Twas the Night Before VBS...and All Through the Church!!!!!

Tomorrow is the big day...kick off of VBS 2013!!  

I'm so proud of my wife...taking over the children's ministry at our church was a huge responsibility!!! 

VBS is kind of like the Super Bowl of her role!  

We are expecting 300+ kids! (which is huge since we only have 250 members  at our church!!!)

I'm also in charge of the crafts...so I'll be posting some of those images during the week!  

Doing crafts is NOTHING like being an art teacher!!!! More on that later.  

The popcorn box is on loan from my PTO prez 's!  She goes to a church that was doing the same theme...and allowed me to use her amazing prop!!!!!  (we're going to use it for our fall festival at school too!! might as well get some miles out of it!)

Here are some of the works created at our family art night!! 

HOW FUN!!

The one with her mouth open is my wife! :)  hee hee

With God, Cardboard, & Duct Tape....

With God, Cardboard, & Duct Tape...I CAN DO ALL THINGS!!! ha ha ha

I can make things look pretty, but when it comes to anything beyond that...you might need to call someone else?!?!  HOWEVER...I made the trees stand up! :) ha ha  I used cardboard & duct tape...and it worked.  I had created a more complicated version with foam, but that would have taken forever to do!!

Now I'm just praying they don't fall over during VBS!! ha ha

The Art of Fatherhood

Me & My Babies!

***************************************
Fatherhood is like art.....

You might get messy along the way, but you will have something beautiful & meaningful in the end.

Fatherhood is like abstract art...
Knowing the rules...but making the choice to break them!(Why dads are more fun than moms!!)

Fatherhood is like surrealism...
Looking at a mini-you looking back at you...and wondering if you can raise yourself?!?
(Yep..sounds like a Dali!)

Fatherhood is like folk art...
No training..make it up as you go & use whatever you have on hand!!!!

Fatherhood is like watercolor painting...
You can't erase the mistakes, but happy accidents along the way bring about amazing character.

Fatherhood is like cave art...
A little rough/crude...but you get the job done the best way you know how!!!

Fatherhood is like dadaism...
Repurposing  items not thought of by mama! (plastic bags make great shoes in a pinch!)

Fatherhood is like fauvism...
Sometimes the loudest one gets the attention!!!(usually the crying child...though I've tried!)

Fatherhood is like expressionism...
Nothing messes with your emotions & makes you seek out the spiritual like
 sleepless nights of a crying babies!!!

Fatherhood is like a good canvas...
Sometimes you have to be stretched beyond what you think is possible before
your full potential can be reached!

Fatherhood is like good art...
It reflects the point of view of the Father/Artist!


HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More VBS Sets

We needed something else for the entrance of our church.  I thought we're going to put up the LifeWay backdrop with the coaster front for pictures(remember the crazy picture of my wife and kids! ha ha).  However, there is a column there that would be in the way of group shots.....sooooo I decided to use one of our extra 4ft x 8ft canvas panels to create this!  Yes, Colossal Coaster World people...I know....it is Facing Fear...Trusting God.  SORRY!!!  I added a bit more after this picture was taken, but you get the idea!  

TAEA AWARD NOMINATIONS

ALL MY TN PEEPS!!!!!!

If you are a member of TAEA...please nominate a deserving TAEA member. 

There are different awards...so read through & find the one you feel best fits your art ed hero!!!

A couple years ago I was named Elementary Art Teacher of the Year...and it really meant so much to me!!!!

Go to the TAEA website and

 nominate someone today!!!

http://www.artedtn.org/

PLEASE VOTE!! ONE DEGREE AWAY PLEASE VOTE!!

VOTE FOR GREG KIRBY

This is a friend of my wife...and he & his family are making a difference in a challenging community here in Nashville!!!!  If you could...please take a moment...watch the video... and vote for him.
You can make a difference with your vote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Here are the details of the contest:

You have the power to determine the winner of a FULL SCHOLARSHIP in the DEGREES OF DIFFERENCE Video Contest. Vote for the video you feel best exemplifies how a finalist plans to make a difference in their organization, community or the world with a graduate business degree from Lipscomb University.  Then, get your friends, family and colleagues to vote, too.

Voting ends at 11:59 PM on JUNE 20, 2013.

Vote once a day for your favorite video, and help change someone’s life forever!

VOTE FOR GREG KIRBY

http://www.lipscomb.edu/gsb/GSB-Voting

THANK YOU 

-Mr. E

VBS SET ALMOST DONE!

CLOSER & CLOSER TO BEING FINISHED!!!  

I've had some great help & have been able to go in several hours on my own and work.  

I love these trees...wanna figure out other ways to use them(in my classroom maybe

VBS PREP FAMILY ART NIGHT

So for outside the snack area at VBS..we decided we'd decorate with family/kid made projects.

It was a lot of prep...A LOT OF PREP!  When doing something like this...you don't know how many will actually show, the variety of ages(though we set it at 4 +), how many parents will stay with their children....etc!  It isn't like our regular classroom where we are kind of controlling a majority of the factors.  So...making next to fool proof projects is a challenge..and as I said...a lot of prep.

PICTURES FROM THE ART NIGHT

A mother/daughter team having a great time painting!!!

My wife (our children's ministry coordinator) working on some cotton candy!

IF YOU ARE GOING TO PIN ANYTHING ON YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS...CAN YOU PIN THE FIRST PICTURE OF MY WIFE SMILING...IT WOULD MAKE ME LAUGH IF YA WOULD! 

Mr. Greg got more into it than I thought!!!!

Watercolor w/ Salt for Icee cups

Popcorn Station

Some of the kids that were left at the end!

Drying Table

Last Post of 4th Grade Weaving Project

http://artwithmre.blogspot.com/search/label/Weaving

Lest You Think I'm Laying Around Eating Bonbons!

So pretty much right after I left school...I started my summer gig!  Working for my wife getting VBS ready.  She heads the children's ministry at our church.  We're exciting around 400 kids at our VBS at the end of this month!!!! The person who was suppose to be doing the "set design" was unable to do it, so I found out a few weeks ago I had now be given "privilege" to do this task(on top of getting all the crafts ready!!).  

This is the progress so far!

I HAVE HELP!  

Beth is a special needs teacher...so it is fun to paint & talk shop!

I'm learning the joy of painter's tape!!! ha ha  

DON'T FORGET THE AOE CONFERENCE!!!!!

HAVE YOU ASKED YOUR SELF ONE OR MORE OF THESE QUESTIONS?

• Why aren’t all conference presentations high quality, engaging, and relevant to me?
• Why should Art Teachers have to spend hundreds of dollars on travel, lodging, dining, for every conference they attend?
• Why do Art Teachers have to regularly skip professional experiences simply because they have young children at home, or unavoidable family or community obligations?
• Why, as empowered education professionals, do we have to waste time going to presentations that aren’t relevant to us?
• Why should art teachers settle for just one local or national PD opportutnity each year? Why can’t multiple opportunities be easily accessible to everyone?

SIGN UP TODAY!!!  

http://www.theartofed.com/aoeconference/