Art Education Blog for K-12 Art Teachers | SchoolArtsRoom

SchoolArts in the News

2012-01-28T14:38:00.000-06:00

If you have an article or student artwork published in SchoolArts, be sure to share it with everyone you know, from your district superintendent to your principal, parents, fellow teachers, and students. This week I've had several nice emails from teachers detailing the results of being published!

Star News, Elk River, MN
Art featured nationally for Rogers students

Paige Welle has been recognized for being published in a national magazine for the second time. Welle was first recognized this past October. Her published work was part of a first-grade Cow’s Jumping Over the Moon weaving project in School Arts, a national art education magazine committed to promoting excellence, advocacy and professional support for educators in the visual arts since 1901.

She was also featured in a full article, along with Kalvin Larson, in the January 2012 School Arts Magazine. Their art teacher, Nichole Hahn, said, “These young students know that they do not have to be a ‘grown-up’ to be recognized as an artist. They know their art is valuable and in turn so are they.”

Just Be KAWS

2012-01-16T09:36:00.000-06:00

This past week my husband and I spent a day in Fort Worth, visiting the three world-class art museums there within walking distance of each other. (NAEA 2013 conference attendees will get to see them when they come for the national conference in Fort Worth next year.)

I especially wanted to see the KAWS exhibit at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, since it wouldn't be on display much longer. KAWS is the name used by artist Brian Connelly, born in 1974.

I first learned about him through a feature on CBS Sunday Morning. Like Keith Haring, KAWS first was known as a graffiti artist but he also studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Like Andy Warhol, he has drawn subject matter from pop culture icons such as Sponge Bob Square Pants, Snoopy, and the Simpsons. He also makes art in all kinds of media - vinyl toy-like figures, sculptures, and paintings.

The figure seen here in the exhibition brochure is an eight-foot-tall, grayscale character based on Mickey Mouse, showing KAWS' signature Xs and skull-like head. The x-ray side reminds me of similar plastic see-through figures found in Japanese capsule toys. Not surprisingly, KAWS work is very popular in Japan.

I'm going to share this artist with my students this semester, as I think KAWS' work is very accessible for both elementary and secondary students and offers many possibilities for discussion of contemporary issues such as appropriation, visual culture, and aesthetics. Check out his entertaining blog for more about the artist.

Messages

2012-01-08T16:31:00.000-06:00

I believe in Michelangelo, Velásquez, and Rembrandt; in the might of design, the mystery of color, the redemption of all things by Beauty everlasting, and the message of Art that has made these hands blessed.

George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw’s words are somewhat extravagant, but I think you must share his passion to be an effective art teacher. I was reminded of this most recently at the Colorado Art Education Association (CAEA) conference where I was a keynote speaker, along with Olivia Gude, art educator extraordinaire from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The message I received from the many teachers attending was how dedicated, positive, fully engaged, and eager to learn they were. I had always heard good things about the Colorado conference, but it was great to experience it firsthand. All of the teachers I met had the qualities I want my university students to develop to become successful art teachers.

I also want my university students to consider the messages—both verbal and unspoken—they will convey as they become teachers. From their reports on their classroom observations, it is evident that their mentor teachers, for the most part, have much freedom to develop their own lessons, as long as they are based on objectives and concepts determined by their districts.

A concern I have with this approach is that some teachers may teach only artists, art, and media that personally appeal to them. I would like my university students to adopt a broader approach as they become teachers by including more contemporary art and a wider variety of media. Contemporary art reflects the times in which we live, and the PBS series Art:21 offers readily available online resources for teach- ing about it, including videos and lesson plans (www.pbs.org/art21). Providing experiences in many media allows students more opportunities to find media with which they feel comfortable and successful.

But perhaps the most important message an art teacher can impart is that the artroom is a welcoming and encouraging place for students to feel free to express themselves, experiment, explore, and take risks in art making. We all know too well how a negative or thoughtless comment can remain with someone forever. This is a message I definitely want to communicate to my university students.

As Stephanie Jones, one of my students wrote in her teaching philosophy, “Being an art teacher is more than just discovering my place in soci- ety or choosing a career, it is a fulfilling way for me to give back to my community. Investing in something other than myself allows me to impact my students, their parents, and the com- munity stakeholders around me. It is important that my classroom is a safe place for my students and that it is an environment that encourages the exploration of artistic concepts and individual growth.” Can there be a better message?

Photo: Nancy and CAEA president Joyce Centofanti at the Techno Night Costume Bash at the Colorado Art Education Association Conference in Breckenridge, Colorado.

Order in the Art Room

2011-12-10T12:47:00.000-06:00

My life as an art teacher is driven by a desire for order and an inability to actually attain it. But still I try. I’m surrounded by piles of papers, books, and art supplies I might need at some point. It is hard as an art teacher not to be a hoarder.

How do order and organization apply to the art room? Practically, it helps to have at least some order in how you store and distribute art materials and student work, both ongoing and completed. Conceptually, I believe curriculum should progress exponentially and spiral in an orderly fashion.

Practical Considerations

Perhaps it would be helpful to share some of my organizational practices. At the end of every day, before I left school, I would gather and stack everything I needed for my six classes for the next day. I wanted to have materials and artwork right at hand so my students would not have any down time waiting while I hunted for student artwork or supplies. I would even “set” the tables for my first class of the day to be ready when I arrived in the morning.

During the day, before each class left, I would try to put their artwork in the proper cubby and write in my weekly plans what they would be doing the next time they came to art. Otherwise, things could get quite confused very quickly (and sometimes still did!).

An Orderly Curriculum

Concept wise, I agree with the still reliable Jerome Bruner, author of The Process of Education, that “any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development.” (1960).

I think that most art concepts can be addressed for different levels of students by simply varying the vocabulary and the complexity of the ideas. This is reflected in Bruner’s spiral curriculum that revisits basic concepts repeatedly, building upon what the student has already learned, in an orderly approach.

No matter your approach to teaching art, some order and organization will certainly be of assistance. What can you bring order to today?

Another Student's Teaching Philosophy

2011-12-05T20:11:00.001-06:00

This teaching philosophy is by another UNT student of mine, Blake Bruns. He utilized technology more than any other student in the class. It certainly didn't hurt that he already has a degree in New Media. You can see his video HERE.

"I have always been interested in media and technology and the advancements that are made in these fields each year. By definition, media are any methods that are used to store and deliver information or data. I use my artwork as a medium that communicates my ideas to build unique experiences for the viewer using the computer as my assistant. Since 2001, I have been exploring different media in the realm of digital art including photo manipulation, art games, computer generated music, digital illustration, interactive animation, 3-d modeling and animation, tradigital art, and story-based web art.

As a teacher, I believe in a student-centered classroom that allows each child to reach their full artistic potential through self-expression and individual exploration to find out what makes them who they are. I highly encourage students to experiment with technology and bring what they are interested in into the classroom. I believe that Ginny Stiles defined teaching best when she wrote, “it's my job to find the passion, to open eyes and weave a web of intrigue and surprise.” With new generations growing up watching CG movies and playing video games, I feel that it is important for students to not only know their significance, history, and how they were made, but how they themselves can create these mystifying anomalies on their own.   

Often times art in the classroom is thought of as a drawing or a painting class, or a sculpture or ceramics course, but I want to change this way of thinking. I believe that there needs to be more curricular diversity using untraditional media. With a basic understanding of technology students will be able to take their skills learned in traditional art classes and use them in new ways, such as taking their own drawings to create a complete stop-motion animation from the ground up.

I also will use technology as a means of instruction. The Internet provides people from around the world with unlimited resources. Utilizing those online resources, such as audio podcasts, instructional vidcasts, and interactive websites, students can use the Internet as a tool for learning and a canvas to create and push the boundaries of the definitions of art. My classroom will be unique, innovative, and cutting-edge as students will explore a realm of art they never knew existed and learn how to create smart-art that combines the old with the new."

Thanks to my students for letting me share their work!

Another Teaching Philosophy

2011-12-02T11:52:00.000-06:00

Here is another teaching philosophy, written by A.J. Hartis, one of my University of North Texas students. You can also see his technology component, a Prezi, here.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

These words once stated by Picasso, in my opinion, reflect the absence of fear that children are able to act upon when they are making art. Whether I teach the elementary level or above, I hope to have my students always to make art with this attitude. It’s my intent to have my students make open-ended assignments while gaining a base knowledge of art history, art criticism, and aesthetics.

The world we live in is more than ever saturated with images. I hope to have my students take away from me the ability to produce these images that affect our world so much, whether they are seen in a gallery, magazine, website, museum, textbook, or local coffee shop. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the possibility of students having their own images and work seen by others gives an unprecedented chance for them to express themselves.

I look back and see a range of improvements from my art teachers from my secondary learning that were possible to attain. It is because of this that leaves me with an everlasting wonder of what artists my classmates and I could be if my art education was carried out with more proficiency, zest, and expertise. These qualities, plus the motivation to carry out these ideals as an educator myself, will make it possible for my students to leave with no question of whether they were lead to reach their full potential and success as an artist.

I believe if I succeed in doing this, the reward will be beyond compare. Not only will my students’ success prove my worth as an educator, it will pave the way for a better future for them, and a more aesthetically pleasing one at that. The desire for their success, and having that desire rub off on them, will be one thing that takes care of all of these things. If I can reach a student whom others might deem unreachable, and encourage his or her ideas, all the challenges of teaching will be worthwhile.

Thinking about Teaching Philosophies

2011-11-29T11:27:00.000-06:00

Between presenting at three state art conferences in four weeks and a bout of pneumonia, I have been sadly absent, but now I am back with some thoughts about teaching philosophies.

One of the requirements of the University of North Texas' art education program is the writing of a teaching philosophy. I asked my students to utilize a technology component to present their teaching philosophies (which went through a number of drafts).

Reviewing the process students went through to arrive at a final product, it occurred to me that it might be a good idea for all art teachers (not just preservice students) to regularly write, post, and revise their own philosophies. If any of you would like to share yours with us, we can post it here, as well.

The following teaching philosophy is by Ashley Gustavson and you can see her technology component here. Her text follows:

In all my wildest dreams, I never thought I would be preparing to become a school teacher. Both of my parents are teachers; Mom teaches music and Dad teaches architectural drafting. I wanted to do something different. I wanted to work with animals or be a professional basketball player or be an architect. Teaching was not an obvious choice.

In both years of junior high, I had the same English and journalism teacher: Mrs. Schoenekase. In class, she treated us like adults, challenging our level of understanding. For many of us in that class, she acted as a mentor with whom we still communicate. Then throughout high school I had several teachers who I loved to listen and talk to. One would lend me books from her own collection, introducing me to some of my favorite authors. One let me turn a humanities project into a chance to spread awareness about a cause I was passionate for. My senior year biology teacher even got me to have interest in her subject because of the way she taught.

Another teacher sparked my interest in history. It was then I thought about becoming a history teacher. Teaching did not seem like the beast it used to. It seemed fun and exciting. I wanted to be like Robin Williams in “Dead Poets Society” or Julia Roberts in “Mona Lisa Smile.” I not only wanted to teach my students a subject, I wanted to be available to them as a mentor like my teachers were for me. I had realized that life sitting at a desk in a cubical at a windowless design firm was not for me. I wanted something active and impactful.

In my sophomore and junior years of high school, I traveled with my church youth group to Slovakia and England, respectively. In Slovakia, we helped junior high and high school aged students with their English conversation skills. In England, we were guests in several elementary school religious education classes. Even though we were only with the students for a short time, I still remember some of their faces and the conversations we had. Those trips opened my eyes to the impact schools have around the world and how teachers function as part of them.

I had drawn quite a bit as a child, but had left that behind as I had gotten older. My first art class in high school was during my sophomore year. I was taking it to fulfill my fine art credit, but I soon revisited my love for art. I continued to take art and photography classes throughout the rest of high school and by senior year, I was hooked. Art was challenging for me in a way that other subjects were not. I had the same teacher junior and senior year who encouraged me to improve on the little bit of skill that I started out with. She wanted each of us to use our own natural talent and skills to make original works through moments of exploration. Through this method, my ability and ideas grew dramatically in those two years. So senior year I made a firm decision that I wanted to teach art and give students their chance to express ideas with their own talent.

I have developed an interest in using art as a means of communication for students with special needs. I have also thought about using teaching as a way to impact students on an international level. Recently, my interest in both these subjects has been peaked even more. This spring break, I traveled to Seattle to attend the NAEA’s national convention. I went to several sessions with topics such as teaching art to children with ADHD and children with autism. I also went to speakers who presented their experiences working with refugees and English language learners. This semester, I chose to observe in an elementary school where the majority of the children are still learning English and I am enjoying working with them. These groups of students with special needs intrigue me. Through art, I believe these children can have a voice in a way that is uniquely theirs.

I want to be a teacher whom students can trust. I want to be honest and passionate. I want my students to leave my class with a sense of empowerment and confidence. I want to be a teacher.

Telling Stories

2011-10-07T10:16:00.000-05:00

Assignment: "You have twenty minutes to prepare. Once the first speaker begins his or her presentation, no further development on your presentation is permitted."

The National Art Education Association (NAEA) President is scheduled to be the opening speaker at the state association meeting in one hour. He is scheduled to present an inspiring address for approximately five minutes. He has suddenly taken ill and asked you to take his place. Using the quote, compose your five-minute speech that will inspire the attendees and represent NAEA in a positive light. Begin preparing when you are instructed to begin.

So began the introduction to my first NAEA board meeting as Elementary Director Elect. Quickly I discovered that this exercise would be all about telling stories.

As we gamely took our turns with the encouragement of presentation coach Gary Plaag (who was a master at giving kindly suggestions to help us all become better presenters), I realized that everything he recommended to make our speaking more engaging could also apply to writing. In fact, his advice was very similar to the advice I give prospective writers:

• First think about what idea, artist, trend, or issue influenced you. What main ideas do you want to communicate?
• Dive directly into your content with an interesting, engaging opening (No need to introduce yourself or explain what you are about to “say.”)
• Tell your “story” in a conversational style with energy and passion.
• Get to the point of your story and keep it to a reasonable length (We each had five minutes to tell our stories). For writing, usually fewer than 800 words are needed.

Why should you tell engaging stories to your peers, either orally, or through articles for SchoolArts? Through appealing stories, you can secure and maintain your audience’s attention, share your own meaningful experiences, prompt new ideas in others, promote your art program, school, and district, and make your students and their parents very proud.

If you are speaking or writing from the heart, that will be evident in your stories. And remember, we all like a good story. What story do you have to tell?

Hiding in Plain Sight: A Lesson in Camouflage

2011-09-30T16:17:00.000-05:00

As an elementary art teacher, I am always interested in projects that make natural, meaningful connections between art and other disciplines while also challenging students to think. One such project embraced by both my students and their classroom teachers, is a habitat diorama that depicts a camouflaged animal appropriate for the setting.

