Rizzi Collage: 3rd Grade

My students loved the work of James Rizzi! 

(Be careful about what images you select to share!!!)

We created our pictures in collage, but I know people that have done them as drawings, paint, and even clay!  It really can be a fun and versatile inspiration piece

I love the variety of their work.  

ART WITH MR. E CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP

Just a reminder that my summer conference/workshop is going to be June 20-22 here in Nashville,TN!  If you'd like to attend...please contact me and I'll get you all the important information.  We're not full yet, but I want to make sure it doesn't get too large...because I want to spend time with everyone!  

1st & 2nd Grade Self Portraits

I don't usually have two grade levels doing the same thing at the same time.  Our curriculum isn't really set up that way...and I'd get bored!   However..with the end of the year upon us...I love to do projects that show the students(and myself) their growth!  I've been so excited by the amazing work my students are producing!

SORRY FOR THE SHADOWY PICTURES

1ST GRADE

2ND GRADE

Multicultural Fair Banners Complete: K-4th

Our Multicultural Fair ended up being a HUGE success!! We had so much wonderful parent participation...our school cultures were well represented. I was amazed how many people brought samples of their food...it was a delicious trip around the world.  The banners I had my student created turned out great...and everyone seemed to really love them.  Very proud of my kiddos for the work they did on the banners...as well as many art projects they did extra in their classroom to hang in the halls!

Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: WATER

Water is important in art.  It is a source of inspiration, makes the paint flow, cleans the brushes, cools the tools in glass & metal arts, helps the dye saturate the yarns & fabrics, and quenches the thirst of the artist. Without water, where would the artist be?  No Waterlilies from Monet, Cassatt's baby would not get its bath, and Venus's birth would have taken place in a desert.

But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.  John 4:14

Water is a huge reoccurring theme in scripture!  Without water there would have been no need for an ark, Moses's basket would have sat there, the Israelites would have still crossed on dry land (but it wouldn't have been nearly as dramatic), John would have been forced to sprinkle (with what?) , Jesus would have...walked?!?  See...water is important!

In John we are reminded of our need.  We are offered a water that allows us to never thirst again, and will yield eternal life.  That is HUGE!  However, I think we do not realize just how much of a need we have for this water.  We have become pacified by the things of this world.  We quench our thirst on things that do not truly meet our needs.  It leaves us feeling unsatisfied, unfulfilled, and searching.  Where in your life do you feel that you wrestle with such things?  What are you not allowing the Lord to quench?  Without THE WATER...your story is incomplete.  In verse 10 Jesus answered, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."  All you have to do is ask.

PRAYER

Dear Lord,
Please help us to see our need...to recognize our thirst...and to know from where to get our "water" from!  Lord, you are enough!  The things of this world do not fulfill.  Allow us to draw from your well alone.  May we offer a drink to all who we encounter...allowing them to know the living water that you provide.
In Christ's Name, AMEN.

Emotion Birds: Kindergarten

The 4th nine weeks has a lot of skill checking for kindergarten!  I don't want it to be repeats of projects though!!  I really love this lesson.  I start by talking to them about moods/emotions.  We discuss what colors would be good to represent which emotion.  I really is a fun discussion...and you can see how much they've grown by their thought process!  

After we make a chart of what colors go with which emotion....I reviewed spirals.  They then created a background of spirals using the colors of the emotion they chose to show. 

Next they selected paper out of the scrap box to create their bird. This is a new thing for my kindergarten students.  Usually with collage, I have paper pulled for them to use prior to class, but I wanted to make sure they'd be ready for 1st grade when they must select their own from the scrap box!  We reviewed the colors once again to make sure they would pick the right colors for their emotion(most of them did?!? ha ha).  I did a demo on how to create their birds, reviewed scissor safety, and reviewed proper glue use.  I was thrilled that the birds did each have their own little personality.  

Mayor's Art Show 2016

(AAHHH!?!?! I forgot to edit & post this... I started it the 28th..but totally forgot about it!)

