SchoolArts Magazine: February Edition

(This is January's Edition Cover)

So I just found out that my article "Blogs to Bottle Caps"(at least that is the title I sent)will appear in February's Edition of SchoolArts Magazine!  I'm so excited!!!!! They told me at first it would appear in the next 24 months.  I was really surprised when I got the e-mail that it would be so soon.  I'm more than happy to sign autographs!(HA HA HA...I'M KIDDING!!!)

SKETCH BOOK CHALLENGE : NASHVILLE ART GANG

Sometimes you need a challenge to get you to do what you should already be doing. As art teachers(and former art teachers) it is easy to become bogged down in the day today & forget our inner artist. This blog is to encourage the inner artist of the Nashville Art Gang! 

http://theartgangcollection.blogspot.com/

Who is the Nashville Art Gang?

We started "The Gang" back in 1997 when Nashville,TN hired 80+ art teachers to fill the elementary schools. The gang was born out of a bus ride, Sour Patch Kids, & talk of Veggie Tales. Some have left teaching art, some new faces were added...but we are forever The Art Gang.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Ho Ho Ho!!!!!

So here is a project several years in the making! The bird house gourd was planted by my mother-in-law in the backyard of my old house when she came over to help take care of my wife(she had the flu or something?) while I was at work. The plant took over the back of my garage and started going into my neighbor's yard.  We were not really fans of this plant to say the least!!  Out of this horrible plant came only two good gourds.  I decided that my mother-in-law needed to have them both!  The first one came out super cute...covered in sunflowers with a cat's open mouth for the hole(made to look like her kitty).  For some reason...the Santa was trippin' me up.  She collects Santa's..so that is why I wanted to do one for her...but the neck/head/hat area was challenging to make work.  So after becoming frustrated with Mr. Claus...I put him away for a couple years.  For some reason..I decided to pull him back out this year & have another go at it(another Christmas Break project!!)  This time I felt the results were acceptable. I know she'll like it...and probably be a bit surprised that all these years later that plant is still providing her with gifts!! ha ha  Hopefully that won't encourage her to plant one of those darn things at our new place!!!!!! HA!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!  

From the Edinger Family to Yours!!!!

?!?!?!?500?!?!?!?!

Today I officially hit 500 followers!  

THANK YOU TO ALL MY READERS

Just last year I was hoping to hit 100 followers by Christmas, and now  

to be at 500 seems unreal!  I know Pinterest has played a large part in 

getting Art With Mr. E out there!!
 I appreciate you all for stopping by for a visit &

all the amazing interaction/conversations/comments/e-mails that have 

happened through this blog!  Keep it up!!! We all grow when we 

share life together!!

Artfully Yours,

Mr. E

The Day _____ Came To Life : 4th Grade

I was in the midst of grading & forgot to take pictures of this project.  I only managed to snap these two.  It was a lot of fun..the students enjoyed creating narrative pictures using real/unreal objects & situations.  

Random Snowmen Doing Un-Snowmen Things!

Bottle Cap Snowman Complete!

Finally...the bottle cap snowman is complete!!!!  This 5 ft tall papermache based bit of wonderfulness was created by using tacky glue to adhere the white/clear caps to the paper structure(that was done by students as they finished their work..or before/after school.  All colored caps I hot glued on...on top of the white/clear caps.  The stick arms were provided by mother nature:) ha ha  

Completed Circle Weavings : 3rd Grade

Here are some of the completed circle weavings.  For those of you wondering about the loom...I buy the "craft circles" that are in Sax/School Specialty, Dick Blick..etc.  They have one side cardboard & the other white.  The white surface is great for using markers on(though the kids still need to "deal" with the ridges created by the cardboard)   

Ugly Sweater/Vest/Tie Day At TGE!

I don't wear ties.  I don't believe fat people(me being a fat person) should tuck their shirt in.....but a tie with an untucked shirt just isn't right(normally).  Soooooo...I don't wear ties.  However, I could not be a fun hater on Ugly Sweater/Vest/Tie Day!!!!  When I got to school today I broke out the felt, beads, crayons,and hot glue.  In less then an hour...this beauty was around my neck!  It is good to ooze creativity & be able to pull something this grand off! :) HA 

OH...ALMOST FORGOT TO AWESOME COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS!

"MR. E...THAT TIE IS SO YOU!" (not sure how to take that?)

STUDENT:  "MR. E..WHY ARE THERE CRAYONS ON YOUR TIE?"

MR. E:  "SO I CAN COLOR WITH MY BELLY(SHAKING MY BELLY AROUND)"

Snowpeople Lookin' Here, There, & Everywhere!

 I don't recall where I saw this lesson, but I thought it was a fun idea!  I had my 3rd graders make snowmen from three different points of view: Front, Profile, and 3/4 Turn.  I didn't get pictures of a couple classes..which I'm sad about.  It is so funny to see some of the personalities of their snowpeople.  The one that is one up from the bottom on the right..with the red & green hat looks like an old cranky man to me! They used oil pastels to color..but construction paper crayons could have worked as well.  

Pinterest Project : TP Roll Snowflakes

Yes, I know they kind of look like flowers, but use your imagination people!  

We used paper towel & tp roll tubes, rulers, pencils, scissors, glue, & glitter.  

Cut the tubes in 1 inch sections...you'll need 6 of them to make each "snowflake".  One of the key things is to not use too much glue in attaching the sections together.  I glue & stack all six pieces together...holding for a minute or so before opening it up.  Then glue the end pieces together to complete the building of the piece.  Then have a plate of glue and dip it from there...into a plate of glitter.  Rinse and Repeat! :) HA!

I had my 4th graders do this..but it could easily be done by 2nd or 3rd as well.