plastic, wood, glass, clay, and metal. The ocarina belongs to a very old family of instruments, believed to date back to over 12,000 years.[2] Ocarina-type instruments have been of particular importance in Chinese and Mesoamerican cultures. For the Chinese, the instrument played an important role in their long history of song and dance. The ocarina has similar features to the Xun (塤), another important Chinese instrument (but is different in that Ocarina uses an internal duct, whereas Xun is blown across the outer edge.)[3] In Japan, the traditional ocarina is known as the tsuchibue (kanji: 土笛; literally "earthen flute"). Different expeditions to Mesoamerica, including the one conducted by Cortés, resulted in the introduction of the ocarina to the courts of Europe. Both the Mayans and Aztecs had produced versions of the ocarina, but it was the Aztecs who brought the song and dance to Europe that accompanied the ocarina. The ocarina went on to become popular in European communities as a toy instrument.[4][5] Its earliest use in Europe dates back to the 19th century in Budrio, a town near Bologna, Italy, where Giuseppe Donati transformed the ocarina from a toy, which only played a few notes, into a more comprehensive instrument (known as the first "classical" ocarinas). The word ocarina in the Bolognese dialect means "little goose." The earlier form was known in Europe as a gemshorn, which was made from animal horns of the Gemsbok. The ocarina was featured in the Nintendo video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, attracting a marked increase in interest and a dramatic rise in sales.[6][7] How an ocarina works: 1. Air enters through the windway 2. Air strikes the labium, producing sound 3. Air vibrates throughout the inside of the ocarina Covering and uncovering holes lowers and raises the pitch Source: Wikipedia Here are our ocarinas in progress... Let's hope they make music once they are come out of the kiln! October 17, 2011 After not having my sixth grade class for the first six weeks of this school year they are now occupying my room every morning for 45 minutes for the next six weeks. It is such a joy to have them and experience their growth since I last saw them as fifth graders. We started our time together with a pencil study called The Vanishing Snack. I adapted this from high school art teacher Mrs. Vogel of Field High School. My students as usual have risen to the challenge and are producing wonderful work. At each stage of their four part drawing, they are wrinkling a pop can and drawing it as well as all of its highlights and shadows in its new state. September 7, 2011 Because of our new six week schedule I will not see my sixth graders until October 10th! Stay tuned... June 1, 2011 Tile Triptychs in progress! Students in sixth grade are embarking on a triptych constructed of clay. A triptych is a three paneled piece of art that views as one continuous piece but is constructed in stages. This has been a great opportunity for them to learn about specific properties of clay and how to work with this medium from one class to the next, keeping it moist and workable. The students were expected to include text, an image and possibly a favorite verse that states something about themselves as an individual. April 21, 2011 Plaster Hands and Feet March 13, 2011 In sixth grade we have about three projects going on at once. One is our plaster hands and feet project that we started back in January. Here they are as works in progress.... January 31, 2011 Recently in sixth grade I set my students loose with plaster and these thoughts in mind. Below are the results so far. Once again, their minds, their thought processes and their creative journeys amaze me. I will keep blogging as their projects move along... Take a moment and think about all of the uses of your hands in the course of a day, the course of a hour or even a minute. For example list every way you can think of that you used your hands just this morning… -to brush your teeth -to eat your breakfast What do you think your hands can say about a person? Can they have polished nails? Wear certain rings? Does their appearance tell you a story? For example having wrinkles… Let’s think about some of those features. Next think about phrases that have the word hand in it… “hands of time” “helping hands” “clap your hands” “give me a hand” “lend a hand” “in good hands”… If you could compare your hand to another object of similar form what would that be? A growing tree branching out? Sunday, January 16, 2011 Don Drumm Inspired Endangered Animals Students in sixth grade studied the metal art works of local artisan Don Drumm and then decided to make a statement with their art. After doing some research about the current Endangered Species list they created these metal embossed pieces about animals of diminishing numbers. Next, by adding a statement, they could give the animal a voice to be heard. Won’t you do your part in raising awareness for some of these unknown creatures? Below is our display of the completed sixth grade Chuck Close inspired portraits. Chuck Close Self Portraits in Progress November 29, 2010 We are wrapping up our Chuck Close portraits and the end results are amazing. Not only are students manipulating charcoal very well to create various tones but they have mastered a likeness of their own face! Chuck Close Self Portraits November 15, 2010 Wow! It has been awhile since I have updated my sixth section of the blog. Students have been hard at work and are tackling difficult projects and techniques. Most recently we have begun working in Chuck Close grid style. You can see his work at http://www.chuckclose.coe.uh.edu/. He is my favorite artist. Using a grid, students have integrated math skills into their drawing by focusing on exact measurements for precision. Here are a few of their starts... Vanishing Snack Drawings October 14, 2010 Students in sixth grade are training their eyes to see close details through these altered still life drawings. They are working on drawing a pop can and then slowly crushing it until it becomes very minimal. At each stage they have to look closely at how their object has been changed and then try and draw it. Charcoal has aided them in learning about the value scale. They are beginning to see that with shadows some parts can be extremely dark and extremely light.
Secondary Classrooms: 18 Things to Consider When Decorating
An easy step-by-step tutorial with product recommendations for how to skim coat damaged drywall after wallpaper removal.
Paper pinwheels are an easy DIY paper craft. Grouped together, they're perfect for party decor, a photo backdrop, and can be strung together in a garland.
