Lake Worth Street Painting Festival

This weekend was the annual Lake Worth Street Painting Festival. I love going both days to see artists prepare their canvases on the street, and the second day, when artists’ finished art is on display or almost done. Online, it says the festival is from 10 -6, but we always go early to get a good parking space on the side street. We left at 8 am and got a parking space about 3 blocks from the festival. We go to Starbucks and get a frappuccino to cool off and take a break. We get to see everything before it gets too crowded. My favorite painting was the one of the little boy in the cardboard box.

Photos from the festival:

Day 1

Day 2

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Fountain Inn Quilt Show

Last Friday I went to a local quilt show. I’m always impressed with the creativity that I see at these shows. I like to look at these designs as well as the combinations of colors used. I like to look at them and reflect on what makes it appealing to me and the ones I don’t like, I like to reflect on why they don’t appeal to me.

Here is the link to all of the photos I took at the show. Below you will find the ones that I really liked.

Fountain Inn Quilt Show

Original photos by Pat Hensley

The Angles of Art

“The NVIV (Next Vista Inspiring Video) series of posts are written by Rushton Hurley and designed to provide students and teachers with fascinating discussion prompts.”

In The Angles of Art, Rushton features Michael Murphy who creates Perceptual Art.

Rushton gives the following prompts to accompany this video:

“Would you take the time to create something like this? Why or why not?

If you were making a piece of art in this style about a group or place that is important to you, what might you include in it to give an extra layer of meaning about how you see its importance?”

I found this very fascinating. Every other year, Boynton Beach, FL has a kinetic art exhibit and there were some pieces similar to these but on a much smaller level. They were fascinating to see in person! The results were amazing and it is hard to imagine all the hours that go into planning something like this. I think it would be fun to do a fruit display like this and include some fruit aromas.

Please check out the video and think of other prompts you might come up with. Please share.

Kinetic Art Exhibit

Last weekend I attended a Kinetic Art Exhibit in Boynton Beach. This is the second time we have been to this event.

“The 2023 International Kinetic Biennial is a free art exhibit and symposium of artists, designers, and performers to engage the Boynton community and South Florida visitors in contemporary kinetic art. The Biennial demonstrates the interconnectedness of art and technology and leverages human fascination with movement”

I really enjoyed going to see the art exhibits inside the Arts and Cultural Center. Kinetic energy is defined as the energy of motion and I loved seeing how artists brought this energy into their artwork. I was able to talk to some of the artists there and ask them questions. The outdoor sculptures were fun to see also. I was very happy to see many children there too to see the art and ask questions about the things they were seeing.

There was one huge artwork that fascinated me the most. There were strings of metal beads hanging from a motor that swirled them around. Below it was a box of sand with a metal bead in it that was pulled by magnetic force and created a piece of art in the sand.

If you ever get to visit a Kinetic Art exhibit, please go because it is fascinating!

The Art of Life

“The NVIV (Next Vista Inspiring Video) series of posts are written by Rushton Hurley and designed to provide students and teachers with fascinating discussion prompts.”

In The Art of Life, Rushton features Chiako Yamamoto, the only female Bonsai master. We learn the story of Bonsai.

He gives the following prompts to accompany this video:
“Think about someone you know who has devoted years to something that gives that person pleasure and meaning.

Try thinking of a question you could ask that would allow that person to share something new with you.

Then, try working with a couple of friends to see how many different variations on that question you can come up with. Along the way, not only might you get some great answers, but you might also learn what it takes to make a question a great one.”

I think of this when I see a beautiful quilt, a beautiful watercolor, or some piece of fiber art. Since I’ve dabbled with these arts and I know how long it took me to make something small and cute but not beautiful. I can only imagine how long it would take to produce something of a larger magnitude. I wonder about the artist and the process they have gone through to master their art. I think it makes me appreciate art more.,

Please check out the video and think of other prompts you might come up with. Please share.

Origami

I’ve never been very good at creating things out of Origami but I still like trying. Many of my students enjoy trying it too and it is a great activity for reading and following directions. Students of all ages enjoy making something with Origami. You can adapt the activity depending on the age and ability of the students. Various projects have a different amount of steps so you can start with easy projects and progress to harder ones. Then have students find their own projects to try and show off to the class. It is essential that you first try the projects you are going to have the class make so you can show off the finished work. Sometimes it helps to see the actual finished object before starting.

Here is a great animated video about a young boy who wants to make a dragon like his grandfather. Students would enjoy seeing this:

https://www.kuriositas.com/2012/11/origami.html

Here are some helpful sites to use:

Origami Instructions - a variety of projects to make

Top 10 Simple Origami Projects for Beginners

Easy Origami Instructions

Videos:

Origami Butterfly

Origami Turtle

Origami Hummingbird

Do you like Origami? What do you like to make? Have you done this with your students? What advice would you give? Please share.

Photo by Carolina Garcia Tavizon on Unsplash

Doodle for Google Contest

The Doodle for Google contest has started again. Grades K-12 can enter the contest.