Motivation
I first display reproductions of artworks that depict different habitats, drawing from various times and cultures, and discuss them with students. Beverly Dolittle’s amazing camouflaged artworks are engaging for young students, as are works by artists such as Henry Rousseau and John James Audubon. We discuss the characteristics of different habitats and how camouflage is an adaptation for survival. We brainstorm a list of ecosystems and camouflaged animals found in them and then look at and discuss a PowerPoint I made of camouflaged animals in their environments.

Procedures
Students next choose an environment, as their choices determine what color of 9” x 9” (or 12” x 12”) construction paper each will start with for the background of the diorama. They can chose from tan for a desert environment, green for a forest or rainforest, white for an arctic environment, or blue for an underwater scene.

Once they receive their chosen papers, students follow the steps below:

Begin with a 9” or 12” square piece of colored construction paper. Fold it in half and then in half again (it will now have 4 square sections). Open the paper and cut on one fold only to the center of the square. After making the cut, carefully overlap the two cut edges and fold the paper into a “box” (actually a corner of a box). Glue together the overlapping edges.

Use construction paper to construct two- and three-dimensional figures and objects and glue them in the “box.” Fill in the area formed by the box with paper sculpture techniques (folding tabs so objects can stand, curling paper, going beyond the space of the box, overlapping shapes).

I encourage students to start with larger pieces of paper before moving to numerous details. All kinds of paper sculpture techniques and paper can be used in the dioramas. The animals, birds, or underwater creatures for the dioramas can be made from paper or clay or from other modeling materials. (If students are making clay animals, they make those first and then work on the dioramas while waiting for the clay to dry and be fired.)

When the dioramas are complete, students write narratives or artist statements to accompany their artworks for display. The artworks make a really impressive display when grouped in fours, back to back, of like habitats.

Objectives:
Students will:
• respond to works of art that depict habitats or ecosystems with beliefs about their meanings and value supported with persuasive reasoning.
• create an effective paper sculpture diorama that represents a particular habitat or ecosystem.
• appropriately include a camouflaged animal that would be found in the habitat or ecosystem depicted.

Vocabulary
• habitat/ecosystem/biome
• adaptation
• camouflage

• diorama

Resources and Materials
• reproductions of artworks that depict ecosystems (Crystal Take 5 Art Prints, Interdisciplinary Connections: Art and Science, Natural Environments, available from Crystal Productions, www.crystalproductions.com)
• pencils or crayons
• 9” x 9” or 12” x 12” squares of construction paper in assorted natural colors (green, white, brown, blue, etc.)
• assorted sizes and colors of construction paper for details
• scissors
• glue

Elements and Principles Artist Trading Cards

2011-09-28T09:50:00.000-05:00

Do you want to cover the elements and principles of art rather quickly for introduction or review? An effective approach is to have your students make artist trading cards, one for each of the elements and principles of art. Give your students each a plastic trading card sleeve that has nine slots. You can have your students make up to 18 cards this way if you use the front and the back. My university students are working on these now. Here is a lesson plan to get you started.

Objectives
Students will:
• demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of art.
• create artist trading cards, one each that effectively depicts the different elements and principles of art.

Resources and Materials
• paper cut into trading card size, 2 ½ x 3½, 9 or more per student
• plastic sleeve pages that has 9 compartments, one page per student
• assorted papers; construction, tissue, wallpaper, newspapers, cardboard
• assorted drawing and painting media
• scissors
• glue

Background Information
Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are miniature works of art, usually done on card stock, that are traded between artists. They can be about anything and made with any media, materials, or techniques. They can be produced as one-of-a-kind originals, in limited editions, or in a series based on a particular theme or subject. It’s all up to the individual artist. The rules for ATCs are simple.

ATCs must:
• measure 2.5 x 3.5 inches (64 X 89 mm).
• be traded for other cards—not sold.
• be flat enough to fit into a plastic trading card sleeve.
• be signed and dated on the back of the card.

A Short History of ATCs
Artist Trading Cards have been around for less than a decade. Yet, their historical roots can be traced back to the Mail Art and Fluxus movements of the 1960s, and even earlier to the Dadaist movement of the 1920s.

Swiss artist M. Vänci Stirnemann first developed the concept of Artist Trading Cards in 1996, when he decided to document his activities with other artists by producing a catalogue of 1,200 cards he created by hand. He exhibited the cards at his bookstore gallery in Zürich in May 1997. On the last day of the exhibit, Stirnemann invited anyone who wanted a card to create their own ATC to trade during the closing reception.

Canadian artist Chuck Stake (aka Don Mable) attended Stirnemann’s exhibition that May and also participated in a Trading Session while in Zürich. Stake became very enthusiastic about ATCs and collaborated with Stirnemann to stage “The First International Biennial of Artist Trading Cards” at The New Gallery in Calgary, Canada that included 80 artists from 10 different countries. Since then, with the help of the Internet, interest in ATCs has spread around the globe.

Many artists who make ATCs use the Internet to display their cards and to locate others willing to trade cards by mail or to share ideas. However, organized face-to-face ATC sessions are, by far, the preferred means of meeting other artists and trading cards. Today, you will find ATC swap sessions happening in most major cities around the world.

http://www.artjunction.org/atcs.php

Vocabulary
• artist trading cards
• line, shape, form, texture, color, space, value
• proportion, movement and rhythm, balance, emphasis, unity, variety, pattern

Preparation
Cut paper into trading card size pieces, 9 per student. Assemble and distribute an assortment of media and papers. Make some examples of artist trading cards.

Motivation
Explain to students that artist trading cards are miniature works of art traded by all ages. They can be made with any media, materials, or techniques, as long as they fit into a plastic trading card sleeve.

Procedures
Give students each one sleeve page and have them write their names on them. Start by reviewing line and then ask students to create a line design with as many types of line as possible, on their first card, using marker.

For the shape card, ask students to make a small collage using different kinds and shapes of paper.

For the form card, ask students to make a three-dimensional card using low relief by rolling or folding paper. The card must still fit within the plastic sleeve.

For the texture card, ask students to make a textured collage with as many different textures as possible.

For the space card, ask students to make a design or picture that shows positive and negative space.

For the color card, have students make a design or picture that uses the primary colors, red, yellow, and blue.

For a second color card, have students make a color wheel using papers cut from magazines.

For the value card, ask students to make a design or picture that shows different values of the same color.

For the proportion card, ask students to make a design or picture that shows proportion.

For the movement and rhythm card, ask students to make a design or picture that shows movement and rhythm.

For balance, have students do two cards, one for symmetrical balance and one for asymmetrical balance.

For emphasis, ask students to make a design or picture that shows emphasis.

For unity, ask students to make a design or picture that shows unity.

For variety, ask students to make a design or picture that shows variety.

For pattern, ask students to make a design or picture that shows a repeating pattern.

Additional cards can be assigned as desired to fill the sleeves.

As each card is finished and dry, it can be placed in the sleeve. Nine will fit on the front and nine will fit on the back. These could be displayed by taping the sleeve pages together to make a hanging curtain or placed in a notebook.

Assessment
To what extent did students:
• demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of art?
• create artist trading cards, one each that effectively depicts the different elements and principles of art?

Extensions
• Students could make a set of ATCs based on a theme, rather than on the elements and principles.
• Students could write the name of the specific element or principle on each card.

Web Links
http://www.artist-trading-cards.ch/
http://www.artjunction.org/atcs.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist_trading_cards
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artisttradingcards/
http://www.atcsforall.com/

Picturing the Natural World

2011-09-10T16:57:00.000-05:00

When I was a child, my five siblings and I spent as much time outdoors as we could, roaming through the woods behind our house. Our father was a scoutmaster and he made sure we could tell the difference between poisonous and nonpoisonous snakes and identify different kinds of birds, plants, and trees.

Our mother made me a small canvas bag I used to carry my bird identification book, sketchbook, and pencil. Besides our play in the woods, we would also bring home all kinds of living things – tadpoles, minnows, injured birds, and the like. One of the first things I remember drawing from life was a Carolina Wren who had a broken leg. (I also remember how sad I was that I couldn’t save him.)

As I grew older and busier with other things, I spent less time outside and lost my focus on the natural world for a long time. When I started teaching elementary art again ten years ago, I found my way back to the world of nature, as I wanted my students to respond to its wonder as I had when I was a child.

Our school was surrounded on three sides by hayfields and we routinely encountered field mice, snakes, insects and swarming bees, migrating geese, and all kinds of native birds, including my favorite Texas bird, the scissortail flycatcher. One midday I even saw a big coyote lope past the cars in the teacher parking lot.

No matter where you live, you can encourage your students to respond to the natural world around them through art. You can introduce them to both historic and contemporary artists who express their own responses to nature through their art, from John James Audubon to Walton Ford and Beverly Doolittle.

Art can show your students how they are connected to nature’s beauty and power through both scientific and fanciful investigations. They can explore, through art, their immediate surroundings and how they relate to the wild animals that live in the area, the natural habitats around them, and the weather and climate. Students can also expand their investigations to global issues concerning nature, ecology, conservation, and climate change.

Now that I have found my way back to nature, I feel like I am coming full circle. I hope you and your students can also find ways to respond to nature through art.

SchoolArts, October 2011

Photo taken at Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona

Why You Should Write for SchoolArts Magazine

2011-09-06T13:52:00.000-05:00

Why should you write for SchoolArts?

As a published author, your administrators, fellow teachers, and parents will take notice. Your article will be a valuable addition to your portfolio (a great help in employment and grant applications). You will receive an honorarium upon publication and up to six copies of the magazine. Imagine your student’s work on the cover of SchoolArts reaching thousands of art educators throughout the world!

SchoolArts wants you to share your successful lessons but also approaches to teaching art and any issues that concern you about teaching art.
Each issue of the volume revolves around an overarching theme. The editor determines which issue/theme is the best fit for your article, so you don't have to worry about fitting a theme. It is more important to be passionate about your lesson, idea, or concept. Some upcoming themes are Order and Organization, Messages, Making a Difference, and Looking Beyond. You can see they are all big ideas.

Once you pick a topic, you can start writing. Think about:
•How you would express your idea to a fellow art teacher?
•What idea, artist, trend, or issue influenced your idea.
•The main ideas you are trying to communicate.
•What teachers need to know to effectively teach the lesson.
•What problems a teacher might encounter.

When writing:
•Use a conversational style.
•Outline your ideas.
•Focus your ideas.
•Keep it to less than 800 words.
•Copy your text onto a CD.

Every great article needs great images. Here are some tips on taking great photos:

Photograph the artwork on a neutral yet contrasting background. This is especially important when photographing three-dimensional artwork. Leave space around the artwork/subject. Do not overfill the frame. Keep the artwork/subject out of dark shadows or bright sunlight. SchoolArts accepts color photographs and slides; however, high-quality digital photographs are preferred. When taking digital photographs make sure your digital camera is on the “best” or "fine" setting.

For example, if you have a 1.5 megapixel camera and use the “Best” setting, the largest your photo will be is 4 x 6", which is great for an article. However, if you want your photos to be considered for a cover you need to use a camera that is at least 4 megapixels on the “Best” setting. Turn off the date mode on your camera. Make sure the whole artwork is in the photo. Be careful not to crop. Also use a clean background with a contrasting color to the artwork. Try not to show children's faces. Be careful when using a flash, try to set up the artwork in an evenly lit environment; then you won’t have overexposed areas and very dark areas.

When submitting digital photographs:
Load the photos on your computer and save them on a CD or DVD. You can also remove the memory card from your camera and take it to your local photo developing center and have the photos put on a CD for you. Do not make adjustments to your photos with any photo editing software. SchoolArts will make sure that your photos look the best they possibly can. SchoolArts wants to make sure your students get the credit they deserve, so make sure to send captions for each photo (include student’s name, grade level, and any relevant information).

Submitting your article:
Mail a CD containing your article’s text and photographs (as separate files, not in a document or PDF), along with signed permission forms (you'll find these on the SchoolArts website) to:

SchoolArts Magazine
Production Department
Attn: Article Submissions
50 Portland Street
Worcester, MA 01608

Now start writing!

Beginning with Bloom's

2011-08-26T09:26:00.000-05:00

A good way to start off the new school year is to think of advocacy efforts you can make right away. One approach is to make and display a poster that details the revised version of Bloom's Taxonomy. Bloom's Taxonomy is a multi-leveled model of classifying thinking according to six cognitive levels of complexity, first published in 1956.

Bloom's six major categories were changed from noun to verb forms in 2001 but everyone doesn't seem to have received that message. The levels now begin at the bottom with remember, topped by understand, apply, analyze, evaluate and culminating with the highest level of create. Originally, the highest level was evaluation.

Bloom's revised Taxonomy puts into words what art teachers have known for years: It is much more difficult to create something new rather that to apply evaluation.

Why should you post the revised Bloom’s in your art room and how can you use it to your advantage?

You can use it as a visual reminder for yourself. You can refer to it when asking students to identify the levels at which they are working throughout a project and during critique. It is also beneficial to have it on display when you are evaluated by an administrator.

Your poster can take any form that you like but I believe it will definitely be to your advantage to make one!

Sage Advice for Preservice Art Teachers

2011-08-15T12:18:00.000-05:00

On Facebook recently, I asked art teachers, “What advice should I give prospective teachers in my preservice methods class? What are the most important things you think they need to learn?” Here are the wonderful responses (each one from a different person):

They need to learn:

1. How to observe your students carefully as they show you what they know already and what they still need to learn.

2. How to differentiate instruction and requirements so that every student can achieve.

3. How to make do with tiny or non-existentent budgets and how to get students and families to buy in to sharing found objects for the art class.

4. How to create learning experiences with whatever materials show up in your studio classroom.

5. How to offer experiences to students without a predetermined result.

6. How to appreciate the aesthetics of authentic kid art (and remember that many great artists share that aesthetic preference) this is an astonishingly beautiful reference for that

http://www.amazon.com/Inno cent-Eye-Jonathan-Fineberg /dp/0691016844

7. How to have a great time with little kids--they are the best! If they can do this, it is the best job in the world.

I know gathering all the things I need for a lesson - visuals, supplies, PowerPoints, etc. - and having them in an easily accessible place before students arrive really helps you to utilize your time well, and keeps students engaged. Maybe this is a no-brainer, but being prepared ahead of time really stops the off-task student behavior that can happen when you're searching for your step by step examples.

They should know how to praise kids genuinely so that children do not work to only please the adult but engage in their own potential; and how to let go of an adult perception of what is "good."

1. bake cookies for the office secratary and custodians. They cam make your job better or worse and cookies are always a good idea!

2. never speak ill of anyone. they may end up being a friend, a resource or realted to someone important!