Materials: 2xBILLY; 1xFLELLSE (bed)
I love a little decor DIY project and had been wanting to make one of these quote wall hanging banners for quite a while now. I'd seen them in magazines and shops and they really
I love a little decor DIY project and had been wanting to make one of these quote wall hanging banners for quite a while now. I'd seen them in magazines and shops and they really
For a budget and renter friendly solution to add charm to our new home, here is how to make a renter friendly gallery wall with an awesome Ikea hack...
A Reading Graffiti Wall is a great way to build your classroom reading community. Students find inspirational quotes from books they are reading to share.
Yes. I'm the kind of art geek that takes a photo of the show statement because...well...the statement says it much better than I could paraphrase or summarize. I'll let you in on another little secret - what took to me this exhibit was the prospect of seeing more of Dorothy Caldwell's work. She is the one, after all, who has turned mending into art in our time. The Japanese have been doing it for centuries with their exquisite boro, yet boro was done for functional purposes, not artistic ones. As with each exhibit I've viewed so far, there has been a handful of works that spoke to me, captured my attention and creative imagination, grabbed me and didn't want to turn loose. The same was true of Ilaria Margutti's magnificent Mend of Me series. Ilaria Margutti, Mend of Me, 2009 embroidery on canvas statement accompanying Ilaria's work To view other works by Ilaria click here. Her web site is in Italian, but the photos of her work transcend any spoken language. To view my photos in a larger format, just double click on the one you want to view. Enjoy!
How to paint a straight line so that your home can look like it has been professionally painted! {To see a video tutorial click here}.
I LOVE Libraryland! Have I mentioned that before? I have always been an avid volunteer, one that likes to try new things.. and I love connecting. Now, is libraryland overwhelming.. it sure is! Another thing I love is learning from others (and having a space to offer to different activities is great as well) The title of this blog is collaboration.. but when rethinking and writing it, I realize that the collaboration that I had with my art teacher was bouncing ideas off of each other.. and making sure the space was ready for various activities. That is still collaboration..right?? Before I became a librarian.. I was already following some amazing librarians (some that I will actually get to meet in person soon!!!) So, one awesome librarian/tech facilitator Nikki Robertson posted this way cool picture that she had found (if you are the original poster of this.. would you please let me know so I can thank you for the wonderful idea.. and give you credit!) How absolutely beautiful is this! So, I talked to my amazing art teacher on campus.. and the conversation went something like this: "Hey Mrs. R... want to work on something like this for the first of the year? The feathers can be students hopes, dreams, wishes and resolutions." "Sure! That is great!" A couple of weeks later.. Mrs. R approaches me and shows me the bag of beautiful feathers. "Yes, Mrs. R.. these are PERFECT! How can I help!?" "I am still getting feathers" We decided to hang this up for science night (as what better time to talk about wishes and dreams) "Hey Mrs. R.. what can I do to help with these wings?" "Help me hang them!" In other words.. I had nothing to do with this! (Well.. I did make the poster above the wings.. and I helped hang them) Seriously.. they are beautiful! She created a generic feather and then asked each student in the school to create/decorate their own and then combined them with this wonderfulness.These wings are right across the hall from the library, so I loved hearing the conversations that students had with their parents about their goals and dreams (and of course it was a perfect photo opp!) Mrs. R. the rocking art teacher At the beginning of January, Mrs. R. came to me and asked if I would like to help with a Chinese New Year Celebration. She did tell me that there would be no glitter! (Side note.. I love seeing things being created in the library.. and I don't mind mess. HOWEVER.. I HATE using glitter.. that is the one thing not allowed) Of course I said yes.. as the library is a great space to have people! We set a date, got it on the calendar.. and like before I asked what can I do to help. The space is how I helped (and help somewhat monitor the stations) The Chinese New Celebration ran much like the Late Night in the Library. It was an extended time with several stations set up. I read a short story in the middle of the time, but the hightlight.. the Dragon Dance! Stations: -Rooster stamp -Paper lanterns (like this idea.. but of course there are tons of ways that you can make them) -Chinese Plastic Spoon Dancing Dragon (like this idea, but did it with plastic spoons, string and paper pieces) -Chinese drum (much like this idea) -Write Happy New Year in Chinese (this was a super cool station because she had put out thin paper and brushes with the black paint) The art club students ran the stations, and we had over 30 attendees for a Friday afternoon. These art club students are also the ones who did the Dragon Dance. We are already talking about next year for this! We are going to do the Dragon Dance to end the day.. but before the event starts as almost a parade to the library. Did you celebrate Chinese New Year? How do you collaborate? Upcoming blogs- -how my lesson plans are evolving -February happenings (I just finished my first actual display!)
Learn more about Renter-Friendly 3D Paper Wall Art with articles from the ForRent team tailored to help you with all of your rental needs.
Is your home overflowing with your kids artwork? Check out these cute ways to display them at home. These easy ideas are cheap and will help keep your home more organized, so check these 11 ideas for how to display your kids art and create a beautiful gallery wall. #diy #kidsartwork #gallerywall
When it comes to communication and expression, there is no doubt that words play the main role. Sure, body language and facial expressions aid in communication, and fashion, art and music is another way in
Happy New Year Peeps! Instead of the usual New Year’s post showing quilts you’ve already seen, I’d thought I’d go fresh into the New Year and share some of my studio. Long before the studio’s basics were built I started researching options for the most efficient and functional layout (there’s a Pinboard for that;). I’ve had...Read More »
