Happy New Year to all of my readers!! I hope that you can count the many blessings that happened in 2017, and are excited about what can be in 2018. I appreciate each and every person that comes & visits Art With Mr. E....& those of you who comment & connect through this blog and all the Art With Mr. E social media! We are better together, and can accomplish so much in the new year!!
December 31, 2017
Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: Use What Ya Got
Collage is one of my favorite techniques in creating art. There is so much versatility. Pieces of colored paper void of meaning, purpose, and value can become bold, beautiful, and imbued. Images in magazines that normally would be discarded can be repurposed. Even old works of art can be cut up and given knew life. You literally can take pieces of trash and transform it into works of art. Scraps of paper that others might throw away become centerpieces of beauty. It is truly amazing how things can be used in ways that they were not originally intended. The potential is in how the artist sees the material. If they view it as unusable...it is unusable to them. However, if they view it as a means to create something of beauty....they will find a way to utilize it in their work.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
2 Corinthians 1: 3-4
Life can be extremely difficult. We can feel the struggles we have gone through/are gone through do nothing but create hurt, challenges, and destruction. We may feel no good can come from such times. I want to say that I'm sorry if you have been in the midst of one of these seasons in your life. I'm also extremely sorry if people have tried to sugarcoat your pain. So many do not know how to handle difficulties in their own life or the life of their friends. They end up saying things out of this ignorance. I don't believe they are being malicious, but they can cause hurt feelings & confusion as you try to deal with what you're going through. As a believer, please know that God is always with you...even when you feel completely alone/abandoned. He desires to help you through your struggles. He desires to help you through your disappointment. He desires to hold you close when you feel alone/abandoned. He is with you. He also wants you to take these times & what you have learned/are learning and use it to bless others. Yes, even the ugly things we go through can be used for His glory & honor. Some may want to get past that time and never look back again at what caused them pain. Some may not know how they can use those times in their life. God sees them as opportunities for us to reach out and minister to others who might be going through the same things or something similar. The beauty is not in the cause of our struggle, but in the potential God has to use us in new and beautiful ways to reach others with His great & powerful love. The difficulty, struggle, and pain can become part of the beautiful work of our life if we all God to use it.
December 29, 2017
Ugly Dolls Heading Home
I made the kids put their Ugly Dolls/Soft Sculptures together on the last day before they took them home. I'm thrilled with the results this year. I'm already excited about next year....I've ordered a pack of smart fab that contains at least 16 different colors! I think the variety will be amazing. Here are the "family pictures"!!
December 26, 2017
After Christmas Sales At Michael's
You never know what you're going to find at After Christmas Sales!
I went to Michael's & found a few fun finds!!
I would have never bought them at the full price of $25, but at $7.50 a piece...totally worth it! I'm not sure if I'll give them to my kids for gifts....or possibly gifts for birthday parties they are invited. The gift of art is awesome!!!
Now these are less art related, but still AMAZING! I picked up 6 in all of these pencil/eraser sets for next year. They were only $1.50 a set (24 pencils with 24 erasers!) I think they'll make nice gifts for my kids' classes.
What are fun finds you've found?
December 25, 2017
December 24, 2017
Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: Excitement & Anticipation
The birth of new ideas & artistic direction yields amazing excitement & anticipation. Often the artist will have a mental image of what the work will look like in its final state & the space it will be placed even before a pencil is picked up or a paint brush is lifted. This anticipation brings an excitement/energy to the creative process. He/She may try to share their concept/ideas/direction with others, but are often met with looks of confusion or raised eye brows. There are some that "get it", and encourage the artist to pursue the vision they have. There is something about "the new" that refuels the fires of an artist's soul. A new beginning that is guided by the past, but unbound by what has been. Blank pages of a sketch book begin to fill with abstract concepts. Ideas become reality, and move beyond the sketchbook. The artist can barely contain their excitement for their creation. They want to share this excitement, but must continue on in their creating. If they can finish their their work or series of works, then people might understand this "thing" the artist must share. And if they don't, there is the satisfaction in knowing the vision birthed within has come to fruition.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb' and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."
