December 31, 2018

Make Your Mark On 2019

How are you at keeping your New Year's Resolution?

I'M TERRIBLE!

For the past few years I've really wanted to do better about creating my own art work.  There are just so many things that are priorities in my life: my wife, my three children, church, teaching full time, outside educational opportunities...etc..etc!  I DON'T HAVE TIME TO MAKE ART!!!  I can make excuses all day long for why I don't have time to make art, but in that same time...I could have been creating something! I'm so tired of making excuses.  I'm so tired of feeling guilty.  I'm so tired of not using my gifts, talents, and training outside of the classroom.

SO WHO WANTS TO JOIN ME IN #MAKEYOURMARK19?


This is a no pressure challenge!! You don't have to post every day! If you miss a day or two...just start back up again! This is more of an encouragement to create/make! Maybe buddy up & have someone you can share what you're working on.  OR....I'll pin the above picture on my Art With Mr. E Facebook page (If I cAn Do ThAt?!?)...and you can post what you're working on there!! https://www.facebook.com/ArtWithMrE

I used my Christmas gift cards to Michael's to set myself up for success! 
                              

I'm also thinking about reorganizing my
 art supplies so I can get to things easier!

Let me know if you are going to try to join in #MAKEYOURMARK19 ! 


December 30, 2018

Sunday Devotional With Mr.E: Words

 Though we think of art as primarily visual.....words play an amazing role!  They label it, describe it, promote it, compare it, emote about it, praise it, and condemn it. Art creates conversation.  Art is communication.  A title for a work can cause confusion or clarification.  A well written artist statement can set the scene for a work or series of works that will usher the viewer in to a deeper experience because of the context provided.  A scathing review can sway our opinion of a work, artist, or venue.  Friends discussing a work of art or an artist can raise one's curiosity & desire to seek out more information.  Yes, words have a power to impact art in a positive, negative, or neutral way.  


Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Words have impact.  Do we really consider this in our day to day?  How much negativity have we allowed to escape through our lips?  How much do we entertain negativity in our ears, minds, and hearts? Sometimes we make excuses.  We call it "playing", "sarcasm", "truth", "honesty", "the way it is"...etc. However we choose to label it....the reality is that it does not build others up, it does not show God's love, and it does not reflect The Word to the world around us.  I love this verse in Ephesians!  We see the words HELPFUL, BUILDING, BENEFIT in relation to our speech. 
 Do your words do that? 

As you reflect on the year that was & the year that is yet to come...consider how you can change the words you hear, read, write, listen, and speak so that you might better reflect the person God has called you to be.  Do your words help, encourage, inspire, build, and benefit? Do they show love, grace, and hope?  Do others want to know why your words, your way, your attitudes, and your actions are different from so many?  Do you lead others to Jesus by your life?

December 28, 2018

Silk Screening/Printing Experiment

Sometimes you see things online & ya just have to give it a try!  
So let me share with  you my attempt at the silk screen project using pantyhose, embroidery hoop, and Mod Podge! I was pretty happy with the results, however...I'm not sure about doing this with a whole class...or whole grade level, but I can see this being an amazing project for small groups/centers/art clubs! 

1)  Buy some cheap Pantyhose! It really doesn't take much to cover a medium hoop.
2) Trim the excess off!  It will get in your way later if you don't.
3) Draw out your design.  You could place a pre-drawn image under the pantyhose, but I was afraid I'd slip and slide.  So I Sharpied it right onto the pantyhose.  
4) Paint on the Mod Podge (note: It is MOD Podge...not Modge Podge.  I did not realize that this ticks some people off when said incorrectly.  You've been warned! ha ha)  Remember that where you place the Mod Podge will remain white/paper color.  Also...pantyhose can be a bit challenging for young artists to "paint" on...so you might need to encourage them to make a thicker/bulkier design.  I think fine details would frustrate them when they apply the Mod Podge.
5) Allow to dry completely.  I did paint two coats of Mod Podge on my design just to make sure it had solid coverage.  One might have worked...but better safe than sorry!
6)  I used acrylic craft paint on mine.  I was afraid traditional printing ink would be too thick.  I placed it along the edge of the hoop.  Not sure how much that matters....but I was just thinking about traditional silk screening/printing.
7) I used an old gift card as my squeegee. You could use cardboard, cut down plastic lids..etc.  It isn't a large area, so use what will work best for the size hoop you are using.  
8)  I'm not sure what happened with my first print?  I printed these one after another...adding a little more paint when needed.  
9) Rinse the excess paint off the surface...CAREFULLY!  Well, that is if you want to use this "screen" again.  I washed mine off under slow running water...and just used my fingers to rub it to help get the paint off.  If you rub too hard or use too much water...you run the risk of removing the Mod Podge.  If you do plan to use it again...I'd recommend repainting it with the Mod Podge just to be safe. 


