James Franco....IS it ART or NOT?

 Is it art or not?

My students recently looked at a few articles related to James Franco's (Actor from Spiderman and many other movies) new art group movement.  He and his collaborators are selling "invisible art".  A buyer receives a card with a written description of the art work.  There is nothing visual to look at except for the next written on a note card.  The concept is that art is in the eye of the beholder and everyone's imagination is different.  These note cards are selling from any where from $25 to $10,000!!!

My class loved debating the concept.  After we had read and discussed the article I had my students create similar pieces by writing descriptions on note cards.  We displayed these in the hallway and had our school vote if it was art or not. 

This article is from Scholastic Art.

 

I recently signed up for a creative challenge from Mary of http://marymaking.blogspot.com/.

This challenge originated at Created 2B Creative, and part of the idea is to continue it forward, in a creative way. Here's how it works.

• I will create something (I don't know what yet!) for the first three people who say (in the comments below) they would like to participate.
• If you say you would like to participate, you must issue the challenge somewhere (on your own blog, on facebook or twitter -- wherever you want) and personally make something in 2012 (don't wait too long and then forget - I actually would suggest you do it in the next month) for at least three people, who will pledge to make something for three more people . . .

This can be a photograph, something crafty, a small painting or drawing.....anything that uses your creativity.

• If you're one of the first three respondents, send me your address in a private message (my email address is listed on my profile) so that I can mail you my creation.

I have been looking for an excuse to break away and do some of my own art, so let me know if you want to be included!

Sara's Flight

A piece inspired in memory of my best friend Sara

Massai People

I was inspired by one of Patty's many great ideas at Deepspace Sparkle:  http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2011/06/04/the-years-best-art-lessons/13-7/

We did the line drawings first and then my students went into detail mode which I loved.  They used either colored pencil or oil pastel.  Very Cool...Thank you Patty!

 As I was posting this I found these cool Massai Necklace ideas that I have to try next!!  Check them out @: I Spy DIY and Artful Artsy Amy

Seven Blind Mice - Paper Collages

 Kindergarten and 1st grade did a fabulous job with these collages!  We read the book Seven Blind Mice which is a great book using color words and how we perceive things differently.  The book is about 7 blind mice that are out exploring what an unusual something is that is in their path.  They all have their ideas of what different parts of the "something" is, but it is not until the end that the white mouse looks at the whole and discovers it is an elephant. 

We blind folded each other and felt different items in the class trying to determine what the objects were (which they LOVED) before we began creating.

I allowed my student to either create a piece of the elephant or the whole elephant and add the seven blind mice.  We looked at how to write a title of a book and they made a label with the title of the book to glue on their piece.

Enjoying Spring Break at the beach house in Santa Rosa Beach...amazing inspiration!!!  I have several new student pieces to upload next week when I return to school.

Got Milk? These Arkansas Cows Do!!

My kindergarten classes have been learning about the state of Arkansas in their class...so we did a little collaboration and tied it into art.  Arkansas State Beverage is MILK so we paid tribute to our Arkansas Cows with our art drawings.

We read the book by Mem Fox A Particular Cow which my kindergartenrs thought was HILARIOUS!  We talked about the parts of a cow and how it looks.  I had a head template made so that they would make their cows huge on thier paper (otherwise with kindergarten I would have ended up with tiny cows on a big piece of paper.)  We used that art work I found at  http://www.zazzle.com/cute_cow_folk_art_painting_gordon_bruce_bumper_sticker-128762395561459634 from Gordon Bruce as our inspiration.  It is a whimsical little cow.  I created an easy step by step power point then they added their details at the end.  The link to the power point is http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/huskeyj72501-1358638-a-moo-zing-arkansas-cows/

They make me smile when I see them.  More pictures to come!

Optical Illusions and a Look at Escher

We did these optical illusions that I have seen on many blogs like Oodles of Art ( http://oodlesofart.blogspot.com/2008/11/optical-illusion-art-5th-grade.html)  so we gave it a try and then they had to write about what their piece reminded them of when they finished.

This link is my step by step directions for this type of optical illusion.  I saw this idea on another site, but when I went back to find it, I couldn't.  IF you know who I can link it too, please send me the name.  My power point did not upload the first slide, or the background, but if you click through it you will get the content of it.  Here is the link:  http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/huskeyj72501-1347844-optical-illusions/

Egyptian Wonders

It was time for some NON-FICTION!!  We took a look a Egypt.  I found this cool book in our library.  We did several sketches of their selected piece then I gave them sheets of thick aluminum and they used the opposite end of their paint brush to create their piece then we used oil pastels to color.  I think they turned out great!

Two Trufalla Trees

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!  This was my Kindergarten and 1st grade tribute to Dr. Seuss.  We read the book and watched the movie trailer.  Made a chart with reasons why trees were important then jumped in to save the trees with these easy and fast art piece.  We talked about the letter "T" and alliterations.  Every time we said a word that began with "T" we said..."Save the Trees".  The students loved listening for words that started with "T".

Here are the easy steps:

1.  Tear off TWO pieces of "Truffala Tree TAPE" and place on the paper. 

2.  Draw the horizon line w/ sharpie and small truffala trees by the horizon line if they wish.

3.  Paint the sky and the land - we used water colors.

4.  While it was drying we fan folded our tree tops and some cut them out of felt.  (The fan folds look better.)

5.  Carefully tear of the tape.

6.  Use sharpies again to draw the stripes on the trees.

7.  Last glue on the tree tops.