April 28th was our annual Mayor's Art Show here in Nashville(and my birthday)!  Our new mayor did amazing job in her opening remarks, and was extremely warm & personable when walking around, talking to students, and getting her picture taken with them!  This year I had five of my ten students attend, and one of the teachers(I've never had that before!!!).  I wish all my students could attend, but my school is on the far end of the county....and there are a host of other reasons some can not attend.  I was thrilled though with my five kiddos that came...and I think they all felt extremely proud to be showing their work in a real museum!

(Any pictures of students' faces are by parent permission.
Always ask before posting images of kids faces!!!!)

Here is TGE hanging in the halls of The Frist Center for the Visual Arts!!

Brothers! Eli(who is a triplet) is in 1st & Ryker is in 4th...a first for me to select siblings! I didn't even realize it till after I had selected their work(only their first names are on their work in my school art show...and I have a lot of Eli's!!).

Mary got to speak with Nashville's new mayor...well..she kind of just smiled & nodded a lot! I guess meeting the mayor can be a little overwhelming for a 1st grader!!! ha ha  The mayor was AWESOME! Very warm..very friendly!! 

A view from & on the stage!! They called all the crazy art teachers up first...than the kids who had work in the show!  It was packed!!

Me and one of my besties...Ms. Malone (formally of www.msmalonesartroom.blogspot come..she has kind of abandoned blogging).  She is the little sister I never wanted, but couldn't imagine life without! 

May the 4th Be With You

OVER DONE BUT STILL FUN!! 

SORRY IF THE PICTURE GIVES 

YOU NIGHTMARES! ha ha

Multicultural Fair Banners: K-4

It seems a majority of our schools in Nashville are now doing a Multicultural Fair.  It looks different for every school...and this year is really a learning year for us at TGE.  Each grade level took on a country or continent.  I'm not playing a huge role in this activity because I just completed my all school art show a couple weeks ago.  I'm having all the classes work on a class banner that represents their grade level's selected country/continent. Here they are in progress.  My students from Mexico said that the banner "kinda" looked Mexican to them. ha ha  Everyone is a critic. 

HERE IS AFTER THE FIRST TWO CLASSES WORKED ON THEM!

HERE IS AFTER FOUR CLASSES HAVE WORKED ON THEM!!

Sunday Devotional With Mr. E: JUST SHOW UP!

Though I have a visual arts related bachelors & masters degree, I often identify myself most closely with folk/outsider art. I never felt like I fit in artistically during my undergraduate degree.  I was told by my first watercolor professor that my subject matter was not appropriate for the medium, and that I'd be better off getting into oils. The second watercolor professor I had said I was not refined enough to be a true watercolor painter.  Then the third watercolor professor told me she just didn't "get" me.   I'm sure most would have gotten the hint and moved to another area of study.  I, however, was not that bright, too poor to switch concentrations, and too stubborn to give up! ha ha  I actually loved watercolor(still do), but did not have the hang ups of those trained in it to feel restricted.  I struggled to understand my professors' issues with me and my work.  If art was suppose to be a place to express yourself, push the boundaries, and innovate....why was what I doing wrong in their eyes?  I found a professor to independent study watercolor 4 & 5.  She did  not try to change what I was doing...she tried to push me to be the best I could be in what I was doing.  She said I didn't need to look like, act like, or perform like anyone else.  I needed to just be me, just show up & create, give all that I had, and that would be enough. Because...you can't give what you don't have.

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury.  Many rich people threw in large amounts.  But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had to live on."  

Mark 12:41-44

In this scripture, we see that Jesus is teaching the disciples a lesson about God's economy.  I'm sure, with many of the disciples coming from extremely humble backgrounds, they might have been impressed with the amounts of money the wealthy gave to the temple treasury.  It would be easy to pass over the small amount given by the widow. However, Jesus made sure that they knew the truth. The widow was not giving out of  her abundance...she was giving all that she had to give. Her money could not match that of the wealthy, but it far exceeded what they gave.