3. plan ahead! students may work faster than you expect. have supplies ready BEFORE class. what will you do with the work when done?

4. libarians can be gret sources for books related to topics. I love picture books as a way to introduce a lesson to young ones.

Don't be afraid to command the room. Students crave leadership and, if you don't provide it, one of their classmates will.

If you aren't confident in your own teaching skills yet, act like your own favorite teacher.

Better to be overprepared than underprepared. (For me, that means being prepared for next week's class while I am teaching this week's class + having a selection of "just for fun" challenges that students can try if they finish their work early.)

Bottom line advice to all my student teachers - writing objectives - if you don't know why you're teaching something, teach something else - kids of all ages know when you're excited about something- you should be excited about everything you teach... AND ALWAYS be prepared!!! Try to never have a moment that isn't planned - that's self defense - if they follow these rules, they'll be successful!

I totally agree with Margaret! Plus...read the Teacher's Edition of the textbook for beginnings and closure ideas...

Ditto everything that has already been said. I also think that EVERY art teacher needs to know how to make their program valuable to their school, the parents, obviously the students, and the community. Especially in this financial climate, the art teacher that knows how to promote and market their program in a way that demonstrates how important it is to the life of the school is an art teacher that is going to be one step ahead of any curve balls!I don't think it can start a year or two into your position as a teacher, once you have everything else in place. I think it needs to happen from the day you are hired and needs to be a part of every day. School, district, and community involvement is an art teachers best tool....or should I say weapon?!

Never say "I cannot" anything in front of your students! That just gives them the excuse to say it right back to you. I see this all the time in observations.

Try to plan lessons that students will feel connected to in a personal way...after all...it is about "their" art.

Stay out of teachers lounge...

When I taught a methods class at UWB a few years ago, I structured the class using arts integration. After spending some time exploring national exemplar programs and strategies, I brought in teaching artists in music, drama, and poetry (and myself for visual art) so that the preservice teachers got experience with the methods, and then practice in designing lessons. They basically taught their peers using many different "intelligences" for student engagement. At the end of the class, they had a collection of very useful lesson plans that they knew worked!

With your budgets low or nonexistent in the states, I'd advise them to think 'outside the arts catalogues'... recycle, look in the grocery stores for supplies - satay sticks, chop sticks, paper plates, plastic wrappers from veggies, meat trays; ask local retailers for their rejected materials; what can they paint on besides pure white drawing paper? -newspapers, magazines, telephone books, discarded posters, outdated paper of any kind, calendars, I've collected our school's old business cards to add to mixed media kids can paint over or leave as is;fabric shops , you don't need to weave using just yarns!

I found all the previous statements to be very helpful. One I would add is to remember what happens in behavior is not about you. The second you take a child's misbehavior personally you loose any influence you have over the situation. "I am here to help you. How can I help you work out what is bothering you. I can see you are very upset. Perhaps a little time to think about what you really need & communicate it to me we can come up with a satisfying solution." The goal is not to win. The goal is to support a child in crisis. an example: I often suggest a place to go focus and then come back to talk. Sometimes it is not immediate but never in 47 years did a child fail to come back in a receptive mood. Classmates do not see this as weakness which many teachers fear & avoid. A 5th gr. boy cursed at me under his breath. Of course we all heard. Girl came quietly whispering that maybe I didn't hear. I said I did hear but thought it would be best to address it in private. She thought that was a good choice. Later he came to apologize & had called a class meeting to apologize in front of the class. I said that was not necessary but he insisted he had 'dissed' me in front of the class so he needed to apologize in front of the class. Not winning every challenge is really winning if the child is safe.

I noticed a lot of focus on being prepared. This is a good practice as long as you remain open for the spontaneous and can embrace it when it presents itself. I prepared a lesson for 2nd grade on observational drawing using boxes of seashells ~ many shapes & designs. Principal popped in for unscheduled observation. A few minutes into orderly sharing of the boxes, closing eyes, feeling etc. a boy took center stage and started directing the lesson. He understood the concept and ran with it. I stepped back and let him take over. In a few minutes he turned to me & said. "I am out of ideas." so I took back leadership. In post-ob. principal asked how I could be comfortable relinquishing control to a 7yr old. I started defending my choice & she said she was interested to know how to get that confidence passed on to the rest of the staff that they can easily reestablish control. I learned the wisdom of following the spontaneous the first year of teaching. I had an overly prepared & controlled lesson out to demo. Class came in & a 4th grade boy stopped at the demo table & announced, "I know what we are going to do." and started doing what he thought. His idea was way better than mine so we followed his lead.

Ten Best Practices for Managing the Art Room

2011-08-10T11:11:00.000-05:00

“Act” like a teacher - confident, calm, and in control (of self). If you get angry, try not to show it. (Sarcasm doesn’t work, either.) Treat students with respect.
Establish classroom procedures from the beginning: coming in, assigning seats (helps you learn names and your substitutes will thank you), procedures for distributing and taking up materials, procedures for cleanup and leaving the room.
Be prepared. Have everything you will need for your classes handy so you don’t waste time looking for things (while students wait). Lay out everything you will need for the next day before you leave for the day. (Keeping the room organized will also help).
Keep students busy from the moment they walk in the room. Over prepare. Always have a backup plan if a lesson doesn’t take as long as you thought it would. Be flexible.
Constantly move around the room, checking for understanding, and giving assistance as needed, while also being aware of everything else happening in the room (eyes in back of head, radar, etc.).
Don’t turn your back to the class to help one student. Move so that you can scan the room as much as possible.
Have consequences for both preferred and undesirable behaviors. Try to catch students doing things well and praise them.
Use cues to get students’ attention (clapping hands, bells, other kinds of sounds). I had a cleanup bell and used clackers and other noisemakers.
Do not let students leave their seats without permission or direction (helpful with very young students and large classes).
Write better lesson plans than you have to. It will impress your administrators and make you a better teacher.

At Play with Applique

2011-07-20T18:00:00.000-05:00

During our SchoolArts/CRIZMAC Folk Art Extravaganza, recently held in Santa Fe, one of the projects our participants worked on was a personal quilt square, inspired by the many forms of quilting, weaving, and applique at the International Folk Art Market. These became personal mementos of our time together.

The word "appliqué" derives from the French and refers to layering pieces of fabric over others and sewing them into place. The pieces may be attached to a background by hand sewing, machine sewing, attached with iron-on webbing, or by the use of fabric glue.

There are all kinds of elaborate ways to appliqué a design, but the easiest is to first make a paper pattern from thin paper. Trace around the paper pattern on the fabric and then cut it out, leaving a seam allowance about a quarter of an inch beyond the paper pattern. Iron the seam allowance to the back of the pattern, remove the paper, and then pin the fabric piece in place on a background fabric. Use a simple blind stitch or blanket stitch to sew the shape to the background fabric.

Alternately, fusible webbing may be cut to fit the pattern and ironed on with the fabric. The edges do not need to be turned under for this method. Another choice is to use felt for the appliqué pieces. The edges of felt do not need to be turned under and the felt can be glued on or attached with a blanket stitch.

Appliquéd pieces can be adorned with embroidery stitches, paint, found objects, or anything that can be attached or sewn on. This wonderful piece has silver milagros, a skull bead, and a real twig attached.

Changing the World, Changing Ourselves: Folk Art Extravaganza

2011-07-15T17:02:00.000-05:00

Somehow I have just looked up and discovered that it is the middle of July! I have been going nonstop since school was out but now have some time for reflection. Our Folk Art Extravaganza, our joint SchoolArts/CRIZMAC workshop, was a rewarding experience for us, with 37 eager participants. The highlight, for all of us, I believe, was meeting Pakistani quilter Naina Surendar and her husband Surendar Valasai. Naina was representing Ralli Quilts, a cooperative of women from her village and surrounding area in Pakistan.

Though Ralli Quilts has been represented for many years at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, this is the first time one of the quilters has been able to come to the Market. This trip was also the first time Naina had ever been out of her rural, isolated village.

Trish Stoddard, a modest woman who has made such a difference in the lives of these quilters, brought Naina and her husband to meet us and help us learn about the Ralli quilts. Naina doesn't speak English, but her husband does, so he translated. Trish also brought many examples of historic and contemporary Ralli quilts to share with us.

Prior to their visit, our members each began a personal quilt square that was intended to be a souvenir of the week. It could be quilted or appliqued, sewn or glued. We chose the quilt square as a project because of the number and variety of fiber arts we knew would be at the market. We started it as a group but the participants could work on it throughout the week on their own.

On our final day, after we had experienced the Folk Art Market, we were displaying everyone's work so it could be shared and photographed. Then we had a surprise visit! Thanks to an invitation from one of our group, Naina, Surendar, and Trish and her husband returned to say goodbye. Naina was very curious about the finished quilt squares and looked at every one. We couldn't have had a better conclusion for our time together. Though we wondered how Naina would be changed on her return to Pakistan, we knew we would never be the same. She opened our eyes to another world and we will never forget her.

Back from Venice with Frida and Diego!

2011-06-27T08:55:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe school has been over since June 3 but I have been going non-stop since then! Time to catch up now that the SchoolArts group is back from a week in Venice. We had a wonderful time being with like-minded people, all crazy about art and travel. Our beautiful hotel was in a quiet, residential area of Venice, so we were able to get a sense of how people actually live there. Everything we needed was in our neighborhood - grocery store, gelato stand, wine store (wine is available in bring your own containers!), restaurants, and nearby vaporetto stops (water bus). Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera accompanied us; they especially liked the Venice Biennale and the gondola ride! I'll post more photos once we all recover from jet lag.

Why We Teach

2011-05-23T21:00:00.000-05:00

When someone asks you what you do, what is your immediate answer? I suspect, for most of us, the answer is “I’m an art teacher.” It is the role with which we most identify. And we all know that teaching art successfully is not an eight-hour-a-day job. I’ve always thought of it as a 24/7 profession. We’re forever thinking about teaching art -- searching for more effective approaches, looking for ideas for interesting art problems, and translating the world around us into meaningful art experiences for our students.

Naturally we identify with and share the ideals of other like-minded art teachers. We may even need this connection more than classroom teachers, as we are often the only art teachers on a campus, especially at the elementary level (all the more reason to join your state organization and the National Art Education Association). Having the support and assistance of your fellow art teachers is priceless. I was poignantly reminded of this at a student art exhibition this past year.

Our local art education association, the Denton County Art Education Association, has an annual student art exhibition at a local art center, the Center for the Visual Arts, during Youth Art Month. Though it is open to all grade levels, the elementary students and their parents are the most likely to attend the opening reception.

At the opening, Kay Adamson, the art teacher at Ginnings Elementary, couldn’t wait to introduce us to two of her students, Luis Valdez and Uriel Alvarez, to show us their artwork, and tell us their stories. She was so proud of them and wanted them to see that other art teachers were also impressed with their work (one had even brought his sketchbook).

Kay told us that the boys are from wonderful families who speak little to no English. They are both very hard workers, well liked by other students and considered to be leaders. Yet art is their refuge. Both boys have been at Kay’s school since kindergarten so this was their 6th year with her in art.

Kay shared their stories:

“Both boys are very detailed artists. Luis enjoys drawing anything and everything and Uriel loves drawing people, especially his sport heroes. When they come to art, they explode! They are on fire and their faces shine with joy! I have invited them to come to the art room anytime during the day that they have free time to draw. They feel so grownup walking in during another class, as they open up the sketch drawer and get out supplies with which to draw. I wish you could see them! Luis and Uriel do this often. I am praying that both boys will get the right teachers in the years to come and that they will be encouraged, supported, and guided in becoming creative and industrious men, and most of all, terrific artists!”

Watching Kay with her students, I was reminded that when we look at a student’s artwork, we see the student and all we know about his or her life, in ways that no one else might possibly see. We see the challenges, the effort, the process, and the progress. Can there be any better ideal than to hope for the best from every student? This is why we teach.

The photo shows art teachers Rhonda Sherrill, Kay Adamson, and Nancy Walkup with Kay's students Luis and Uriel at the Youth Art Month reception at the Center for the Visual Arts in Denton, Texas.

Creative Minds: Maintaining Order in the Art Room

2011-04-27T20:33:00.000-05:00

Maintaining Order in the Art Room

Creative Minds Out of School is an after school art program written by Cathy Wiseman Topal and developed by Davis Publications (which also publishes SchoolArts Magazine) for the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership in 2010.

In reading through the introduction of the Educator's Edition, I was taken by the section, "Maintaining Order in the Classroom," and thought I would share some of it with you here. Cathy's advice is great as a refresher for veteran teachers and a help for new ones:

Engage students from the moment they enter the classroom. Pose a question about the works of art. For instance, "Can you guess from all the visual cues what we will be working on today during our studio art class?" Or present them with some kind of problem to figure out, such as "How many warm colors can you find in the painting in the front of the room?"

Begin to demonstrate the use of a new tool. Hold up a book that you are about to show. Keep discussions short and to the point.

Keeping students on task. The best way to keep students on task is to keep them engaged. Sequencing the introduction of materials can be magical. Each addition is a new provocation. It is equally exciting to add a slightly new concept or challenge as students are just about to complete one phase of a project.

Roles of the teacher:

Stimulant Role. Exploring and discussing works of art, introducing materials, tools and approaches, encouraging exploration and discovery, and having students share their ideas are all ways to spark interest and engage young artists. These are all aspects of creating a worthwhile, inspiring and comfortable environment for creative exploration.

Model Role. Students look to educators to model behavior (consistent, firm, positive, fair) and interest in and enjoyment of the subject matter.

Other Effective Teaching Strategies

"Catch" each student doing right, kind actions and producing interesting, creative work. Reward positive behavior as much as possible.

Honor and respect the intelligence and the work of students and other teachers in the program.

Whatever the lesson, take a few minutes to try it yourself to explore, work out logistics, and build your enthusiasm.

Develop a signal for getting students' attention when you need it. A bell, a flick of the lights, or a hand-clapping rhythm are common signals that teachers use to encourage students to "Stop, Look, and Listen."

Seating

Seating arrangements can make a big difference. Making groupings beforehand is a way to mix students up and encourage new relationships. Taking an informal approach - letting students sit wherever they wish might work. However, sometimes cliques form and a few students are left out. Consider beginning with grouping.

Early Deadline for NAEA Convention Proposals

2011-04-24T14:55:00.000-05:00

Because the 2012 NAEA Convention in New York City is scheduled for March 1-4, an unusually early date for the convention, the deadline for submissions for proposals is also earlier: May 15. The theme for the convention is "Emerging Perspectives, Connecting Teaching, Learning, and Research."

You can fill out the proposal forms online, but remember that the reviewers will be evaluating the proposals with the aspects of the theme in mind (though your proposal doesn't need to fit all three). You might also want to consider a joint proposal with one to two co-presenters; this might increase your chances in getting your proposal selected. You can also submit two proposals, not just one.

