January 31, 2021

Sunday Devotional With Mr.E: Am I Missing Something?


Have you ever taken something/someone for granted?  You get use to it/them.  They no longer seem special, just "the norm".   A new restaurant, romance, music, friend...at first you talk about them to everyone you know (and some you might not know). Then you mention it every once & awhile.  Soon people are having to ask you...."Hey, what was that restaurant you went on & on about?"  "How is your relationship going?"  "Are you still enjoying working out?"  


 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.  Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.  For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.  Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

Psalm 96: 1- 6

When I first saw Christo's work,  I thought it was.....interesting.  The grand scale was enough to cause awe/wonder, but I still wondered WHY? Am I missing something?  However, as I asked the question "WHY?" about Christo's work....I realized something.  I was noticing something I might have overlooked otherwise.  Somehow the art brought attention to what had been right in front of me all along.  Though I appreciate his work....it made me appreciate "HIS" work even more!  Christo's art brings back the awe & wonder to what had been there all along.  

Too often I find myself use to the goodness of God.  I take for granted His gift of love, grace & life.   I forget the blessing I have in His Word! There are so many out there asking..."Am I missing something?"  I want to point people to the Lord.  I want to put a spot light on His awesomeness.  I want to bring Him honor...and glory.  He is great and worthy to be praised!  May I never become so use to His creation...His grace...His presence in my life that I "forget" or "forgo" giving Him the praise!

January 29, 2021

#HEARTADAY2021 STARTS MONDAY!!

Any medium. Any style.  Any theme (or no theme at all). 
Just make a heart & post it on social media with #heartaday2021.
Invite students, faculty, friends, and family to join in the fun! 


 

January 25, 2021

Primary & Secondary Colors: Kindergarten

We are still virtual, and supposed to be teaching color. My students do not have access to many supplies. So I did these two drawing lessons with my kindergarten students to teach primary & secondary colors. The books are great, and I feel they know what the colors are now. Well paint when we can return to face to face!! 

In the story Hide Clyde, a Clyde is unable to change colors like his family until he is in a situation where there are crazy colors and patterns all around him (and he is in trouble!).  I had the students use the primary colors for a patterned background, and then they used the same colors on Clyde so he was "hiding". They could also make a bug on his tongue that used different colors if they wanted.  We are studying color this 9 weeks in kindergarten, and are looking at our color wheel, discussing color families, and such.   You could use this lesson for any color concept that you wanted, or as a way to teach/reinforce patterns.  

The dust bunnies can also be taken in whatever direction you wanted in regards to color (warm/cool, primary/secondary, analogous , complementary).  The students have a lot of fun making funny faces on their dust bunnies & you can sneak some color concepts into your lesson! 

January 24, 2021

Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: Sharpen

 Scissors, box cutters, paper cutters, X-Acto Knives, rotary cutters...art people are all about the sharp things!  They are essential for creating so many works of art.  However, they often are a "supporting" player.  They get used, abused, and aren't considered until they no longer do (or do well) what they were designed to do.  I've had blades dull, rust, develop build up, bend, and break.  I'll get so frustrated when "they" ruin paper, destroy a mat, or hack a piece of fabric to bits. However, was it really the cutting tool's fault for the issue?  Not at all.  If I clean, sharpen, store properly, and replace when necessary, there won't be an issue.  I have to take responsibility, and look out for my tools.  If I don't take care of them...they will not be able to take care of the jobs I have for them.


Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Lone-Ranger Christian".  They think they can do things on their own.  They may be operating in their gifts, doing an amazing job, and fulfilling a real need. They look like they have it all together.  However, we were not designed to do this life alone.  More than likely, the Lone-Ranger Christian will burn out, become bitter, or fall into a sin pattern that will cause them to be ineffective in ministry & will distance them in their fellowship with the Lord.  We were designed to sharpen one another.  What does that mean?  You have to live life with other believers that will encourage you, challenge you, and hold you accountable for things you do & say.  You need to have people in your life that know you so well, they can see it in your face before you ever say a word.  Sometimes those types of relationships can be uncomfortable.  I think many of us like to hide our ugly.  We would rather people see the person we'd like to portray to the world...and not the real person who is struggling, tired, and doesn't have it all together.  The thing is...if we live life alone, we won't be able to fulfill the job we were designed to do.  A dull pair of scissors still looks like it can get the job done, but when you try to use them....you find out that they can not.  We need to sharpen one another so that we will be able to fulfill the purpose God has for us!