I HOPE THIS WAS HELPFUL/INFORMATIVE! 



December 26, 2018

Snowpeople Selfies: K-2nd

I posted at the beginning of December about the day I had taken double classes (see link below)...
and here are the results of that day!  
SNOWPEOPLE SELFIES!!!!
They turned out super cute...and are now hanging all over the school. 
Their little personalities are undeniable!













December 25, 2018

Christmas Edition Devotional With Mr. E: Respond

I wanted to get this posted at the start of Christmas day...but that did not happen. 
I hope you enjoy this special edition!! 

It is amazing to see how different people respond to art work.  So many factors go into individual responses.  Personal preferences, mood, context, association, exposure, and historical background all play a part in how one will react/respond to a work of art, a collection of art, or an art movement/style.  While a painting may move one individual to tears... the same work may elicit no response from another.   It doesn't mean that the unresponsive individual is lacking artistic understanding or basic human emotion (too dramatic..I'm an artist! ha ha)...it is just their response (a lack of response is still a response).  It also could be that they are having an internal dialog/response concerning the work, but do not show it on the outside.  Not everyone is a verbal processor or wears their heart on their sleeve.  If they feel the need to share....they will.  


So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.   Luke 2: 16-20

I love the dichotomy found within these verses.  We see the response of the shepherds after their encounter with the angels, and the response of Mary after giving birth to Jesus & hearing the shepherds share their story. 

The shepherds can hardly contain themselves! Do you blame them?  I think if angels visited me & shared this amazing news...I'd have a hard time being quiet too! 

 I also understand Mary's response.  Her life has just changed.  She is a new mom.  Her child is the Promised One.  She's in a stinkin' stable! Shepherds just shared the most amazing story with her.  Yes, this might cause me to turn inward & contemplate all that is going on in & around me. 

How do you respond when God does amazing things in your life?  How do you respond when you are struggling, confused, or hurting?  How do you respond when your life just seems to be coasting along?  There is no perfect/right answer......but there is a genuine response which comes from within you.  That response may be seen by others at times...or may be between you and God at times.  However, our world is longing for genuine responses to life....not over inflated...not under inflated...not fake....not covered up....just real people responding to real life. They need to see us in our good times...and in our bad.  Doing so allows others to see how a relationship with God impacts life for the believer.  How will you respond?

Merry Christmas 2018

Hoping you all are having a wonderful Christmas....and a well deserved break! 
Stay tuned...I'm still posting over the holiday.

December 23, 2018

Sunday Devotional With Mr.E: Content Not Constrained

Artists can be very emotional & passionate people.  Their artistic expression can be an outpouring of that emotion & passion.  They often create from the extremes they experience in their life.  However, if they were constrained to create only from those extremes, their body of work they would be limited in what & how they worked.  Art is a discipline that is cultivated over time & practice.  It is an ongoing journey that can pull from both the good & bad times of one's life, but often exists in the in-between.  This allows the artist to develop their skills and artistic behavior so they are able to sustain their artistic endeavors no matter their season of life.  They are content to create because it is who they are, how they process, and the language of their life.