Don't be shy - submit and share your good ideas and successes! And New York City will be fantastic!

Welcome to Stacy's World

2011-04-24T14:01:00.000-05:00

SchoolArts Magazine is published in Worcester, Massachusetts, though I live in Denton, Texas. Most of our work is conveyed over the Internet or by mail, but I visit the office several times a year to meet with the staff. In fact, I am on my way back home to Texas as I write this.

While I was in Worcester, I had a wonderful opportunity to visit the classroom of an art teacher I met at the recent NAEA convention in Seattle. Her name is Stacy Lord and she teaches art at Worcester East Middle School. She graciously invited a group of us from Davis Publications (the publisher of SchoolArts) to see her room, despite the fact that she was out on Spring break.

Her room was in the basement of an old school building (I think Stacy said it was built around 1920) and I was enchanted as soon as we stepped inside. The floor was wonderfully spattered with years of paint and there were all kinds of art centers, art materials, and works in progress in every spare corner or space. Signs of her effective classroom management system (both visually and literally) were everywhere, addressed through humor in many cases. I especially liked her yellow line on the floor that delineated her personal space where students were not to cross!

It was easy to see that her room was clearly inviting and non-intimidating to her middle school students. You'll be seeing some articles from Stacy, for sure, in the coming year in SchoolArts.

Visiting Stacy's room has also prompted me to begin a new feature for the coming year, spotlighting art teachers' classrooms. If you think you have an interested or unusual art room, send me some images of it (but don't clean it up first!), and your room may be featured in SchoolArts!

Reconsidering SchoolArts' ClipCards

2011-04-13T20:01:00.000-05:00

SchoolArts' ClipCards feature has been in the magazine for some time; they were originally suggested by Laura Chapman. Each month SchoolArts offers one each for Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels. They follow a standard format with headings of The Art Problem, Objectives, Materials, Procedures, and Assessment and show only one image.

As we begin to plan next year's issues, we would like to get some feedback on them. What do you think of them? Do you use them? Do you save them? Do you have any suggestions as to how we could improve them? Would you be interested in writing some? Please let us know your thoughts!

May/June SchoolArts: Ecology

2011-04-10T14:27:00.000-05:00

So far my students haven’t complained about all our bird-themed projects this year. We’ve explored birdhouses, mixed media birds, clay owls, and other birds in nests, penguin collages, and prints. This all started when I received a grant to purchase enough recycled birdhouses for my entire fifth grade. A considerate company called GreenBird makes these from recycled paper. (Good for Birds. Good for the Earth. Good for You.) The birdhouses are intended for actual use but the questions they prompted for exploring ecological issues may be their most lasting value for my students.

There is a reason canaries were used in coal mines; birds are often the most susceptible of creatures to environmental toxins from fertilizers and pesticides and to loss of habitat. For all these reasons, birds seemed like an engaging focus to approach a theme of Ecology, the study of the way that living organisms interact with their environment. And it seems clear that humans have most impacted our environment, for better and for worse.

I adapted some of GreenBird’s instructional materials as questions to guide inquiry with my students: “What are some positive things humans do to the environment around us?” “What are some negative things humans do to the environment around us?” “How have artists depicted these concerns? And more specifically, “What can you do to make the world a better place for birds?”

One of the artists I featured in our study of birds was Mark Dion, a contemporary artist (guest speaker at NAEA in Seattle in April and featured in April 2011 SchoolArts) whose work investigates ideas of nature through ecological issues. Birds appear in a number of his installations, known for their combination of natural science collections with taxidermy animals and found objects. Dion’s admiration of Alexander Wilson and John James Audubon provided me with additional ornithological artists to include in our classroom inquiry.

Now I’m back to bird watching out my window, hopeful you will use Mark Dion’s tools of humor, irony, and metaphor and SchoolArts’ articles this month to explore ecological issues with your students.

GreenBird

Judging for ArtBreak

2011-04-10T14:16:00.000-05:00

The past few days I have had the honor of being one of three judges for ArtBreak, the "largest student arts festival in the South," a regional arts exhibition, performance, and competition that takes place annually on the riverfront in Shreveport, Louisiana. It was a full-circle return for me, as I taught art in Shreveport twenty years ago and participated in ArtBreak with my students every year at that time.

It was gratifying to see how well (and how long) the arts have been maintained and appreciated in North Louisiana, as this year will mark the festival's twenty-seventh year as a showcase event for arts programs in Caddo and Bossier Parish schools.

Fellow art educators Eric Orr, Mary Ann Boykin, and I had over 1800 entries to review in the visual arts for grades EC-12 and chose a best of level and three juror's choice awards for every grade, plus separate media awards for elementary, middle, and high school levels. Kudos to ArtBreak and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council for championing the arts in education!

Spotlight on an Art Teacher: Rama Hughes

2011-04-03T11:49:00.000-05:00

One of the best things about being editor of SchoolArts Magazine is that I get to meet so many wonderful art teachers who clearly and mightily engage, motivate, and encourage their students. At NAEA in Seattle I met in person an art teacher who has recently come to my attention. His name is Rama Hughes and he is an elementary art teacher who lives in Los Angeles, California.

Rama is also a graphic artist and cartoonist with a great sense of humor. At NAEA he was passing out copies of the little cartoon book you see here. Just by looking at it, I know I would love to be in his class!

Rama's first article for SchoolArts was "How to Draw a Comic" in August/Sept, followed by an advocacy article, "On Art and Education," in January 2011, and "How to Host a Portrait Party" in April 2011. You can see more of Rama's work on his website, including drawings of famous artists he has done in his distinctive style. I'm sure we'll be seeing much more of him in SchoolArts!

SchoolArts Themes Finalized for 2011-2012

2011-03-23T14:36:00.000-05:00

My head is still spinning from a whirlwind of activities at NAEA in Seattle. Seeing the Nick Cave show at the Seattle Art Museum was certainly a highlight! At our annual SchoolArts Editorial Board meeting, we finalized SchoolArts' themes for next year.

They are:
August/September: Identity and Ideals
October: Responding to Nature
November: Telling Stories
December: Belonging
January: Order and Organization
February: Messages
March: Connecting to Place
April: Making a Difference
May/June: Looking Beyond

We are always working four months ahead of publication so please keep that in mind. Please email me with any questions!

The Power of Transformation

2011-03-07T18:51:00.000-06:00

If my recollections are correct, I am pretty sure that the new student teacher I am getting this week will be my 25th. I know he will be my 20th in my current district. Where did all that time go? Yet, when I think back, the transformations in art education over the 28 years I have been teaching have been remarkable and profound.

The first three years I taught in Louisiana, our school was not air-conditioned (later I would have to turn the window air-conditioner off so my students could hear me!). My art supplies consisted mostly of recycled and donated materials. I tried, not very successfully, to use the filmstrips and a movie projector I discovered in the library (though the films and filmstrips were already faded and brittle by the time I got my hands on them).

There were very few print reproductions of artworks available at the time anywhere. The only prints I found in my classroom were black and white photographic art prints from Davis Publications (SchoolArts’ publisher); the first ones I remember buying myself were the Getty Center’s MAPS study print sets. I must confess I subscribed to both SchoolArts and Arts & Activities (I needed all the help I could get!). I also joined NAEA.

Through these publications and my graduate program, I learned about DBAE – discipline-based art education – including art history, art criticism, and aesthetics along with art production. I was happy to find out there was a name for my approach to teaching (it just seemed sensible to me).

Now we have at our disposal state and national standards for the visual arts and a plethora of contemporary theoretical approaches (in no particular order) including (but not limited to) critical thinking, visual culture, interdisciplinary connections, cross-curricular, multiculturalism, design thinking, community-based, postmodernism, relational aesthetics, choice-based, and technology-based. Nowadays we have a wealth of visual resources available to us, both in print and online.

Yet the most thoughtful transformation of all may be that of our teaching, if we are willing to take risks and experiment along with our students with the understanding that artmaking is about meaning. That idea can change your life and the lives of your students.

More on Managing the Art Room

2011-03-06T10:57:00.000-06:00

Just received this email about classroom management, an issue dear to all of our hearts:

Nancy: I don't have an art room! I do "art on a cart" grades 1-5, but many of the strategies I use can be applied to large or small classrooms such as:

All paper is cut ahead of time (and I use a lot of different sizes for various projects).
Monitors (students) pass out (and collect) most materials.
Tempera paint is poured into divided foam trays; some can be re-used, but most are just thrown away.
A wet-wipe (alias diaper wipes) which I cut in half to economize for most lessons, is provided at the end of the period to wipe hands and clean the tables.
I also use paper towels (dispenser kind) cut in half, passed out at beginning, if glueing or using oil pastels, or other messy things.
A "fold" of newspaper (about 6-8 sheets) is used for clay projects--then toss.
Watercolor pans: I I take them out of the box to save space and washing of those awkward boxes, and just pass out the "strip" of color pans.
If the project only involves a few (3 or 4) colors, I put those colors on the lids of yogurt cartons and pass them out that way. I keep a whole tray full of these ready for use. I also wet the pans ahead of time with a spray bottle of water.
A sheet of 18" x 24" newsprint (plain) or a sheet of newspaper would work, ("keep the table clean paper" we call it) is put down at each place. Fold twice and throw away at end of lesson.
NO ONE get out of seat during lesson (except monitors, as necessary).
I have made drying racks out of empty cartons, sprayed to eliminate advertising, I have a pattern for this if interested; they are lightweight and I take them back to my workroom to dry and press (I find lots of projects need an overnight under a weight(pkgs of paper) to be nice and flat for mounting
I mount ALL projects before they go back to the teacher (I do this while TV is on at home").
I wash brushes after classes.
Glueing: Monitors give out a half paper towel and a round toothpick to each student (or one to two students) and I pour a small puddle of glue on each towel. Students use toothpicks to apply glue. Greatly superior to having to fill glue bottles.
Watercolor: if doing a wash, I wet the paper in the sink before taking it to class (keep it in a shallow tray). I previously used a spray bottle; this works much better and is much less time-consuming

Hope you can use some of this. It is not very organized, and I have a million of these!

Maureen maureen654@aol.com

Maureen, thanks for sharing! You have given me some new ideas to try! I'm of the "stay in your seat"
school, as well.

Dreaming of Santa Fe and Folk Art

2011-02-22T20:31:00.000-06:00

As the school year wanes, my thoughts are turning to Santa Fe and our SchoolArts/CRIZMAC Folk Art Extravaganza. Getting to spend the most of a week with like-minded art teachers and lovers of folk art is one of the very best things I get to do.

The International Folk Art Market was started by folk art lovers from the Museum of International Folk Art (one of my favorite museums in the world) in Santa Fe. It now brings in folk arts and artisans from around the world every July to demonstrate and sell their arts. Artists must be recommended and juried, so the level of quality is unsurpassed.

For art teachers, this 8th annual Market is a wonderful opportunity to meet and converse with these artists. For the artists, it is an opportunity to generate more income in three days than many may make in a year back home. A number of the artists represent cooperatives of women; their income from the Market may raise living standards in their villages and/or allow their children to go to school.

Through our Folk Art Extravaganza, our group will participate in hands-on workshops, learn directly from artists and other speakers, visit museums, and experience two full days at the Folk Art Market.

SchoolArts is looking forward to our first collaboration with CRIZMAC. We'll be staying at the Inn of the Governor's, a wonderful hotel within walking distance of the plaza.

If you are interested in joining us this summer, please contact CRIZMAC or let me know if you have any questions.

Picture Consequences/Exquisite Corpse

2011-02-21T20:38:00.000-06:00

Picture consequences is a circle game in which a group of people cooperatively draw a person or creature. Historically, it was played by European artists commonly called Surrealists, beginning in the early 1920s. Picture Consequences was also known as exquisite corpse, although that name also described a more widely known process of writing instead of drawing.

In this process, a figure is drawn in portions, with the paper folded after each portion and passed to the next artist so that they cannot see the earlier portions. At the end, the paper is unfolded and the completed figure is revealed.

Philip Campbell Curtis

This lesson was inspired by and focused on the Surrealist Philip Campbell Curtis. Born in Jackson, Michigan, Curtis (1907-2000) became a highly respected artist in his adopted state of Arizona. After earning a four-year certificate in art from Yale, Curtis moved to New York where he served as an assistant supervisor of mural paintings for the Federal Arts Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project.

The WPA transferred Curtis to Phoenix where he founded and later became the director of the Phoenix Art Center (now the Phoenix Art Museum). Following on the heels of his Arizona success, the WPA sent Curtis to Des Moines to start an art center there. It was during this time that Curtis entered the museum studies program at Harvard, but his studies were interrupted by World War II.

Curtis returned to Arizona after the war where he settled in Scottsdale in a converted stable now known as the Cattle Tracks Arts Compound. His studio windows provided a view of the desert landscape. This view strongly influenced Curtis' style and is often seen as a backdrop in his work. From the late 1940s until his death, Curtis continued to paint. His work has been celebrated through solo exhibitions, multiple awards, and a permanent exhibition at the Phoenix Art Museum.

The student artwork you see here was completed by four different 5th grade students.

Objectives
Students will:
• recognize the work of Surrealist artists, especially Phillip C. Curtis.
• collaborate on detailed exquisite corpse drawings.

Warm Up
Discuss Surrealism. Demonstrate procedures for exquisite corpse drawing.

Materials
• 6" x 18" white drawing paper
• pencils
• fine point permanent black markers
• colored pencils
• teacher-made PowerPoint on Surrealism

Procedures
Have students each fold a 6" x 18" white paper into four equal parts, leaving the paper folded. Ask them to draw a head of a person or animal in the first section (so that the finished drawing will be vertically positioned), making the drawing fill that section as much as possible.

Students first draw in pencil and then outline the drawings with a permanent black marker. Color can be added with color pencil at this time or later when the figure is complete. Be sure to remind students to write their names in pencil on each section as they work.

Next, have students refold the drawing so that the head is not visible (bend it back) and pass it to the next person to their left (they will take one from the person on their right). In the second section, students draw a torso of a person or animal. Students continue in this method, drawing legs in the third section and feet in the last. When the final section is complete, students open the drawing to see the completed figure. Display the artworks alongside a written explanation of the process.

Nancy Walkup and Pam Stephens, SchoolArts, March 2011

SchoolArts March 2011: Fantasy

2011-02-07T20:26:00.000-06:00

What’s your fantasy as an art teacher? Go ahead, dream big! I could go for smaller class sizes, an aide with every kindergarten class, a great digital camera, a smart board, grants for educational travel, chair massage, and an unlimited budget to make all this possible!