If you aren't sure about this whole "sharpening" one another thing & 
feel you are better with just you & Jesus..
CONSIDER THIS!!!

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4

Maybe you need sharpened...maybe you need to sharpen others?? 
Either way...God has designed us to live life together.  

January 23, 2021

Crafter's Square: Tempera Watercolors?!?

What is this stuff?!?! While at Dollar Tree I found this package of Tempera Watercolors. I had never heard of such a thing...so I had to try it. What's the worst that could happen...it was only a dollar!
Tested out Crafter's Square Tempera Watercolors?!?! Used my phone taped to a ladder ...sorry for the video quality. 
 

January 18, 2021

Line Design Complementary Colors

The students are really enjoying creating these works.  I will say..at first they were kind of intimidated when it came to creating the background. Once they got into it though...they LOVED it.  
Great for those of you teaching virtually! 

January 17, 2021

Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: Affected

Have you ever used a marker, crayon, or oil pastels and had an unexpected color/mark appear?  These materials can often "pick up" color from use, misuse, and abuse. I always warn my student not to color marker over top of marker.  This can cause a transfer of color onto the tip of the marker that may have unappealing results for whoever uses that color next.  Crayons and oil pastels can easily pick up the "crumbs" of other colors while in use or storage. Just being together in a box is enough to cause a transfer of colors on to each other. If you are not careful, these seemingly harmless acts can affect a work of art.  


Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:30

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 1 Corinthians 15:33


I have a very diverse group of friends & people that I associate.  I feel that just because I'm a Christian does not mean I must only spend time with other people that believe the same way I do.  How boring would that be?!?!  Plus, I feel that we must get outside of the church walls if we want to have an impact on the world around us.  Jesus made a point of spend time with those the "religious" people would not consider.  However, we must be very careful not to place ourselves in situations or with individuals that will have a negative impact on us. I would not place myself somewhere that I felt would cause me to struggle or would influence my ideas & attitudes in a negative way.  Many people will say, "But it is my ministry!"  The Lord would not place you in a ministry that would corrupt you & your character!  We must take responsibility....knowing ourselves, the people, & the situation well enough to know if we need to be in the midst of it.  Because if we are not careful...we will be affected by the influence.  So often people just assume they are unaffected by the company they keep, the places they spend their time, the music they listen to, the websites they visit, the things they read, or the things they listen to on radio, podcasts, or television.  Like the transfer of color that can happen so easily...we pick up things when we are unaware.  We must protect ourselves & those that look to us for guidance by making wise choices in all we do.  

January 15, 2021

Analogous Color Blending

Here is a fun lesson (great for virtual teaching!) to work on color blending using analogous colors.  I used the idea of "feathers", but this would also be great in the fall using leaves.  No matter the form it takes...focus on using analogous colors in order to create beautiful color blends.

January 14, 2021

Drawing An Animal & Habitat

Students have a lot of choice when it comes to selecting an animal & it's habitat!  This is a great time to bring in some of the science standards, and possibly writing standards.  They can write about their animal and where it lives.  


 

January 13, 2021

Op Art Fun (w/ Video)!

 My 3rd & 4th grade students love creating op art!!  This is a great entry level op art project where students can experience a ton of success! It is a great lesson for those teaching online! 



January 12, 2021

January 10, 2021

Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: INFLUENCED

 As artists, we are influenced by a multitude of external sources.  We may take from our family, community, affiliations, education, interests, emotions, attitudes, entertainment, travels, or even other artists/artwork.  Not that we simply regurgitate those influences, but more so synthesize the information gathered through our own internal processes to produce works of art.  Often influences manifest themselves in style, content, and/or meaning.  

Van Gogh's fascination with Japanese art is extremely evident in many of his paintings.  Carmen Lomas Garza's work centers on her own family, community, and culture.  We see examples across time & place of movements in art, geographical proximity, and cultural changes impacting multiple artists in similar fashions.  As much as we would like to think of ourselves as completely unique/original, we are impacted by our life & experiences.


Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.
Proverbs 13:20

You were running a good race.  Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?  That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.  "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough."   
Galatians 5:7-9

Influence is an extremely important concept in our journey of faith.  Both... WHO (OR WHAT) IS INFLUENCING US? & WHO ARE WE INFLUENCING?  These questions can often be glazed over because the answers are challenging to what we've become comfortable with in our lives.  Things we watch, things we read, things we listen to, people we spend time with, and places we frequent can influence us negatively or positively.  We must take a hard look at what we are allowing to impact our hearts & minds.  Though we may say, "IT DOESN'T IMPACT ME....I'M STRONGER THAN THAT!".....scripture warns us that "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." (Galatians 5:9) The negative influences in our life can quickly impact us though we might not see it in the beginning.  It seeps in and slowly starts to take hold of us.  In Proverbs we are encouraged to keep good company..."Walk with the wise and become wise."  Those we choose to surround ourselves with can & will impact us!  Also, we need to see that we are placing ourselves in situations where we can influence others.  Sometimes it is as simple as a smile.  Sometimes it is deep conversations about God & what He means to you as a believer.  We have the ability to positively influence our family, friends, co-works, and total strangers!  Are we seeing those opportunities?  Or are we shying away from the responsibility that God has given us.  

January 06, 2021

Crayola creatED Writing Art-Inspired Stories Pre-K-2nd

 As a  "THANK YOU" for participating in a recent Webinar with Crayola, they sent me several products to try out.  I received their Crayola creatED series!  I have three children (ages 6, 9, and 11) are the target ages to try out these boxes by Crayola.  For our first project I had them work together using the lesson found in the pre-K - 2nd box. 


The hardest part of this lesson was having my kids agree on a theme for their story! ha ha  Unicorns, Llamas, and Godzilla would have made for a very interesting adventure, but they finally agreed on creating a story about our cat, Ali.  They talked about different ideas of what she could do in their story, and decided to have her home alone and getting into trouble.  
(Bonus points if you can tell me the segment of the story that was originally Godzilla! ha ha)








THE END

ps...I do like the boxes!  They have the product and easy to follow lesson plans.  The lessons are connected with the national art standards and pull in cross curricular elements. They have Writing, Math, and STEAM.  The price point (last time I looked) was $19.95.  If you are home schooling, a parent dealing the teaching your child at home during the pandemic, or just wanting a fun arty activity to do for family time....I think they are great!  

January 04, 2021

Puzzles of Color

Over the pandemic puzzles have become a must have!  I saw a segment on CBS about Puzzles of Color.  It is an African American owned company (brother & sister team), and they create puzzles using the art of African American artists! The images are stunning. 
If you enjoy puzzles...please check them out! 

January 03, 2021

Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: Change

Are you in an artistic rut? Are you bored or frustrated with yourself for doing the same thing over and over?  Maybe you are comfortable with a medium, set of colors, style, or subject matter.  Sometimes when we become comfortable we fear trying new things because we don't want to become uncomfortable.  We fear not being successful.  We fear being misunderstood.  We fear the struggle.  We fear starting over.  These fears may be very real, but we should not let them keep us in the rut we find ourselves.  Change is a natural part of the artistic journey.  Picasso didn't pop out the Picasso you might think of artistically.  In fact, the work you might closely associate with Picasso...I may not.   He grew, developed...CHANGED!  He wasn't afraid to try new things.  Because of this, his body of work is prolific, interesting, and diverse.  If he would have been unwilling to change, I doubt we would think of his impact on the art world the same way.  

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.  Isaiah 43: 18-19

Change has never been easy.  We see here in Isaiah a reminder to God's people that they need to leave behind the things of the past. The writer is reminding them that God is "doing a new thing!"  Do you ever find yourself clinging to the past?      I COULD NEVER DO THAT. I'VE NEVER DONE THAT. I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH. SOMEONE ELSE WOULD DO BETTER THAN I COULD.  I'VE TRIED AND DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB.  We look to our past/past experiences/lack there of experiences to move forward....or not.  God is calling you out of what was into what is in Him.  Our life of faith is all about change.  We don't need to fear being uncomfortable, unsuccessful, misunderstood, or the struggle.  God is with us as we face change.  He desires us to trust Him.  What change(s) are you having trouble trusting God with in your life?  

January 01, 2021

Faber Castell Watercolor Gel Sticks

This product is so interesting!! Have you all tried it before? It is similar to watercolor crayons, but has its own characteristics. Check out my product review & let me know what you think of it! 

Faber-Castell Watercolor Gel Sticks