Fairy Drawings: 1st Grade

I wanted to revisit drawing people (whole body), and work on showing movement(joints/bending).

Since we are in the midst of working on projects for the art show (Secret Garden: Fairies & Gnomes)...I thought they could place wings on their people and turn them into fairies!  

I think these are pretty amazing for 1st graders!!

Art With Mr.E 4th Annual Summer Workshop

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR!!! 

It is time to start thinking about some fun summer art education professional development!!!

This will be our 4th year having the summer workshop here in Nashville area!  It has been so much fun to develop relationships with amazing art educators from all over (Teachers from 6 different counties in Middle TN & 7 states!) & all different grade levels (Pre-K - College)....growing together personally & professionally!  We average 16 teacher each summer, but are willing to take up to 20!  We don't want to get too large so we can really get to know one another!  

What can you expect from an Art With Mr. E Summer Workshop??

  FUN, UNUSUAL & NOT SO UNUSUAL HANDS ON PROJECTS, AMAZING DISCUSSIONS, GUEST SPEAKERS, LESSON IDEAS, AND A FIELD TRIP!!!  

3 DAYS OF AWESOMENESS!

We kick it off the Sunday Night before the workshop with a cookout at the "E" home!!  Then we start each morning with a breakfast table. We have a variety of projects each day that will be able to be modified to take back to your students no matter the age level you work with!  One day we go on a field trip...in the past we have gone to the Frist Museum, toured downtown Nashville to explore the public art, and we've gone to The Parthenon.  In addition to providing snacks daily....Mrs. E will provide lunch on one of the days....and no will be going hungry!!!  

Please e-mail me if you are interested in attending!  We will send you the registration form & information on local hotels!  We have moved locations this year...just 6 or so miles down the road from where we use to meet! We will be in the Mt. Juliet area.

Sunday Devotional With Mr.E: TROMPE L'OEIL

I've always been taken by Trompe L'oeil art.  It draws the viewer into a false sense of reality. Though you know you should not touch the art work...it cries out for you to try.  The artist goes to great lengths to make a two dimensional painting look as if three dimensional elements are emerging from the surface.  This takes an amazing amount of skill, practice, effort, and intelligence.  Being a realistic fake takes a lot of work! 

Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?" Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers!"
Matthew 7:21-23

I have been in & around church my entire life. I've seen amazing men & women serving God with all that they are & all that they have.  They are genuine to their core, and humbly share their victories and struggles of their journey.  I've also seen those that play the part. They are the "hypocrites" so many like to blame for the negative perspectives of faith & the church. Their works are from a selfish/self serving place that is not birthed from a realization and acceptance of God's grace & love.  What they do takes a great deal of effort in order to keep up the appearances. It takes a lot of work to fake!  As believers we are called to live life real/honest. We are called to serve from that place of acceptance. We are called to give from what we have been given.  Not that our lives are perfect & that we don't from time to time...fake it. We have been the hypocrite that have turned others off from things of faith & church. However, those that have come into a personal relationship with the Lord will hopefully right their ways, ask for forgiveness, and make amends.

We can not fake it & expect to have an impact on our world! 

Two Points in Time: 2nd Grade

My students are working on self portraits showing two points in time.   Their work was suppose to show the feeling of struggling with something at point A & then when they grew in confidence and skill in point B.  They were encourage to consider unreal colors when creating their work that might emphasize the emotions they were experiencing in the two points in time.  Most did not apply this in the work, but still came up with strong results!  I'm really proud of their work on this project!! 

Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: To Trust

Over time we come to trust our training & experience.  We come to trust our favorite supplies & materials.  We even come to trust a select few to speak truth to us concerning our work.  However, that trust does not always occur easily. These things come to be when tested & found to be trustworthy.  I think we naturally question things.  It is hard to trust.  When it comes to our art....it is more than "just art".  It is a part of us, our experiences, our emotions, our thoughts, and our views of the world.  It is hard to trust others when we are sharing something we love & care about, and honestly feel is a part of us.  We want control. However, control can begin to stifle us. It keeps us from being free to take risks.  If we do not extend ourselves & trust.....we will never see the rewards of our efforts and the growth that comes when we step out in faith.

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb.  It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.  "Take away the stone," he said.  "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."  Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"

John 11:38-40

I've said it before, "I AM A MARTHA!!"  When Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening, learning, and adoring....Martha was too busy making sure everything was perfect, and she missed out on what was best.  Now we see her once again missing out on what Jesus was about to do.  She over thought everything. She forgot the importance of trusting.  I understand her struggle.  She was focused on her loss.  She was grieving her brother's death.  Plus, she had her plans on how things were suppose to happen, and they did not turn out how she thought the should/would.  Jesus was suppose to come before her brother died. If he would have come when SHE sent for him..everything would have worked out perfectly as she planned.  This thing that Jesus was going to do didn't make sense.  It didn't fit into her plan.  He reminded her though of what he had told her before..."Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?".