Seriously, how do we help our students think about and express the idea of fantasy through their artwork? Judging from the articles SchoolArts receives, many art teachers seem to be approaching the theme of fantasy primarily through portraiture and self-portraiture. We offer a number of such articles in this issue.

As art teachers, we know the place where students are most likely encouraged to use their imaginations is the art room. Sadly, that isn’t always the case in the non-art classroom. So how can we best encourage students to embrace the fantastic and use their imaginations, especially when so many are drawn to the latest computer game or gadget?

We can strive to develop challenging and meaningful visual art problems, no matter what level we teach. We can support and show respect for our students’ creative ideas and endeavors. We can provide a safe place for students to express their ideas without fear of judgment.

Brainstorming, working collaboratively, and including aspects of humor and play also help make learning through art more engaging. The rich theme of fantasy invites numerous meaningful and differing responses that are limited only by the imagination.
Go for it!

Check out the new SchoolArts, online now. The photo above is a sculpture by Niki de Saint-Phalle at Balboa Park in San Diego, California.

More Comments About Managing the Art Room

2011-02-04T14:35:00.000-06:00

Another email I just received from a SchoolArts reader (posted with her permission):

Hello,

I am responding to your question in the Feb. 2011 School Arts issue regarding “Managing the Artroom.”
I have done the following to better manage class sizes between 25 and 35 students:

Removed all the chairs and/or stools. (I keep a few on hand for kids who have injuries and/or special needs and need to sit.) Otherwise, kids stand at tables to do work. The benefits are 1) you can squeeze more kids around a table without stools; 2) students can move around more freely to get supplies, etc., without tripping over stools; 3) young artists are more alert when standing and moving, plus it’s good exercise for muscles and brain.

Established a “helper table.” This group of 6-8 students help setup and cleanup. They are the only group allowed away from their assigned tables. This eliminates the massive chaos that can erupt during cleanup when all students are wandering around. All students are expected to cleanup and organize their own tables without walking away from them. The helper table folks have assigned tasks for circulating through the room and picking up specific tools/supplies from tables. I rotate this duty to a different table each week. For elementary students, this is a treat to be at the helper table.

Established routines and clear expectations regarding behavior and cleanup. The earlier in the year you do this, the better; however, having a few posters around the room as reminders during the year helps.

Gayla Ruckhaus
Elementary Art Teacher
Centennial Academy of Fine Arts – Littleton Public Schools, Littleton, Colorado

I like the idea of removing all the chairs. I often have my kindergarteners stand rather than sit in the too-big regular chairs.

Nancy

In Honor of Chinese New Year

2011-02-03T12:59:00.000-06:00

In honor of Chinese NewYear today, starting the Year of the Rabbit, I'm sharing an art lesson my husband and I taught to Chinese students in Beijing. We had the opportunity to teach in a Beijing elementary school for a week several years ago around this time of the year. Though my students usually make their versions of the lesson a more manageable size, our Chinese students surprised us with a much larger joint effort. You see the head of it here. They used colored copy paper instead of construction paper.

I like the fact that you only need paper, scissors, and glue to make it, though you can certainly add embellishments such as real feathers, tissue paper, recycled materials (a garbage gobbler?), etc. I encourage my students to add three-dimensional forms and curled, folded, or rolled strips to the head.

The head can easily become the head of a bird or animal to which bodies can be added. To make such a head, fold a 6" or 9" square of construction paper in half diagonally. Open it up and fold it diagonally the opposite way. Open it up again and cut up one fold to the center. Overlap the two cut sides and glue them together.

Repeat these instructions to make another form. The two forms are hinged together to make a mouth/head that opens and closes (the peaks of the triangles are on the outside). Lay the two pieces side by side matching two long sides and leaving a small gap. Cut out a piece of paper about the size of a band-aid and use it to glue the two sides together.

Ears or horns may be added by making smaller forms in the same fashion. Wings, tails, and legs may be added for birds; bodies may be added for animals.

Since the head/mouth will open and close, puppets offer another idea. You could also compare this form to Indonesian shadow puppets or marionettes.

You could use this lesson to compare Western and Chinese dragons. Chinese dragons are usually depicted with long, snake-like bodies with four clawed legs. They are seen as more protective and benevolent than Western dragons which are usually shown as evil. Anyway, if you use this lesson, please share some examples!

More Comments on Managing Large Classes

2011-01-26T20:27:00.000-06:00

Another Email about Large Classes

Dear Nancy,

This is in response to larger class size and managing the room. I teach grade 6-8, my classes have increased slightly with some classes with as much as 28 students, many with special needs. I have a large room so students can move around, but I have one teeny tiny sink. For hand washing it is after cleanup and students wait in line. For clean up for painting or printmaking.....hand washing is last! Printmaking is the worst. Lots of brayers and trays. I have students share colors and there is always someone who is quick and efficient at cleaning.

For painting I use palette paper if I can and have students write their name on it and reuse it. Tempera peels off and if they like the mixed colors they can add water and reuse. If I use plastic palettes there is never enough time to wash them and it takes too long and I found myself cleaning palettes. Now I use disposable cups with lids

and fill them with paint that everyone shares and students mix colors on the palette paper.

I have students do different jobs at the tables so that not everyone is at the sink at the same time. Students at each table work out who does what. Someone puts the art on the drying rack, someone puts away the folders, someone washes the brushes, someone washes the tables, and everyone puts the supplies away. It does require coordination and planning, but we are teachers and masters at that. When done regularly it becomes routine and I don't have to cut down art time for clean up, students know what to do. I never clean up for the students. They are more careful about what they do when they know they must do the cleaning. I need my prep time for getting ready, not for cleaning.

At the elementary level it requires telling which students to do what or having a list with every student on it and thier job. When I did my graduate work I had a co-op teacher who was a master at organization. Thank you Julie. She taught me well. Each table and each person has a job. It requires a lot of planning in the beginning but definitely worth it. Students who go to the sink to clean brushes or dump water, wash their hands after they finish their

job. The rest are called up 2 or 3 at a time and she would time them. Next. ....They get used to the routine quickly and know what is expected of them.

Rose Flanagan

The Continuing Saga of Too-Large Classes

2011-01-24T19:28:00.000-06:00

An email from a reader:

Nancy,

I just received my issue of SchoolArts and I was reading the article “How Many Students Did You Say I was Going to Have?” Although I work in a smaller private school, I do have a few larger classes and I believe I have some ideas that I incorporate into my procedures that would work for large classes. One of the dilemmas was not having the students all up and moving around the room.

I have 6 students at most assigned to a studio table. Each of them have a specific job for their table such as distribution manager, supply manager, teachers assistant, sink monitor, maintenance manager, and table leader. Each studio table has its own corresponding wire bakers rack. All student supplies are on this rack. Elementary are in bins by grade level and in bags by student. Community supplies are also kept on the racks as well as a sketchbook bin housing sketchbooks for lower grades and “inspiration envelopes” with drawing ideas and examples. Each rack also has a book basket with a few textbooks for reference, picture books with great illustrations, and various art books.

At any given time there should only be one person up from their table at a time. Students come in at the beginning of class and pull their job tag, clip it on, and then go to their seat. The supply manager gets the supply bin, the distribution manager gets the work in progress portfolio, and they begin working. I will break in after they have gotten situated and are working to do my mini lesson or give instruction.

When it comes to clean up, there is only one person from each table at the sink, the sink monitor. I have a baking sheet for each table that is set up with a layer of paper towels, a water container, brushes, and paints. When it is time to clean up, students place their brushes in the water containers. The sink monitor brings the whole baking sheet to the sink and cleans the brushes and paint trays and then resets the baking sheet and returns it to its place.

These are some of the procedures I implemented this year. My first year teaching art was very rewarding but frustrating when it came to having too many students up at one time or moving across the room to get supplies, passing out papers, storing works in progress neatly, and cleaning up. I felt like I did not have enough time to instruct and then for them to work. I discerned over this past summer and researched the web to see what might work so that art students would have more time to actually do their art.

Melinda Dunn

Art Teacher, Saint Mary’s Catholic School, Longview Texas

Rodrigo's Story

2011-01-22T10:20:00.000-06:00

Don't you love the magic moments in the art room when everything just comes together? Yesterday a second grader made my day. I had an art teacher and supervisor from another district observing my class, along with a student teacher. This was one of my largest classes so space was tight.

The students were completing the cardinal lesson you see here (this is Rodrigo's). Last week they printed the green lines for the branches; this day they were adding the birds and painting snow.

Rodrigo is this very quiet little boy who was completely absorbed in so carefully and slowly painting the lines of white between the green. We were all drawn to him because of his focus and effort. At the end of class he wasn't quite finished so I let him stay behind his class and finish, knowing his teacher would understand. (He also offered to put his work on the drying rack and clean up his table when he finished.)

When I had a free moment I took his work down to show his teacher and to tell her how proud I was of him. She looked at his work and was moved almost to tears, pointing out that he had written his name in cursive (he is in a second grade bilingual class). We were both so proud of him! And the next day he brought in a pencil drawing he made at home of the same scene.

Rodrigo's story is a reminder to me that we must look for and pay attention to the quiet children so easy to overlook when we are distracted by other, more noticeable students (I must admit another boy in the same class painted his hand and pressed it on the wall behind him, but that's another story!). I hope we made Rodrigo's day; he certainly made mine.

Where in the World Would You Like to Go?

2011-01-16T16:45:00.000-06:00

SchoolArts still has space in both of our 2011 summer offerings, a week in Venice and the Folk Art Extravaganza in Santa Fe, but our thoughts must jump ahead to summer 2012.

Where would you like to go with a group of like-minded, traveling art teachers? We're thinking of Barcelona and northern Spain (would include Montserrat, Santiago de Compostela, and end up in Madrid) but are open to other destinations. In Spain, a visit to the Guggenheim Museum of Contemporary Art in Bilbao would be included, as well as the Altamira National Museum. Gaudi's fantastic architecture in Barcelona would definitely be a highlight!

If you have some other destinations in mind, please let us know!

More Thoughts on Art Room Management

2011-01-10T19:57:00.000-06:00

Just received this from Brenda Kane, a reader who offered to share her thoughts on managing large classes:

Hello!

I am a bit too busy to write formally right now, sorry. Yet I did not want to forget to do this - cause I have been there, dun that!

Just a few quick time savers / large class size ideas for art teachers and perhaps a few money saving ideas too...

For palettes use old magazines - one per table. You can still have the paint all ready to go when students arrive in class - you can still walk around with a garbage can at the end of class - just have students rip off the top page then fold it and place in the garbage. NO CLEANING THE PAINT TRAYS!!!! YAY!

RULERS - have students EARN the use of them. Use cut scrap edges of mat board collected from local framing shops until they prove that they can use them for the intended purpose not as to be bent, or used as a weapon, drum stick, or a way to etch into class table tops.

Mat board leftovers that are too small for framing... cardboard etc. can also be used as templates for thumbnails sketches, to spread glue around a surface, or as a squeegee to flatten the paper that has been glued down -it removes air bubbles, they are also good for using as the "brush" for ink, or to create textures etc.

I have also used supply containers for the basic things that each table will need to use ready and numbered by table - then I send delegates to retrieve and replace them in a designated area each day.

I also have students do a "brush check" to see if they are clean after they have washed and dried them by wiping them on my arm - if the brush gets my skin dirty there are penalties! ;-) LESS WORK FOR ME!

I have to run - Wish I could write more for you.

God Bless!

Brenda Kane

I especially liked the brush check! Nancy

February SchoolArts: The Issue of Time

2011-01-08T21:53:00.000-06:00

Time is what prevents everything from happening at once. ~ John Archibald Wheeler 

February SchoolArts

Is there anyone whose day is more regimented by time than teachers? Especially art teachers? My day is certainly run with a constant eye on the clock, beginning from the moment I reach school, when I have to open my room, be sure I have everything out and handy for my morning classes (even though I try to leave it all ready for the next day when I leave school), check my mailbox in the workroom, and quickly look at my email for urgent messages (I don’t always manage to do that). If I have an extra minute or two, I’ll put out the ongoing artwork for the first class based on their seating chart.

Once classes start, I frequently check the clock, judging if I need to adjust or expand a lesson to keep students busy during class, and deciding when we have to stop working, have closure, clean up (depending on media used), and line up.

I find that student teachers often have the most trouble with adjusting for time, especially in embellishing or extending a lesson when students finish more quickly that anticipated. Getting students cleaned up and ready to go on time is also challenging for student teachers. If they can master these skills, they are more likely to be successful.

As far as the concept of time goes for my elementary students, their understanding seems to rely on the concepts of old, older, and oldest, though they can make timelines of their own lives. For example, my fifth graders have created stories and drawings of their favorite memories and recorded them for a VoiceThread presentation. On a smaller scale, my students have also used sets of art postcards to work together in teams to sequence them by time.

Posting and adding to an ongoing timeline in the art room is an effective approach to help students understand concepts of time and how art and artists have influenced each other over time. One of the best timelines I’ve seen in from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Theresa McGee expands on this and other online timelines in Tech4ArtEd this month.

No matter your approach to time, SchoolArts hopes this issue can help you use time to your advantage in the art room.

Update on Substitute Lesson

2011-01-08T13:50:00.000-06:00

Here's a photo of the template I use for my cube substitute lesson mentioned in my last post. It is based on four-inch squares and fits on 12" x 18" paper. The notched side folds up to make the bottom of the cube.

I have students draw and color their designs before they cut out the cubes. It is easier to work on that way. We usually use Sharpie markers over the pencil lines and color with colored pencils.

Substitute Art Lessons

2011-01-04T20:31:00.000-06:00

Does the idea of having a substitute strike fear in your heart? Only with the most trusted art sub will I expect her/him to continue my on-going lessons, and then only with greatly detailed instructions left behind. For non-art subs, I tell them not try to continue my lessons, no matter how hard my students try to convince them otherwise.

This is one of my most successful substitute plans, based on a template that I leave, one per table to share. The template (drawn by me) fits on 12" x 18" white drawing paper. Students trace the pattern, draw a design in pencil first, then outline with marker, and finally color with colored pencils before cutting it out and assembling the cube. My directions ask that students come up with a detailed design that flows from one panel to another, realistic or abstract. Careful work means the activity will take more than one period, so students begin the project with the sub but finish it with me. I have used this lesson with grades 3-5 but it is certainly adaptable for higher grade levels.

If you have a favorite substitute lesson, please share it with us!

SchoolArts Themes for 2011-2012

2010-12-27T10:40:00.000-06:00

Now that we're approaching a new year, my thoughts turn to themes for SchoolArts Magazine for next year. I've decided to draw themes this time from the "big ideas" in Davis Publications' middle school textbooks, A Personal Journey, A Community Connection, and A Global Pursuit. These themes are deliberately broad.