Luke 1: 41-45
Do you have an excitement for your faith? Is there anticipation for what God is going to do in & through your life? Sometimes we can miss the excitement that comes from a life lived by faith. The Lord has given us gifts, talents, purpose, and passion. He has placed us in areas where we have connection and influence. Sometimes we are excited about what God is doing, and want to share it with those around us. We are at times met with looks of confusion, raised eyebrows, patronizing smiles, and other forms of negativity. Sometimes we need that person(s) to encourage us, be our cheerleader, and confirm those things that God has spoken to our heart. Elizabeth was used by God as another layer of confirmation for Mary. Even if she did not have doubt, Elizabeth's words encouraged Mary's heart to carry on in faith of what God had spoken to her. We may feel called to do something(s) that others might not understand/get. However, we must push forward in those things knowing in the end others might finally understand the "WHY", but even if they do not we will know we fulfilled that which the Lord had called us.
December 21, 2017
December 20, 2017
Great Art "Stuff" at Target!
While Christmas shopping the other day at Target...I came across some GREAT arty stuff that would make wonderful gifts for the young (and young at heart) artists in your life.
December 17, 2017
Sunday Devotional With Mr.E: Too Perfect
Have you ever seen art that looks "too perfect". I'm always suspicious of it. There is something about the imperfections of an artist's work that is endearing. It connects you to the work because you see the humanity. Van Gogh & Monet's brush strokes bring images of the artists working on their paintings, stepping back, making changes, smiling at their accomplishment, and then probably making more changes. Most artists I know will admit their struggles. They are very much a part of the artistic process. The struggles are often what leads to amazing breakthroughs, new techniques, and renewed passion.
If anyone thinks they are something when they are not,
they deceive themselves.
they deceive themselves.
Galatians 6:3
So often believers feel they need to have their "stuff" together. They put on masks to appear better than they are. They avoid conversations of depth as not to be found out. "I'm fine." or "Everything is good." is heard too often in response to "How are you?" Why can we not admit we are hurting, struggling, in pain, or in need? The number one thing that non-believers or those who have walked away from the Lord say......"THE CHURCH IS FULL OF HYPOCRITES". One would think that might clue believers in to fact that people are hungry for authenticity. If we were honest that we are struggling, that we aren't perfect, and that we don't always have it all together....how would they respond? Jesus did not come for the "perfect" or the person that "has it all together". He came for the hurting, the sick, the one struggling with their sin, the one in need, the outcast....He came for ALL OF US!!! Our faith needs to connect to a hurting world in a REAL way....they need to see the reality of it in the imperfections of our life. You don't have to be perfect...because you aren't! You just have to be real with who you are and who Jesus is in your life.
How can you start being more "real" and still reflect
the love of Christ to a world in need?
the love of Christ to a world in need?
How can your imperfections reveal the truth of the gospel in your life?
December 15, 2017
Even More Clay Faces: 3rd Grade
Here are the rest of the clay faces I have to share with you! Please check back at my other posts for more information on how this project was done.
December 13, 2017
Takin' a Dip...
Here is a quick video to show you how we handle the "finishing" of the clay faces. Years ago I went to a conference....and a professional clay artist gave us "permission" not to feel bad about not glazing in our elementary art rooms. He said there are other options that are more time & cost effective. The reality that when we do a clay project there will be over a hundred of that project makes glazing a bit daunting. This is just one way we finish our pieces in my art room. The kids love it & it looks great.
December 12, 2017
Sewing with Elementary: Answering Some Questions
Hey friends! There were a handful of questions that several people asked concerning sewing with elementary students. Hopefully this quick video answers your questions! If not...please leave me a comment with your question/concern. I'll try to respond ASAP!
Oh..and if you aren't following me on YouTube..check out my channel & subscribe. I'm going to try to be better about posting more content!!
https://www.youtube.com/user/TnTedDE
More Clay Faces...
I'm loving the clay faces my 3rd graders created. I hope you all don't mind me posting more of them(and I probably will do yet another post of them in a couple days as we finish them all up!!).
For those who didn't see my earlier post.....
My students used construction paper crayons on bisque fired clay. We then dipped them in a bath of water downed black tempera & black acrylic. I don't have a ratio...sorry. I just used a test piece to make sure it wasn't too grey.
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