I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:12-13

Our lives can, at times, feel like a series of extremes.  The highs are amazing.  The lows are devastating. However, it is in the day to day that we see the faithfulness of the Lord, and can develop our relationship with Him in order to make it through our times of extreme.  If we are constrained to praise him on the mountaintops or cry out to him in the valley....we are missing the beauty of a true relationship with the God.  He wants us to come to him with everything.  He wants us to trust him with everything.  He wants us to rejoice in the blessings.  He wants us to cry out to him in our pains & sorrows. No matter how big or how small the praise or the pain....he wants us to come.  When we develop this response of going to God in our daily life....we learn to trust him....we learn to rest in his arms.  Then...when life becomes "extreme"...we know where to go....we know what to do.  It is a part of our life....who we are, how we process, and the language of our life.  We can be content in knowing our God...in the good times & the bad times. 

December 20, 2018

Clay Project: 4th Grade

II tried something different with my 4th grade clay project this year.  I left it very open ended.  I gave them a lid to work on (which gave them a basic size requirement), and asked them to use addition, subtraction, coil, and texture.  This gave them an opportunity to apply the skills we've worked on K-3rd.  I loved seeing the variety in their work. 
They used tempera cakes to paint their clay after it was fired. 






December 16, 2018

Sunday Devotional With Mr.E: Not what I expected...

Artists often have a picture in their mind of what they want to create before they even pick up a paint brush (or whatever media they use). Many will sketch out or create mock-ups of what they wish to make before beginning the final piece.  I've seen so many be able to reproduce their ideas perfectly.  I, however, seem to be unable to actualize my initial vision.  It always morphs & changes.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing.... my final work is just not what I expected.  Maybe my initial vision/sketches aren't strong enough?  Maybe my ideas change because I realize I don't have the skill to carry out my first thought?  Maybe I realize I don't have the right colors, brushes, or supplies after I begin working? Or is it possible...that ideas are meant to change and grow as we live with them and apply them?   Sometimes things not being exactly how you expected is a good thing.  


As Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting their net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."  At once they left their nets and followed him.  Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.  They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets.  Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.  Matthew 4:18-22

I can't imagine that Peter, Andrew, James, and John went to fish that day expecting to switch careers. Fishing was in their blood. It's what they knew how to do. It was very much apart of who they were. However, meeting Jesus change people. It changes minds, attitudes, interests, perspectives, relationships, and sometimes careers. No...they probably did not expect such a change to happen. They probably had a vision for what the rest of their days would look like.  Thank goodness they had open hearts to what God wanted for their lives.   If we are too possessive of these things...we can miss out on God's best for our life.  Even when things seem to be "for" God...we have to make sure that we approach it open handedly.  We have to be able to accept things that are "not what we expected" ...because in the unknown we can see the most growth happen.  It is where belief, trust, faith, and action meet.

Do you need things to be as expected?
Can you use a bit of faith stretching change?

I'd love to hear how God has/is shaking things up..and the results of it!

December 15, 2018

12 yrs ago....

12 years ago I was preparing for one of the most important days of my life.....
...my wedding!  

Decorating the church...making sure all the details were taken care of...greeting the wedding party (as my side was coming from all over)...rehearsal.....rehearsal dinner.....trying to sleep.......there is just so much that goes into the BIG DAY!!  

But what was most important....who my BIG DAY was with! 


I feel very blessed to walk this road with my beautiful wife...with ups & downs...twists & turns...joys and sorrows.  She is THE ONE...each & every day! She encourages me, challenges me.....loves me!! 
If it wasn't for her...you might not even know who I am!! She was the one that encouraged me to get my masters....and that is where I was challenged to start this blog. I know God's hand was in it...and is still in it!!  I do not consider myself "lucky"....I consider myself blessed.  

12 yrs ago I was busy with details of getting ready for a wedding.....
not knowing the amazing journey that was in front of me! 



December 13, 2018

More Abstract Expressionism: 3rd & 4th Grade

Three weeks ago I posted about the abstract expressionism pictures my 3rd graders were creating.  My 4th graders loved the examples on the board so much...they asked if they could do the project as well.  Since I wanted to give them a chance using our new tempera cakes....I agreed.  I LOVE WHAT THEY ARE CREATING!!  We looked at many examples of abstract expressionism....from many different artists.  I feel the variety is wonderful!  I left the images larger so you can see them better. I hope you enjoy them!!