Prospective authors, please make note that each issue is planned four months before actual publication so we are always working ahead. That said, don't worry too much about fitting a particular theme. It is more important to be passionate about your lesson, idea, or concept. Check out our writer's guidelines and then please let me know if you have any questions.

The themes for 2011-2012 will be:

August/September: Identity and Ideals
October: Responding to Nature
November: Telling Stories
December: Belonging
January: Order and Organization
February: Messages
March: Connecting to Place
April: Making a Difference
May/June: Looking Beyond

Place: SchoolArts' Theme for January

2010-12-07T18:55:00.000-06:00

This must be the place. David Byrne

What first comes to mind when you think of the word “Place?” Place is a term that can have many different meanings. It can be a verb (put, present, arrange, appoint) or a noun (physical environment, locality, position, area), but its connotation for me is location. Though I grew up in the piney woods of Louisiana, I don’t miss them at all. Instead, I am drawn to the wide-open turquoise skies and Georgia O’Keeffe colors of New Mexico. It is the one place I return to each year (and a place I want to share with others through our SchoolArts seminars every summer).

The articles in SchoolArts this month are intended to take you to real or imagined places, in the air and under water, but I suspect the most important place for art teachers is the art room. There is no other classroom like it.

When I taught middle school, a counselor once told me that he always consulted a student’s art and music teachers to learn more about them, as he believed these teachers related to students in different and revealing ways that classroom teachers did not. And we’ve all had students who did well in our classes yet were not so successful in others.

For some secondary students, fine arts classes may be the only reason they come to school or where they feel comfortable, what Dr. Phil of TV fame calls “a soft place to fall.” Since most secondary classes meet every day, arts teachers can relate more individually to students and learn more about them as they interact on a daily basis. In elementary, we may see our students only once a week, but we have the opportunity to watch them grow and change over time (it is possible for me to have a student for six years in a row since our school has grades K-5).

Caught up in the bind of our inflexible daily schedules and the challenges of teaching large classes, we need to step back and reflect upon the possibility that our art rooms may be the only safe place a student has – a place where someone will listen, a place to be free to express themselves, a place that expects and accepts many possible solutions to a problem, a place that is supportive and nonjudgmental.

This must be the place!

More Thoughts on Kindergarten Architecture

2010-12-05T11:23:00.000-06:00

All my Kindergarten and first grade classes have now cycled through my building block lesson this week. Having the students draw what they build is always an amazing experience.

Thanks to Cathy Topal, author of Davis Publication's kindergarten book for Explorations in Art, Thinking with a Line, and many other wonderful books for teaching young children, for the idea to have students make drawings from art they have made with other materials. I also use her method to have students draw collages they have made. Give it a try - you could certainly do it with any grade.

Kindergarten Pandemonium for a Great Cause

2010-11-30T20:49:00.002-06:00

This week my kindergarteners are learning about architects and builders. Each year I borrow classroom sets of wooden blocks from the kindergarten teachers to use. We read Roberto the Insect Architect and they build structures with wooden blocks and then draw what they build.

I have to suppress my innate desire for reasonable control as there is no way to do this quietly. My only requirements are that each table work as a team and that the structures must balance and stand on their own. It is great to see the kids get so involved and to see what they discover.

As each table decides they are finished, I take a photo of their structure (thanks to the wonders of digital photography). Here are two photos from today. Both structures were made with the same set of blocks but by students from different tables. The top one they called a church and the second one is a city with connecting roads. I guess I need to get some toy cars!

Reflections on State Art Education Conferences

2010-11-21T17:02:00.000-06:00

In the last four weeks I've been fortunate to participate in three state art education conferences - Idaho, New Mexico, and Texas - and have been energized by the dedicated, hard-working art teachers I have met. They all shared commonalities of unbounded enthusiasm for teaching art and engaging their students, despite any number of obstacles they may face.

The first photo here shows me with the officers of the IAEA, Karen Fothergill, Jackie Nelson, Robin Gray, Estuardo Hiram-Miranda, and Keith Farnsworth. Their conference was held at a wonderful charter school, Garden City Community School.

The second photo shows me with participants, including Susan Gabbard (former NAEA president), gathered around Phyllis Roybal's laptop. We were watching videos of her very young students building snowmen and conducting experiments in a wet table full of snow in her classroom. Phyllis introduced us all the wonders of colored glue (using food coloring), among many other marvelous things.

The level of workshop offerings and the effort that went into their preparation was outstanding at all these conferences. If we could get newbie art teachers (new to association membership) to attend such conferences, I believe they would always want to come back! Look for articles from these great teachers in upcoming issues of SchoolArts!

Registration Now Open for SchoolArts/CRIZMAC Folk Art Extravaganza in Santa Fe

2010-11-10T21:32:00.000-06:00

Registration for the joint SchoolArts/CRIZMAC Folk Art Extravaganza is now open. Find out details in the December SchoolArts, accessible both through the magazine website and CRIZMAC's website. We usually fill up quickly so don't delay if you are interested in joining us in this fantastic experience in Santa Fe, participating in hands-on experiences and the International Folk Art Market, July 6-12, 2011.

Alaska Stories: December SchoolArts

2010-11-09T20:52:00.000-06:00

Until I went to Alaska this past summer, I hadn’t given much thought to totem poles. My only personal encounter with them before that was at my high school in Shreveport, Louisiana. Our school mascot was (and still is) an “Indian” and I remember days in which there were totem poles and teepees all over the front lawn. Even way back then I knew that Louisiana Indians never used teepees or totem poles and that no Native peoples used the two forms together.

In Alaska at the Saxman Native Village near Ketchikan, one of the largest totem parks in the Pacific Northwest, I was able to see many totems, visit a clan house, participate in a dance, and meet Nathan Jackson, the foremost totem pole carver today. Everyone had the same question, “What story did each totem tell?” We didn’t know the stories but we knew, just by looking, that each totem had a story to tell. And, we wanted to know what they were.

Totem poles are tree trunks carved into abstracted figures or emblems by Pacific Northwest Coast Native Peoples. Usually carved into Western red cedar, they honor a person or event, serve as welcoming beachfront house posts that relate family history, function as grave markers, or ridicule an individual or family.

In totems, I learned, the “story” is read from the top downward. The carved figures are not read literally, but have symbolic meanings. Early missionaries misinterpreted them as objects of worship; as a result, many were destroyed. Nowadays, many totems are commissioned and may cost as much as $1,500.00 a foot.

To me, experiencing the totems was a reminder of how we all seek to understand our lives and the lives of others through stories. As art teachers, we want to share diverse cultures and artistic practices with our students but how can we share such stories without trivializing the intentions or copying the style of the originating culture? Can we interpret historic practices through the lens of contemporary culture? Can we share with our students this challenge itself? (Think of the rich aesthetic discussions that could develop!)

Please share with SchoolArts your thoughts and successes concerning these issues and concerns. Tell us your stories.

Art and Writing Contest Opportunities for Students Grades 7-12

2010-11-07T10:42:00.000-06:00

Looking for opportunities to share your students' creativity? The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition is including "Design Video Games" this year. Games will be judged by industry leaders and a select number of teens grades 7-12 will win top honors and scholarships. The deadline is January 28, 2011.

Also offered is the NY Life Award, sponsored by the New York Life Foundation. Teens are invited to submit works of art and writing that deal with loss and bereavement. Six winners will be selected to receive $1000.00 scholarships and top works will be shown as part of the annual national exhibit in June 2011. Submissions may now be entered. For more information, visit www.artandwriting.org.

Celebrating the Days of the Dead

2010-10-30T17:55:00.000-05:00

After two weeks of daily rehearsal (though we had never managed to rehearse the entire show all the way through), we presented our Days of the Dead performance twice at school on Thursday - during the day for the entire school and in the evening for parents. We were accompanied at both performances by the fantastic Mariachi band of the University of North Texas - people were dancing in the aisles!

It was so much fun watching kids recite, dance, and sing - second, third, and fourth graders from our bilingual classes. Here you see Frida and Diego and two students who led the procession. We took photos of all the students in front of a backdrop once they were costumed. I have the photos printed and give each child their own for a souvenir.

You can see an Animoto of our program here. I can't wait to show it to my kids!

What Can You Do with Just Paper, Scissors, and Glue? Lesson 2

2010-10-20T20:40:00.000-05:00

As I am always looking for new ideas, especially for sculpture, to transcend the simplicity of the most basic art supplies available to most art teachers, I was excited to discover an approach new to me from a district in-service. Back in class, I changed the size and kind of paper and let my students experiment after they created the basic form. In this lesson, students use two-dimensional pieces of paper to construct three-dimensional forms and then turn them into buildings or other structures of their choice.

The Basic Cube

To make the cube, each student needs twelve pieces of 2" x 4" construction paper. I provided an assortment of colors of precut papers to give students lots of choices.
Directions
Step One

Fold each paper in half horizontally. Take four of the folded papers and arrange them with the corners overlapping and with the standing edges on the outside. The form will look like the lid of a box (with an open square in the middle). Glue the four corners together, taking special care to overlap and fit the corners exactly together. Take four more papers and made another "lid" just like the first one.
Step Two
Next, take four more folded papers and fit them into the four corners of one of the lids. The form will now look like an upside down table. Glue the pieces on the inside of the lid with the legs pointing straight up.
Step Three
Now the tricky part: The "table" should still be upside down, with the legs pointing up. Carefully lower the other lid down to fit over the legs. Holding it all in place, turn the cube over on the table. One side at a time, glue the last legs into place.

Step Four
After our first cubes were complete, we talked about the possibilities of what they could become and them students were free to embellish them on their own. I provided scrap boxes of assorted papers and extra building papers for those who wanted them. Some made bird houses, some made dog houses, some combined theirs with a neighbor's for a collaborative project, some made more than one and put them together. Embellishments included roofs, slides, ladders, chimneys, flowers, porches, and back yards.
Reflections
In the in-service I attended, tag board cut into wider and longer pieces was used with fifth graders and all the structures were combined into one very large edifice, so you may want to consider that alternative. I taught this lesson in two classes (one to make the first cubes and one to embellish them) to second and third graders with no problem. And we met state-mandated objectives in both art and mathematics, while having a great deal of fun.

This lesson is found in Explorations in Art, Davis Publications, Grade 2.

SchoolArts and the Art of Humor

2010-10-19T19:47:00.000-05:00

“Humor is a rubber sword - it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.” Mary Hirsch

Though my kindergartners are my toughest audience, they are the most fun. They are up for anything and everything I ask them to do and are always excited when they walk in the door. And they allow me to be funny or silly or whatever it takes to get their attention (now if I could just keep them in their seats!).

We usually start the year off with toys and talk of Toy Story (now 3), establishing some common ground. Though they are sometimes surprised that I have seen Toy Story, (Is there an adult out there who doesn’t appreciate Pixar movies?), they are happy to talk about it, make toy collages, and design new toys. They have no problems seeing the humor in art.

Humor, like art, is a universal human language that everyone can understand. We may have different senses of humor, but we are all likely to find something to be funny. What kind of art do you find humorous? How about your students? Do any artists come to mind? cartoonists? designers?

We have based the November issue of SchoolArts on Humor, inspired by PBS’ Art:21 series and its choice of the theme.

Happily available at no cost online, “Humor” explores how five contemporary artists - Charles Atlas, Eleanor Antin, Raymond Pettibon, Elizabeth Murray, and Walton Ford - use irony, satire, and sarcasm in their artwork. Though most of the videos and slide shows are better suited for secondary students (definitely review first), Raymond Pettibon and Elizabeth Murray will appeal to elementary students.

Play, a related theme to humor, is also the theme of a second Art:21. This “Play” explores the work of the artists Oliver Herring, Arturo Herrera, Jessica Stockholder, and Ellen Gallagher, Teresa Hubbard, and Alexander Birchler.

Another remarkable resource found online is Art and Play, a book and website by Caroline Rutledge Armijo that features six artists whose work can be traced back to their childhood interests and experiences. The artists are Marcel Duchamp, Alexander Calder, Jean Tinguely, Claes Oldenburg, Elizabeth Murray (here she is again), and Joseph Cornell.

SchoolArts wishes you lots of laughter as you explore humor with your students. Please check out our November issue online.

Photos: It’s hard not to smile when encountering folk art such as this at the Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.

Celebrating the Mexican Days of the Dead/Los Dias De Los Muertos

2010-10-17T15:10:00.000-05:00

At my elementary school we are now in full planning mode for our annual Days of the Dead Celebration which will take place this year on October 28. We'll present a program for our entire school during the day and at night for the PTA, complete with Mariachi band. This program gives our bilingual classes a place to shine.

If you are interested in learning more about this often-misunderstood celebration, there is plenty of background information on my school website. The Days of the Dead are one of the most important celebrations of the year in Mexico, a time when people honor the memory of loved ones who have died.

Our life-size school skeleton spends the month of October in my room, as each grade level does a different lesson that correlates a scientific view of the skeleton with the traditions of the Days of the Dead.

My third graders this year are doing a lesson by Linda Lea Evans that is published on a ClipCard in the November 2010 SchoolArts. Here are two examples by Macy and Gabe, oil pastel on brown butcher paper. If you take our survey online, you can get a free digital subscription to SchoolArts and see the ClipCard as well as the entire magazine!

What Can You Do with Just Paper, Scissors, and Glue? Lesson 1

2010-10-12T19:10:00.000-05:00

Because I had an email from a reader asking for lessons that didn't require much in the way of materials, I am going to post three of my favorite lessons that only take paper, scissors, and glue. I invite you all to contribute any lessons that use such materials.

Motivation

Show and discuss different styles and types of pop-ups. Robert Sabuda’s pop-up books are great for this. Demonstrate pop-up procedures. Discuss possible subjects for a pop-up face or creature.

Procedures
Fold 9 x 12 paper in half like a book. Cut a horizontal line starting at the middle on the fold about halfway to the unfolded sides of the paper. Fold each cut back to make a 45 degree angle. Fold each cut the opposite way and then push out the "mouth."

Fold the paper again and lightly draw half of a simple shape for a face or body around the "mouth." Cut out. Carefully glue the face on a folded background paper. Add details with scraps of construction paper.

Objectives
Students will:

• compare and contrast pop-up books and cards.

• create an original pop-up face or creature.

Materials and Resources

• http://www.robertsabuda.com/

• 9" x 12" assorted colored construction paper, 2 per student

• assorted colors of scraps of construction paper

• scissors

• glue

This lesson is from Explorations in Art (Davis Publications), Grade 2, Pop-up Story, Studio Exploration for Lessons 23 and 24.

Back from Idaho Art Education Association Conference

2010-10-11T18:04:00.000-05:00

I just returned from a great trip to Idaho, presenting at the Idaho Art Education Association Conference, held at a wonderful school, with a fantastic staff, the Garden City Community School in Boise. Everyone was so friendly and clearly dedicated to providing the best art experiences for their students. A real bundle of energy was Cathy Mansell, shown here with her set up for teaching about Van Gogh. Teachers got to paint their own huge sunflowers using just their feet.

