Saturday, April 5, 2008

Art full Weekend Part 1

It's been a weekend full of Art and I'm not done yet. Two workshops down and one to go. Spent a day at Frenzy Stamper with Debbie and Sylvia Luna taking a class from Leighanna Light. Yowza! What a blast! By the time I picked up the Chicklet, had dinner and made my way to the studio, I was wiped out but I'm heading into the studio in a bit. These two "ladies" are waiting for me...Freia, AKA "the Canine Delinquent"Carmen, the wonder dog, (who probably taught Freia everything she knows)!

My Saturday mornings with the Chicklet consist of a lot of laying around in bed. She crawls into bed with me in the a.m. and watches cartoons. At some point I become alive and "the hand" starts to tickle her. There wasn't much of that this morning since we had some early errands before my "Heart and Soul of Photography" class taught by Marta Gladden at Creative Quest.
Just when I think I know enough about this and that, I see something that turns my mind in a direction I hadn't thought of. Such is the case with this photo class AND we have homework!
First I have to look thru images I like from magazines, newspapers, the Internet, etc. and answer questions to determine whether I'm drawn to a documentation or interpretation style of images. That's an easy one 'cuz I already have loads and loads of clippings from magazines, etc. that I have collected over the years. (The day I take the plunge to venture to show pics of my studio, I'll share how I store my clipping files).
Part 2 of our homework is a scavenger hunt of emotions. I'm to take photos this week matching 20 different emotions/feelings to the image. This includes interpreting "love," "food," "old, "safe," to name a few. ("Holes" is not one of them. Too bad. The Chicklet has been keeping the Tooth Fairy soooooo busy that I could photograph her mouth to fit that theme).
This is going to be fun. One of the themes is "tough." I know exactly who I want to take a picture of but he's deployed in Kuwait and only g-d knows when he's coming home. I'll have to figure out what to do for that one.
This coming week is going to be crazy at work. Due to AIMS testing-GRRRRRRRRR, the Music, Art and PE schedules are being modified at my school for the week. I'd like to find a way to really "play" with my students since there's no way we can continue with the projects we're currently working on.
My 5th graders are working on abstract self portraits painted in tints and shades of one color. I started them out with a worksheet. Above are the left over paint "palettes," (yogurt container lids). Maybe I was inspired or hadn't had enough caffeine or was just trying to avoid washing them-we all know how I love to wash dishes.....but I thought they looked pretty cool.
I've worked as an elementary school art teacher in the same district for 12 years. It's known as a low income, high crime part of town. I can't imagine working anywhere else. As much as some of them make me crazy, I have great kids.
One of my 4th graders recently asked me if I liked teaching. My honest answer was that there are days when teaching drives me crazy but I do love it when I see that they "get it." I currently have a display of student art work at our district office. My kids do create great work. Everyone should see what 8, 9, and 10 year olds CAN do. The display comes down on Monday, I'll share a pic later this week.
Happy Sunday, everyone! The "girls" await.

Marissa

1 comment:

  1. Love the dogs, they look like characters. Love the cover you made. You should teach a class at Mystic with that. Just love it. S.

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