Art Ed Blogger's Network: Artists that Inspire!

GREETINGS ALL YOU BLOGTASTIC READERS!!!  

If you are a follower of art ed blogs, you may have noticed a group of us posting today under the header of ART ED BLOGGER'S NETWORK!!  This is collection of amazing bloggers(how did I get in the mix?!?!) will surely inform, encourage, and inspire you!  At the bottom of the post you'll see links to those participating....CHECK THEM OUT!  

This month's topic for the group is ARTISTS THAT INSPIRE!

Wow...what a topic?!?!!?  I have to admit..I've struggled with this because there are so many I love,  for such diverse reasons. I'm going to go with a less main stream one for the sake of sharing someone you might not have heard, but may want to learn more about. 

 (Matisse & Van Gogh will always be my classic favs (color, pattern, and texture!!!)  

Oscar Bluemner

(1867-1938)

HERE ARE SOME FACTS FOR YOU

Oscar Bluemner was a German born artist that began his career in architecture & design. He moved to the United States in 1892.  He spent the next 20 yrs focused on architecture, but eventually moved into painting. However, his work was still heavily influenced by his architecture & design background.  He was fascinated with color theory & how it impacted both emotionally and psychologically. Though he did achieve some success & notoriety....he was a difficult person & did not "fit" into the mainstream art world of the time.  

LINKS TO LOOK UP LATER

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Florianus_Bluemner

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/bluemner_oscar.html

https://www.artsy.net/artist/oscar-bluemner

HOW I USE OSCAR BLUEMNER IN MY ART ROOM

Artists that inspire do us no good if they aren't a spring board for our students to explore their own artistic pursuits.  Blunderer's work is an amazing jumping off point for LANDSCAPES/CITYSCAPES with their strong emphasis on layering & depth.  His work does not add a lot of detail or fussy elements allowing the young artist to concentration on the major elements of their work.  This also lends itself to transforming amazing drawings into dynamic paintings(I think tempera at the elementary level is perfect!).  If you are working with BIG IDEAS/ENDURING THEMES....it would be easy to add Bluemner's work into a unit on Place/Community.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED LEARNING A BIT MORE ABOUT MY ARTIST THAT INSPIRES!!!

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE OTHERS IN THE ART ED BLOGGER'S NETWORK! I'M SURE YOU'LL FIND OTHER GEMS YOU'LL WANT TO ADD TO YOUR LIST OF ARTISTS FOR YOU  & YOUR CLASSROOM!

WHO ARE ARTISTS THAT INSPIRE YOU?

This post is a part of The Art Ed Blogger's Network: Monthly Tips and Inspiration from Art Teacher Blogs. On the first Tuesday each month, each of these art teacher blogs will post their best ideas on the same topic.

Participating Art Teacher Blogs:

• Art Class Curator - Artists That Inspire
• Art Ed Guru
• Art is Basic
• Art Room Blog
• Art with Mr. E
• Artful Artsy Amy
• Capitol of Creativity
• Create Art with ME
• MiniMatisse
• Mr. Calvert's Art Room Happenings
• Mrs. Boudreaux's Amazing Art Room
• Mrs. T's Art Room
• Party in the Art Room
• shine brite zamorano
• Tales from the Traveling Art Teacher
• There's a Dragon in my Art Room

Clay Cottages

Channeling my inner Thomas Kinkade (GASP)...my fourth graders created clay cottage facades.  They love the projects, but the results can be real hit & miss.  By 4th grade...I have only a few handfuls of students that have been with me since Kindergarten(out of 100 students in 4th).  Some of them have never touched clay before.  That makes for an interesting class.    I thought this group did very well over all...other than them being small.  

Reduce, Reuse, Re IMAGINE!: 4th Grade

4th Grade's Saint Basil's Cathedral inspired pictures looked WONDERFUL displayed together.  It is interesting because when I was going through and trimming/mounting them...I wasn't as impressed.  

They used construction paper, scrap book paper scraps, magazines, and this strange silver stuff for the creation of the onion domes & towers. 

More Clay Facades: 4th Grade

As I was grading...I came across some fun paint jobs on the clay facades.  I'm thinking I'll reinvent this project next year....just not thrilled with the majority of them(the ones pictured I do like).    

Inspired by Starbucks

While in Fort Worth...my wife and I were at Starbucks, I noticed their interesting display of buildings on the wall.  They were done on what seemed to be collaged backgrounds.  I like the simple lines and grouping.  I was thinking that could make a fun spring/unspring project.  We all go toward flowers and such when spring time rolls around.  I like flowers...but sometimes you just want to change it up!!!!  (my goal is no Georgia O lessons this spring!)  I thought it would be fun to have student try different watercolor techniques for the background.  This would represent the rainy nature of spring.  Then do a simple line drawing...followed by outlining with black tempera.  The images are my test/samples. 

 I think the kids work would be more fun than mine!! ha ha

Finished Clay Facades: 4th Grade

Paint did bring some of the clay facades to life.  

Experimenting With New Projects: Teacher Examples

I love to try out new ideas...new projects!  I get bored doing the same ol' same ol' !!!!  Having student teachers allows me the chance to experiment....either because my student teacher is bringing new ideas that I'd like to try, during our time ideas get sparked for new projects or new ways to try old projects, or I see something on blogs/Pinterest that I want to see if they'd work in my room.  Here are my latest experiments in the laboratory of Mr. E!!

This was a Pinterest find.  I used acrylic..and then a tempera varnish over top of it to help the paint from getting scratched off.  I warn you...this project is extremely labor intensive!  If you were working with middle/high school...they could do the cutting, but I do not feel that the earlier elementary ages would do the best at cutting the milk jug down.  We're doing this with 2nd grade...and are excited about the end result.  Hopefully worth all the work. The students started this week...so pictures of their work coming soon.

My third graders are creating collagraphs.  As I was observing my student teacher...I started cutting some of the left over cereal boxes.  I thought..."Wonder what it would be like to paint it black(tempera) & then use oil pastels on top?!?!"  Here is the answer.  I really like the look.  We're going to try it...stay tuned.

Our 4th graders have been working on an architecture unit this nine weeks. We went from 2 point perspective...to the clay facades...and now this.  We used St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow as our inspiration.  This project has many components.  If you venture to try this...give yourself two class times.  (TIP: You'll need to have them start the class with their watercolor sky to allow it time to dry.)

In cutting the milk jugs for the mask project...I've been contemplating what I could use the rest of the jug for?!?!  After cutting the back half off...I threw it down on the table on top of a book I was looking at.  I noticed I could easily see through the milk jug , and thought..."hmm...monoprinting?"  I found a section that was flat and cut that out.  After drawing a Koi in Sharpie...I placed the milk jug on top & used water soluble oil pastels to color it..finishing it off with black to define the shape.  I sprayed the paper with water..and then pressed the milk jug onto the surface.   In the picture...bottom left is drawing in sharpie...top middle is the piece of milk jug with oil pastel ...bottom right is the monoprint.  

(TIP: Wash off the milk jug piece when you are finished & you can use it again and again!)