Thanks so much to Karen, Jackie, Keith, Estuardo, and Robin for inviting me. You can see my keynote presentation on Design Thinking here.

Help for Teaching Large Classes

2010-10-03T12:05:00.000-05:00

Recently I received this email from a teacher:

Hi Nancy,

I've been a subscriber since I began teaching in 1993. This, by far, is my most difficult year as an art teacher. I have been blessed to have my own room (although for four I was in a small one, it was still a room) and a kiln. Many art teachers are not as fortunate. I have a wonderful school with supportive staff and parents, as well as some of the best students on the planet.

This year we are in a budget crunch and have class sizes in the 30s in grades 2-4. I didn't see it as a big deal last summer when we got the news. I figured I would do projects on smaller paper, do less 3D, etc. I had no idea how hard it would be. My students come for 50 minutes, and the first 15 minutes are wasted on crowd control, the last 10 to 15 on clean up. Kids are not getting the attention they deserve. We are not learning what the curriculum dictates. I can't even mix paint with my first graders because it's too chaotic. I have resorted to tempera in egg cartons, something I swore I would never do!

I would love to see a series of articles on how to handle large art classes (especially for elementary) and still maintain control and teach art....

Your feedback would be greatly appreciated!

I think most of our have struggled with large classes at some point. It's because of that my number one rule is "stay in your seat." I also have assigned seats, but still I am constantly moving kids around trying to find the best placement for each child.

Please share with us any suggestions that have been successful for you in dealing with large classes.

Expanding the Idea of Artist Trading Cards

2010-09-30T19:44:00.000-05:00

Inspired by ideas from Olivia Gude and a local high school art teacher, I had my fifth grade students start the year by making a set of artist trading cards that were based on the elements and principles of art. The cards served as a good but quick review so we could move on to other things. They are a bit difficult to photograph, but I gave each student a compartmented plastic page in which to keep them. Now I have to decide if I should let them take them home (which they all want to do) or keep them so students can add to them throughout the year. If we use both the front and the back, the pages each will hold 18 cards.

Though I can't submit my students' cards, you certainly can enter your students' work in SchoolArts' annual artist trading card contest. The deadline for entries is December 1, 2010.

The Art of Compassion: One Million Bones

2010-09-28T20:36:00.000-05:00

The Art of Compassion: One Million Bones

Continuing the theme of compassion, the October issue of SchoolArts includes an article about the project called One Million Bones, written by founder Naomi Natale:

In spring of 2013, one million bones—made by an international community of artists, activists, and students—will flood our nation’s capital.

One Million Bones is an international fundraising art installation and education project designed to recognize the millions of victims of genocide. Our mission is to increase global awareness of the ongoing devastation of genocide, raise $5 million to protect and aid displaced victims, and educate students about tolerance through art and social activism.

One Million Bones asks one million people — children, artists, youth, senior citizens, parents, and college students — to create a bone representing a victim of genocide, and sponsor it for five dollars. Sponsorship funds will go to service organizations for aid for survivors.

Why Art?

The arts are a powerful tool for engaging the community. We believe this type of hands on education is necessary because addressing global issues begins with the knowledge that global issues are local issues magnified by distance and intensity. Therefore, providing a creative arena for children to discuss what makes us different and what makes us the same allows them to understand global issues through a local and or individual lens.

This is the first step towards change. Outreach efforts to educators across the country will help teachers create a curriculum that is age appropriate, and which encourages analysis and synthesis, as well as the creative consideration of global issues.

Art & Action

Apathy is often cited as the reason that people fail to act against injustice, though perhaps impotence is a more useful way to describe such inaction. If we approach the problem from this perspective-that people don’t act because they don’t feel capable of affecting change- it has a very clear solution: Offer people a compelling, tangible way to make a difference and they will seize it.

This is the guiding principle behind One Million Bones. In places like Sudan, Burma, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, millions have been murdered or displaced by systematic killings and ethnic cleansing. The international community has neglected to effectively intervene and the violence, which has ravaged for years already, continues.

One Million Bones aims to unite people whom individually-and as of yet, perhaps silently-oppose these genocides. It provides participants with the means to both demand government intervention and to raise support for the conflicts’ many victims. It gives these ongoing tragedies, often muted by our physical distance form them, an emotional presence and a powerful voice.

Opportunity for Participation

One Million Bones is looking for educators to bring this project into their classrooms. Regardless of the subject taught, we are convinced that One Million Bones can assist with student engagement and skill acquisition at all educational levels.

We hope that you will consider bringing this project into your classes, perhaps even every semester until our 2013 installation. This issue is so important and any awareness we can spread is incredibly valuable.

Naomi Natale is the director of One Million Bones and of an earlier humanitarian effort, The Cradle Project.

Pinwheels for Peace and the Power of Art

2010-09-25T16:36:00.000-05:00

Samantha Melvin, the fine arts teacher at R.J. Richey Elementary School in Burnet, Texas, sent me this photo of her school's celebration for Pinwheels for Peace last Tuesday on the International Day of Peace. Her students are holding up their pinwheels for this aerial shot.

I am constantly amazed and delighted by the lengths to which art teachers such as Samantha will go for their students. Pinwheels for Peace itself is a great example of such efforts as it was started by two art teachers, Ann Ayers and Ellen McMillan.

In just five years, Pinwheels for Peace has grown into an international project with millions of participants. Ann and Ellen have now expanded this idea at their school to 10 Days of Peace. How powerful is that?

You, too, have the power of art. How will you use it to make a difference in the lives of your students?

Pinwheels for Peace and the Importance of Publicity

2010-09-22T12:05:00.000-05:00

It turns out that about five or six schools in my district celebrated Pinwheel's for Peace. Our paper did a feature on the elementary schools that participated, including mine and you can look at them here. I long ago learned that you must take it upon yourself to promote your programs, especially through your local news media. I have gotten to know our local education writers just from sending them so many publicity releases and photographs. So don't be shy in promoting what your students are doing. It's up to you!

Sign Up for Free Digital Subscription to SchoolArts

2010-09-21T19:12:00.000-05:00

Art teachers, would you like a free digital subscription to SchoolArts for a full year? Just take our online survey at http://www.schoolartsdigital.com/schoolarts/misc/survey_2010/survey.htm.

One of the many great things about a digital subscription is that you can access the magazine from anywhere online and share pages with others. So, please join us!

Update on SchoolArts Summer 2011 Travel Plans

2010-09-14T16:39:00.000-05:00

Folks, I have updates on our SchoolArts travel plans for next summer (I know, it seems way too early for this but we have to plan so far ahead!). The Venice, Italy trip is currently filled, but you can get on the waiting list with a fully refundable $300.00 deposit. It seems likely there might be some cancellations. The 8-day trip begins June 18, 2011. The price is $2904 out of DFW (dbl occupancy). Other gateways are available; supplement for single travel with a private room is $310.   Our tour company is Go Ahead Tours, 800-597-0350 and the tour number is 51927443, under Pam Stephens and Nancy Walkup. Ask for Lauren, if possible, and mention SchoolArts.

The SchoolArts/CRIZMAC Folk Art Extravaganza in Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 6-12, 2011, is now available for registration on CRIZMAC's website. We'll be staying at the lovely Inn at Loretto, within walking distance of the Plaza for hands-on activities, guest speakers, museum visits, and two days at the International Folk Art Market on Museum Hill. You can call CRIZMAC at 1-800-913-8555 for further details or to register.

SchoolArts October Theme: Commemoration

2010-09-12T19:48:00.000-05:00

What do ghost bicycles, the Days of the Dead, and the Lincoln Memorial have in common? In different ways, they all commemorate a person, place, or event.

Ghost bicycles are white-painted bicycles placed at a site where a cyclist died. The Days of the Dead are the most important celebration of the year in Mexico, as they honor the memory of loved ones who have died. The Lincoln Memorial honors one of our most revered presidents.

There are many ways for students to explore the theme of commemoration in the art room. Celebrating artist birthdays is one way that can take many forms (the SchoolArts calendar in the back of the issue lists many of these). In school, we are expected to observe months dedicated to different cultures or events such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Mother’s Day, and the like. Why not have students explore why we honor such observances and then create their own artistic commemorations?

Even young children can understand reasons for remembering a special person, time, or place. My fifth-grade students wrote stories about their favorite memories and then illustrated and recorded them for a VoiceThread project. (You can watch them at voicethread. com/#q+Denton,+Texas.)

An additional approach to the subject of commemoration could be to ask your students to consider which present-day people or events might be honored in times to come. The daily news offers much fodder for discussion and debate. For example, the Library of Congress recently announced that it would acquire the entire Twitter archive since March 2006. Are all tweets worthy of preservation? Are any worthy of commemoration? What do your students think?

Finally, another way to incorporate contemporary ideas is through a wonderful online resource, PBS Art: 21 episode about Ritual and Commemoration, available at www.pbs.org/ art21/education/ritual/index.html. This unit offers three lessons on this theme: Remaking Myths, Honoring Heroes and History, and New Rituals. Though primarily written for secondary students, the concepts and ideas may be adapted for younger students as well.

The photo above was taken in a San Antonio, Texas, public park during the Days of the Dead.

You can visit SchoolArts online to find articles about Commemoration.

SchoolArts' Pueblo Art and Culture Seminar

2010-09-08T18:56:00.000-05:00

Dear folks, I am sad to report SchoolArts will be unable to present Pueblo Art and Culture next summer in New Mexico. Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe is closing by the end of this year and by the time I found out it was too late to move it to Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu. I am heartbroken because of my long and rewarding association with program coordinator Sue Rundstrom and the Santa Fe facility. I will try again for summer 2012 in Abiquiu. In the meantime, our Venice trip (June 18) and Santa Fe Folk Art Extravaganza with CRIZMAC (July 6) are still on for next summer.

Call for SchoolArts ClipCards

2010-09-05T14:44:00.000-05:00

SchoolArts is in need of ClipCards for the magazine. In every issue, there is one ClipCard each for Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels. We especially need Early Elementary, Elementary, and Middle School cards right now.

The images you see here show the front and back of a ClipCard and the outline to follow: Title, Level, The Art Problem, Objective, Materials, Procedures, Assessment, and author details. We only need one image per card and not too many words, so this is a great way to quickly get published (and we pay for them and give you extra copies of the issue in which you are published!). You can email text and images to me at nwalkup@davisart.com. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Update on SchoolArts Summer 2011 Offerings

2010-08-29T13:55:00.000-05:00

When I got back from Santa Fe this summer, I was very unhappy to learn that Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe is closing at the end of this year. Apparently it has been nonprofitable for some time and the Presbyterian Church may sell it. They plan to concentrate only on Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu.

Anyway, I was very depressed for a few days, then I started looking for alternatives for next summer. So far, Stevie Mack and CRIZMAC Art and Cultural Education Materials are going to jointly sponsor Folk Art with SchoolArts in conjunction with the Folk Art Market. It will cost a bit more but we will also be staying at a very nice hotel near downtown, the Inn of the Governors. CRIZMAC does wonderful offerings (I've gone on some of their trips and have developed curriculum materials with them in the past). The dates will be a little different (Wed-Tues) and there should be both new and more hands-on activities but we'll still go to the Folk Art Market on Saturday and Sunday.

I have also applied to present Pueblo Art and Culture at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu (our featured Pueblo potter Kathy Sanchez lives nearby and we'll be closer to Taos Pueblo and the Eight Annual Northern Pueblo Show). I won't know if that is accepted until September. Hopefully I can propose some new offerings there for the following summer.

As you may know, SchoolArts is also offering a Venice city stay in June (leaves June 18). We have only about 4 places left for Venice at this point. If you are on Facebook, you could check out our pages for that at Venice, 2011.

Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.

SchoolArts/CRIZMAC Folk Arts in Santa Fe, July 2011

2010-08-28T13:33:00.000-05:00

SchoolArts/CRIZMAC Folk Arts in Santa Fe

Summer workshop in conjunction with the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market.

Please join SchoolArts editor Nancy Walkup and CRIZMAC president Stevie Mack for an extraordinary joint workshop opportunity, July 6-12, 2011, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This year SchoolArts is proud to collaborate with CRIZMAC Art and Cultural Education Materials for the folk art workshop, held in conjunction with the 8th annual International Folk Art Market. Participate in hands-on workshops, learn directly from artists and other speakers, visit museums, and experience two days at the International Folk Art Market on Museum Hill.

International Folk Art Market

The largest event of its kind in the world, the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market provides an unparalleled chance to collect cultural treasures, meet the artists who created them, and have a direct and even profound impact on the lives of not only the artists but also their communities around the world. For the 2010 event, more than 170 master folk artists from 52 countries were selected from nearly 400 applicants. Artist sales totaled over $2 million (90% of which goes home with the artists), and attendance was estimated to be nearly 25,000. For an art teacher, the market is absolute heaven! You can meet the artists and photograph and purchase their work.

Practical Considerations

The cost of the workshop will be $1495.00. This includes six nights (double occupancy) at the beautiful Inn of the Governors (single supplement available for $700.00), a full breakfast daily, two dinners, workshop materials, entrance fees to museums, and two days admission to the International Folk Art Market. Participants are responsible for travel to and from Santa Fe (there is a shuttle and train available from Albuquerque). Earlier participants in SchoolArts Santa Fe workshops may want to consider returning, as much of the content will be new.

SchoolArts is happy to partner with CRIZMAC, a company that has a long and proud history of offering unique educational tours for the discriminating traveler. You can be assured of a well-organized, high quality experience in Santa Fe, led by Nancy and Stevie and Bill Yarborough and Kitty Williams. Participants are eligible for graduate credit and will receive certificates for professional development credit.

To register and place a deposit, or if you have questions about the workshop, please visit www.crizmac.com or contact Kitty Williams at CRIZMAC at 1-800-913-8555 or 520-323-8555 or by email at kittywilliams@crizmac.com. Don't wait! Places go very quickly!

And, if you are wondering, we are going to Venice next summer, too! We're also waiting for confirmation to repeat Pueblo Art and Culture in Santa Fe.

Still Bewitched by Alaska

2010-08-18T21:14:00.000-05:00

While we were at the Saxman Village in Ketchikan, we also had the opportunity to see Tlingit artist Nathan Jackson working on a totem pole. He is a master carver and a national treasure whose specialty is adzing the surface of large areas of a pole in a regular, textured pattern. He was honored when the National Museum of the American Indian opened in Washington, D.C. in 2004, featuring one of his totem poles.

Totem poles were misinterpreted by early missionaries and other outsiders as objects of worship. Instead, they served as "billboards" for families and clans and "tell" stories. A totem pole
may be an indoor support beam, serve as a memorial, represent family history, serve as a grave marker, or be used a sign of welcome, wealth, or power.