Did she know where her next meal would come from, how she would pay her bills, or how any of her other needs were going to be met?   We don't know the rest of her story, but Jesus felt the need for her to be recognized as an example of giving.

 She showed up.  She gave what she had.  God did not ask her to give what she didn't have.  I wonder if we fear giving our time, talent, possessions, and finances because we've seen how others give, and we know we don't have that much to offer.  God is not calling us to give what we don't have.  He is calling us to give what He has given us.  That looks different for each of us, and we can not start comparing ourselves to others.  We just have to show up...and give what He is calling us to give...whatever that might look like.  For some it is adopting a child....giving away their under used household items....teaching Sunday school....supporting a missionary....building into younger believers...donating food....etc.

PRAYER
Dear Lord...thank you for all you have given us!  We are blessed beyond belief.  May we have hearts that JUST SHOW UP!!!  May we give what we've been given...love like we've been loved...bless like we've been blessed!  We can not out give you.....and you will always meet our needs!!
In Christ's Name, AMEN

Art Dad

My son wakes up at the crack of down and starts playing!  As I was getting ready for work the other day, Eli comes into the room with Merc (character from a show he loves!).  "Daddy, can you fix Merc?"  I looked...he had snapped his neck off (4 yr olds & skinny necks are not a good mix). Not sure I could...I told him I'd take it to school and try.  I found some super glue when I got to my room & went to work.  I decided to have a little fun once I realized his neck was pretty secure.  Here are the adventures of Merc in the Art Room!

(If you haven't seen me use PicCollage in the past...it is one of my fav apps on my iPad!!!  I love creating things on it!!! It is super easy to use...check it out!!)

BABY GIRL TURNS 2!!!!

My baby girl turned two today!!  Caroline Joy is a fireball...so fun, adventurous, and loving! (she really gives the best hugs & kisses!!!)  We are so blessed by her in our family.
She keeps things very interesting!  

Sunday Devotional With Mr.E: Over Our Heads

Art history has always been a struggle for me. Most classes were set up as pure memorization and regurgitation of information. The volume of facts per test was like attempting to drink from a fire hose.  Coupled with the fact that a majority of my art history professors seem to speak only a language other art historians would understand, and you now know why my lowest grades in college were in art history.  I remember setting in class wondering how I'd approach teaching the information ( that's the kind of thing teachers do ).  The information felt inaccessible.   I wished that the professors would meet me where I was, and not speak over my head.  There was one time I felt completely lost, and I asked a question.  The professor literally said, "Let me dumb this down for you!" That was the last question I asked in art history.  

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters.  When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.  My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power.  1 Cor. 2: 1-5

Paul was a man of great intelligence. He was extremely persuasive in his speech.  He could have easily spoken over the heads of those he was trying to minister, and in doing so become completely ineffective.  However, Paul meet people where they were.  He brought his message down to the most crucial elements, Christ and him crucified.  He was not speaking down to people.  He was speaking to their need.  He showed them the Spirit's power, not his own.  He gave them Jesus, not Paul.  

Our testimony is one of the most important tools we have in sharing God's message with others.  We need to strip away all the churchy language, clever analogies, and "insider" information, and get back to the basics.  People don't want to hear how "holy" you are, they want to know what God has done for you.  They don't want to know all the rules and regulations....they want to know why/how Jesus makes a difference in your life?  They want to be able to see their story in yours.  

You don't need all the right words
....you just need to humbly share your story. 

BE REAL!  BE HONEST! GIVE THEM JESUS!

PRAYER

Dear Lord, help us to be able to share our story of faith.

Lord let us remember where we were before knowing you, 

and be able to tell others how you've loved us & the difference that had made in our life. 

We ask that you also give us boldness to share our story & opportunity.  

In Christ's Name, Amen