“We're excited to see some strong doodles this year! Students can work with any materials they want, but all doodles must be entered using the entry form. Parents and teachers can mail us the completed entry form or submit it online as a .png, or .jpg. The contest is open for entries until February 26, 2021 11:59pm Pacific Time (PT)…

Doodles will be judged on the following parameters:

Artistic merit: Based on artistic skill

Creativity: Representation of the contest theme, use of the letters in the Google logo, and the unique approach to the doodle

Theme communication: How well the contest theme is expressed in both the artwork and the written statement

Doodles will be grouped and judged by the following 5 grade groups:

• Grades K-3
• Grades 4-5
• Grades 6-7
• Grades 8-9
• Grades 10-12

Finalists will be judged on a state-by-state basis as described below.

• State and Territory Winners:10 or more winners for each grade group, 54 in total
• National Finalists:1 finalist for each grade group, 5 in total
• National Winner: Featured on Google.com”

First Stamp Without a Printed Denomination

The first non-denominated stamp (also called no value indicated) was used in 1975. There was the uncertainty of a rate increase and Christmas stamps are usually printed in advance of the holiday.

By not putting denomination on this stamp, it gave the Postal service the flexibility of not having to reprint millions of stamps if the rate increase went into effect before the holiday. The stamp's value was 10 cents because the rate increase did not take place until December 31, 1975. This stamp was issued on October 14, 1975, in Washington D.C.

This stamp was designed by Bradbury Thompson after a painting of Madonna and Child by Domenico Ghirlandaio. Ghirlandaio was a 15th-century Italian artist of the Florentine Renaissance. Michelangelo was an apprentice of Ghirlandaio. This work of art is hanging in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.

Class activities:

1.     What other stamp does not have a value indicated on it? Why did it not have a value indicated on it?

2.     What is your favorite Christmas stamp and why?

3.     Draw and color your own Christmas stamp.

4.     Find out more about Domenico Ghirlandaio and share it on a poster or a scrapbook page.

5.     Find out more about Michelangelo and share it on a poster or a scrapbook page.

6.     Research about the Florentine Renaissance. Give 5 interesting facts about it.

Getty Museum Twitter Challenge

In The Getty Museum Twitter Challenge from Engage Their Minds, the author shares this challenge.

I thought this was a cool challenge from the Getty Museum and fun for students to do at home. You might give it a try. If you do, don’t forget to share it with the museum and here too! I’d love to see what you or your students come up with.

Envelope Art

Recently I’ve taken to doodling using colored pencils, markers, and water color. My husband has been urging me to try something new like decorating postal envelopes. He is a collector of postal items and he collects a lot of envelopes that have been decorated.

So, finally, after thinking it over, I tried to think of why I didn’t do it. I was afraid it would look silly or that not turn out well. Then I realized that no one would know except me. What did I have to lose?

We bought an envelope maker that makes it easier to make envelopes. It does make life easier if I’m going to make several. I like how easy it is to use.

Then I had to experiment with different size envelopes. My first two envelopes are considered invitation size envelopes but now I’m ready to try standard envelopes. I’m also trying different types of paper to see if one size is easier to draw on then others.

My first attempt was with watercolors and markers. Using plain printer paper, it was hard to use watercolor and I probably won’t do that again.

My second attempt with the same paper went much better. I used markers and colored pencils. I liked how this turned out, so I will probably use them from now own.

All of my attempts had me thinking about how this can be used in the classroom. First, there is a lot of stuff on the internet about Envelope Art. I would show many examples and ask students which ones they like and why they like it. There is no right or wrong answer to this because different people have different tastes.

I would also decide on one size envelope that everyone would use. This would make it easier for everyone. I would show them how to make it with the envelope maker.

I thought this would be a great way to commemorate different holidays. I would have the students decide what they would draw on the envelope for specific holidays. I might even have a contest where people vote for them and a small prize is given. This would encourage to research the holiday or the specific person who is being honored. They would have to decide what is the best picture that focuses on something special about that holiday. It could be whimsical or serious. Students can use clip art for inspiration or make up their own pictures.

I think my students would really enjoy this lesson that involves research, reading, and comprehension and even measuring when making the envelope, Students would be learning and have fun at the same time. Success would be had by all!

Have you ever done envelope art? If so, please share.

Artwork

In It's in the Eye of the Beholder from Sioux's Page,  Sioux  asks,

“What is one of your favorite pieces of art--whether it's a painting, a sculpture, a song or a book/poem/play? Curious minds like mine want to know...”

My favorite piece of art is a sculpture of an eyeball at the Laumiere Sculpture Park in St. Louis, MO.  We visited there in 2009 and had never heard of that place before so I’m glad we checked it out. I had never seen anything like this before and it looks so real. If you have never been there, it is a fun place to explore.

I think this would be a fun lesson to do with students. Have them explore different mediums and tell which one is there favorite. They can share this in a discussion or in writing.

What is your favorite piece of art and why? Please share.