Bewitched by Alaska

2010-08-17T21:23:00.000-05:00

Now that I am back in the land of connectivity, I can share highlights of my Alaskan experience. My husband and I just spent a week on a cruise of Alaska's Inside Passage. Though I never could escape the irony of being on a gargantuan floating hotel in the midst of absolute wilderness, I am completely captivated by Alaska's Native Peoples, environment, and wildlife.

At our first stop, in Ketchikan, we were able to go to Saxman Village Totem Park, the site of a clan house and twenty totem poles. We were invited into the clan house for a performance of Native Alaskan music and dance. When they asked for volunteers to participate, how could I say no?

Red Bull: The Art of the Can

2010-07-31T17:44:00.000-05:00

Last night we went to the Galleria in Dallas, Texas, for a reception for Red Bull's Art of the Can, curated by our good friend Myra Walker. The exhibition features more than 50 pieces including a life size racing airplane, an old world style painting, a baby bull, a ball gown, armadillos, and much more. The exhibition is free and open to the public from July 31 until August 22 at Galleria Dallas.

The Red Bull competition challenges artists to construct pieces created with or inspired by the iconic Red Bull cans. This is one of my favorites. It's based on Japanese vinyl toys.

New SchoolArts Available

2010-07-30T16:56:00.000-05:00

The Aug/Sept. issue of SchoolArts is now available online. Sarah Brooks' student appears on the cover for her article, The Wish Tree Project.

The theme of this issue is Compassion. I continue to be amazed and thankful that just about everyone seems to intuitively understand and accept that art can best express concerns for other people. And lest you think one person cannot make a difference, take note of all the projects detailed in this issue that are the result of one or two people beginning with just an idea and determination. You and your students can make a difference!

With this issue, we are delighted to introduce a number of new features, especially an innovative approach to our pull-out resource, Looking and Learning. Looking and Learning now feature multiple images by a variety of artists and explores "big" or "enduring ideas" expressed through contemporary art and art from other times and places. The feature is being written by Marilyn Stewart's able team of graduate students at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

We also welcome new columns by contributing editors Theresa McGee (Tech4ArtEd), Martin Rayala (Design Thinking), and Pam Stephens (Art Teacher's Round Table). Welcome back to school!

SchoolArts' Venice Trip Summer 2011

2010-07-29T11:21:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder, we still have spaces available on the SchoolArts' Venice trip for July 2011. Pam Stephens and I will be your hosts for a wonderful city stay that begins June 18, 2011. Several years ago we took a group to Venice, Florence, and Rome, but we only had two days in Venice. We knew we would have to go back and also visit Murano and Burano, nearby islands reachable by water taxi. (Maybe this time I won't fall asleep on the gondola!)

The trip is not limited to art teachers; anyone can come. You can look at the itinerary and trip details and then let us know if you have any questions. You can also join us on Facebook at Venice, 2011. The trip will be announced in the Aug/Sept issue of SchoolArts, so you are getting advance notice. A $300.00 deposit will hold your place.

Updates on Summer 2011

2010-07-28T09:55:00.000-05:00

The day after we returned from Santa Fe, we found out that Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe is going to close at the end of the year (not making enough money, apparently). I'm just beginning to recover from the shock and disappointment as our two offerings this summer were so successful and enjoyable. We had wonderful participants and fantastic experiences for both of our offerings. We had even planned to add a third offering next year, Hispanic Art and Culture.

Since I learned this news, I have been exploring options for next summer. We're looking at another venue in Santa Fe for Folk Art Traditions and hope we can move Pueblo Art and Culture to Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu. Stay tuned for further developments in New Mexico.

SchoolArts' Venice trip for Summer 2011 is still available and will be featured in the Aug/Sept magazine. You can find out more details about it on Facebook (Venice, 2011) or email me directly. Happy travels!

Making Milagros in Santa Fe

2010-07-22T17:15:00.000-05:00

One of the hands-on activities in our first SchoolArts Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe workshop of the summer, Folk Art Traditions and Beyond, was making milagros. Milagros ("miracles" in Spanish) are small votive objects traditionally used in many countries in Latin America to describe small metal images of eyes, hands, legs, praying figures or other objects of symbolic meaning. Made of silver, tin, or mixed cast metal, milagros function as votive offerings through which the prayerful may offer petitions or thanks.

I first learned of these many years ago through the wall of milagros from all over the world at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. In storage for some time, they have been returned to exhibition where they are now the first display one sees on entering the museum.

We used precut squares of aluminum tooling (sold in art supply catalogs) and different kinds of tools to create textures. Color could be added with permanent markers if desired. You can download my clay or metal milagros lesson plan and a PowerPoint presentation to use with your students. I have used this lesson with students as young as third grade.

More Scenes from Firing at San Ildefonso Pueblo

2010-07-21T19:16:00.001-05:00

More scenes from our Pueblo Art and Culture firing at San Ildefonso Pueblo: stacking pots, surrounding them with metal trays and dried cow patties, looking for the fired pots in the hot ashes.

Peruvian Artwork at the International Folk Art Market

2010-07-19T23:30:00.000-05:00

One of my participants in SchoolArts Magazine's Pueblo Art and Culture at Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe arrived early to attend the International Folk Art Market and found me looking at these owls made from gourds in Peru. We were amazed to discover that one woman created all of the decorated gourds there. We were most impressed with the ones that had additions of details in silver, as in this owl. Tom surprised me at the end of our second workshop with the very same owl I had photographed. Thanks, Tom!

From the Folk Art Market website:
The artist is Bertha Medina, from Cochas Chico Huancayo, a small village high in the Andes of Peru. Bertha learned the art of gourd carving at the age of five from her father, Evaristo Medina, who is also world-famous for his work. Gourd carving goes back generations in the Medina family. Each gourd is unique and tells a story of daily life in the Peruvian Andes. The gourds she carves are grown only on the coast of Peru, and she travels there to find the right gourd for each creation. Once collected, the gourds are painstakingly hand-carved using a variety of knives, awls, and other tools. Details are then hand-painted onto the gourd, or other shading effects are created using burning cords or small twigs to mark the gourd’s surface.

Firing at San Ildefonso Pueblo

2010-07-18T22:51:00.000-05:00

Today Pueblo Art and Culture traveled to San Ildefonso Pueblo, home of famed potter Maria Martinez, to fire our pots with Kathy Sanchez' family. Kathy guided us through the amazingly short process of firing the pots, stacking the pots, surrounding them with cow patties, and smothering them with horse manure, in the space of five hours. Everyone's pot survived!

In the evening, we all met for a final group meeting to share our thoughts and reflections on the week. We were honored that Kathy Sanchez' family attended, and shared their reflections as well. Near the end of our get-together, it started to rain heavily (always a good thing in New Mexico) and then a double rainbow came out. What better blessing could we ask for than that?

Progress on Pottery

2010-07-16T22:50:00.000-05:00

Today our participants (Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe Pueblo Art and Culture) sanded and wet-wiped their clay pieces to prepare them for adding slip and polishing them tomorrow. First, though, we all travel north to the 38th Annual Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show to see the best of the best.

We'll also travel to the Poeh Museum and Roxanne Swentzell's Tower Gallery on the way back to Ghost Ranch.

Making Clay Pots

2010-07-15T22:23:00.000-05:00

Today at Pueblo Art and Culture, San Ildefonso potter Evelyn Sanchez and members of her family guided our participants through making small pots with clay she had previously prepared from her pueblo. She pointed out that all the materials and tools they use come from Mother Earth - no need to run to Walmart! She brought sieved clay, river silt, volcanic ash, tools made from dried gourds, yucca, and rubbing stones.

Pueblo Art and Culture

2010-07-15T14:16:00.000-05:00

Today our Pueblo Art and Culture group went to the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe to tour the collection, especially the exhibition on Huichol beading and yarn painting.

We were given an introduction to the museum by Joyce Begay-Foss, the Director of Education at the Museum. She spoke about the difficulties of honoring different tribes' or pueblos' beliefs concerning what could and what should not be on display in the museum.

She said that most native peoples have no word for art. For most native peoples, there is no separation between art, religion, and life. I was reminded of this when I came across the following wall text:

"In my culture we are all artists. Just as we breathe, so must we make art."
Michael Lacapa (Apache-Hopi-Tewa)

This afternoon, we are going to make pots with native clay with Kathy and Evelyn Sanchez, potters from San Ildefonso Pueblo who are descendants of the legendary Maria Martinez. This weekend we will go to the Pueblo to fire them in the traditional way.

St. Bonaventure Feast Day at Cochiti Pueblo

2010-07-13T23:39:00.000-05:00

Pueblo Art and Culture at Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe started tonight. Half of our participants are alumni from last year - nice to see everyone again!

Tomorrow we are going to Cochiti Pueblo for the St. Bonaventure Feast Day. Cochiti is the pueblo where the tradition of the storyteller figure was popularized by Helen Cordero.

Arnold Herrera, an artist and Cochiti member, spoke tonight to our group to provide background for tomorrow. He included Cochiti rules about which we must comply.

The following is from the Cochiti Pueblo website:

As a pueblo people, respect for others and oneself is primary to maintain balance in life. The Pueblo de Cochiti requests that respect be given for privacy of its members, for the rules and regulations for visiting the Pueblo, and for Tribal Officials by all visitors to the Pueblo. In turn, the Pueblo offers a wide variety of experiences to visitors including recreation areas, pueblo dances, access to pueblo artists, and many more.

Visitor Rules and Regulations:

Sketching, recording, picture taking, and any other means of audio or visual reproduction is prohibited within the Pueblo. The Pueblo de Cochiti belief is that when an experience is unforgettable, that the experience is maintained in ones heart and mind, and cannot be reproduced unless experienced first-hand. This gives the opportunity to re-visit the Pueblo de Cochiti and bring friends and family to share those experiences.
Please refrain from entering ceremonial buildings or other structures and areas without permission. Most ceremonial structures, and restricted areas are clearly marked with signs within the Pueblo. If a visitor is unsure whether they should enter a structure or area, they should obtain permission from a pueblo member before entering.
Please refrain from littering on the Reservation. The Pueblo has recently instituted a fine schedule for littering. These fines are strictly enforced.
Observe all traffic rules.
Respect the Pueblo, its Laws and its People. Tribal Officials police the area throughout the day and night; please show these officials respect by obeying our laws, and their judgments.
THE USE OF CELLULAR PHONES IN THE PUEBLO AREA IS PROHIBITED.

Much like the photography restrictions at Georgia O'Keeffe's house in Abiquiu, we will be forced to pay close attention.

International Folk Art Market Sales over $2 Million

2010-07-13T16:40:00.000-05:00

The Folk Art Market announced today that sales for the market this past weekend were over $2 million. The artists take home 90% of that, with the remainder used for producing the festival. Estimated attendance is 24,000. Think what a difference the market has made in lives around the world since the 7 years it has been in existence!

Personal Shrines from Folk Art Traditions

2010-07-12T22:33:00.000-05:00

Last night our Folk Art Traditions and Beyond participants completed their personal shrines and then shared their meanings with the group at our final meeting (with wine and chocolate pie). Camilla Trujillo brought back the clay adobe pieces everyone made so participants were able to take them home more safely.

It was very difficult to say goodbye to everyone this morning. Hope they will all come back next year when we might possibly offer three weeks of seminars.

These examples are by Julie and Marsha.

Ghost Ranch and Georgia O'Keeffe

2010-07-12T11:14:00.000-05:00

Thursday and Friday, our SchoolArts Folk Art Traditions and Beyond seminar traveled north to Abiquiu, New Mexico to visit two "shrines" to Georgia O'Keeffe. The first stop was Georgia's house in Abiquiu. Tours of her house are available to only 12 people at a time and no cameras, purses, bags, or any art materials are allowed on the tour.

Though this may be aggravating to some, not having a camera really forces you to pay close attention. You view the inside of the house in some rooms through huge windows; other rooms you walk through. The house is still furnished and it looks like Georgia could walk through the door at any minute (and ask you what you were doing there!).

After that, we traveled further up the road to Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu. Once a dude ranch, it is now a conference and retreat center set in the middle of some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Georgia bought her first house on the edge of the property. Though this house is not open to the public, there is a landscape tour you can take that shows the actual locations of where she painted (and you can see the house from the road).

Folk Art Traditions and Beyond, Part 2

2010-07-08T21:46:00.000-05:00

Last night artist Marion Martinez led our second hands-on session at Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe. Marion is known for her circuit board art which she makes from recycled parts of computers, phones, and other technological objects (only the safe parts), but using traditional Hispanic imagery. She brought all kinds of materials (many from Los Alamos laboratories) from which our participants could chose to make their own creations. Here you see one of the fantastic results (and her helper and nephew John). This is the third time Marion has presented at our Folk Art seminar and we are always delighted to work with her again.

Folk Art Traditions and Beyond

2010-07-08T14:37:00.000-05:00

Here at the SchoolArts seminar, Folk Art Traditions and Beyond, at Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe, our first hands-on activity was working with clay with New Mexico artist Camilla Trujillo. As participants made adobe walls with micaecous clay, she wove in the history and culture of Northern New Mexico and adobe architecture.

Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities

2010-07-04T21:14:00.001-05:00

We spent the afternoon at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe for the opening of the museum's "Gallery of Conscience," a new space dedicated to exploring contemporary issues dealing with folk art production and consumption in the 21st century. The exhibit, Empowering Women, featured ten women's cooperatives that have been chosen to sell their work at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market for 2010. Through these cooperatives and through the Folk Art Market, female artisans have been able to find a market, raise living standards, and transform the lives of their children, families, and communities.

Most of the cooperatives featured in the exhibit had one or more representative women present and they all spoke in turn on a panel in the atrium of the museum. Each told stories of how the Market has changed their lives. For many it was their first visit to the United States and perhaps their first trip outside their villages.

One of the stories was about women in Nepal who traditionally paint designs on the walls of their houses for special occasions. Claire Burkert, a woman from New England, saw these paintings and suggested that the women paint their designs on sheets of handmade paper, rather than on walls, so the work could be sold. Today more than 40 women of all ages and castes travel daily to a center where they work and eat together. Their paintings on paper are sold around the world and they have been given commissions to paint murals on public buildings and businesses.

The images shown here are from one of artworks from Nepal that is in the exhibit. All will be on view during the Folk Art Market this coming weekend. It is a great opportunity to meet all these artists and see amazing folk art from around the world. More than 120 artists from over 45 countries will be there. I can't wait!

Twitter Contest for Famous Artworks

2010-06-29T14:03:00.000-05:00

Slate is having a Twitter contest: Reduce the Declaration of Independence to a single tweet. It would be fun to do the same thing for famous works of art. Any takers?