Trust sometimes takes reassurance.  If you struggle in trusting God with things in your life, THAT IS OK!!! He is not surprised by this.  He knows your struggles.  He knows your heart.  Be honest with where you are & share that with Him. Being able to lay out your fears, worries, and troubles will allow you to start trusting him with your life in deeper/authentic ways.  You can see example after example in the Bible of people who wrestled with this very thing....trusting God (Moses, Noah...etc).  You are in GREAT company.   Just remember that if you believe.....you will see the glory of God!

3 in 1

The other day I posted about getting more bang for your buck in regards to using color diffusers for multiple projects at the same time.  Here are the results of the 3 in 1 diffuser project.  The students LOVED doing it because they were so excited by what the diffuser did & how it looked!!  We used pencils & construction paper crayons to add detail & create the monsters on the actual diffuser.  So many more possibilities....I'm thinking of a possible Dot Day project for next school year.

What Do You Do When You Get Lice?!?

Are you scratching your head right now??  

I AM!!! ha ha

An art teacher friend of mine emailed me asking for help on how to deal with lice.  I've never had lice before, but am pretty handy dandy with "the google".  It made me think though....lice is a reality of teaching & schools.  Would I know how to handle a case of lice if I got it? (I'm sure my wife would kick me out of the house till I was 100% sure I was free of it!!! ha ha)  There are over the counter treatments you can pick up at your local drug store (and probably grocery stores as well).  There are shampoos & leave in conditioners/sprays that are suppose to help prevent it(rosemary & tea tree oil seems to keep the little buggers away).  In my research...I learned that they do not jump or fly (I had always heard they jumped?!?!).  It is from contact.  This also lets you know where you might need to treat (pillows, heardrests, hats, scarves, combs, brushes..etc).  They say they can not live without a host (body snatchers anyone??) for 24 hrs.  However...I'd not leave it to chance....vacuum EVERYTHING....whatever you can fit in the drier...DO!!!!  Most of all...make sure you take care of the source....YOUR HEAD!!!!  Treat & retreat if you need to.  Get others to check out your scalp to make sure there are no eggs left.  If you don't...they'll be back!!  

HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT LICE & HOW TO TREAT IT!  HOPE THIS HELPS!!!!!!   

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/lice-treatment#1

https://www.healthline.com/health/lice-home-remedies 

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/articles-and-answers/healthy-children/head-lice-treatment-guide

https://headlicecenter.com/head-lice-vinegar/

https://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20641598,00.html

Fairy Poofs! : Kindergarten

My kindergarten classes have been creating "Fairy Poofs" the past week!  What is a Fairy Poof you might be wondering?!?  Well, it is a make believe creature that is a cross between a dust bunny & a fairy. They are still young artists getting a handle on their cutting & gluing skills....and the Fairy Poof allowed for great success because it was more open ended about the final "look".  

MTSU Department of Art & Design Spring Open House

Saturday I was invited to participate in the MTSU Department of Art & Design Spring Open House. ( This is a university in Middle TN that I receive most of my student teachers & practicum students from.  They have a WONDERFUL art education program!!! ) They opened up their doors to the community to come in and learn about the department as well as provided hands on experiences.  IT WAS AMAZING!!!  They did such a good job of providing fun actives, valuable information, and a warm welcoming environment.  I loved seeing families, current students, art educators from the Middle TN area all exploring, learning, and participating together!  The volunteers/professors/staff seemed to be enjoying the experience as well! 

GREAT JOB MTSU DEPARTMENT OF ART & DESIGN!!!!!!

I probably talked the ear off of the professor that was running this demo!! ha ha  She was amazing & so knowledgeable.  I probably could have spent the whole day in there!!

This was vinyl press in the Graphic Design department! I was able to get a cute canvas bag made with the Art & Design Department logo!

I visited the encaustics demo & found a couple of my fellow MNPS teachers hard at work!! I had just taken encaustics at our fall conference....
& it was busy in there.....so I let others take my spot.

This was student work hanging in the hall that I just loved!

 The art world's future looks bright!!

This was a hands on sand casting session.  I had never done sand casting before...it was so much fun!  I also was able to spend time with some of my Middle TN buddies!! What do you think of my octopus?!?! I love him!! He is going to be hanging out on my desk.