floridacreate

January and February in and around the Garden

2012-02-23T19:36:00.002-05:00

Nectarine Tree Flowers

I did not get a chance to upload my photos of new spring plants to the blog before we got a 2-day/27 degree COLD blast that zapped alot of them. I decided it would be interesting to photgraph them again and show comparisons and how the plants fared.

More 'before freeze nectarine

After the freeze... Time will tell if the first flowers will set fruit or not,

but these are the leaves of the nectarine tree.

Japanese Magnolia before...

and after...

It will put out new green leaves now

The loquat tree in bloom before...

and after-Again we'll see what sets fruit!

Unknown flower bulb peeking out before freeze

Another view...

After-many bulbs can withstand cold weather!

Flowering of Pac choy before..

no after picture-

Wild Plum tree

This guy was under some branches I moved

Before...

Many times since the beginning of the year

we have had cloudy weather, but the rain passed us by-

only a 1/4 in here and there of rain

I believe this is a Myrtle-leaf Holly?

After in Mid-Feb several flocks of robins came through and ate the berries!

They were very thirsty and swarmed my neighbor's dishes of water she had set out-

We are really dry in our area as you can see below

The bees drink from the bird bath every day

and they seemed ok with the cold~

This large grapefruit tree was affected by the freeze

This is it's trunk and thorns!

The pear tree is just now blooming

Pear

Wild Sweet violets seem to do fine

Another citrus-this is a 'wild' sour orange-

the skin is usually green, leathery and fuzzy

this one was zapped

Yellow Jessamine vine-blooming all through the woods-

some got zapped but more have bloomed.

Azaleas-some flowers that bloomed early dies, but more are opening up

Wild blueberries-before...

after....

These are the flowers of the Paw Paw bush...

they bloomed after the frost, but would be fine anyway

And what is that on it?! A giant mosquito?!!

Jim Dine Hearts

2012-02-12T16:18:00.000-05:00

The Month of June #5 -Jim Dine

Jim Dine (1935-) is a painter, sculptor, and graphic artist who uses images of everyday objects in his artwork. He adds a richness to the art through his personal passions and everyday experiences. His repeated use of familiar and personally significant objects, such as a robe, hands, tools, and hearts, is a signature of his art.

“Tool Drawing II”, 1983
We looked at many examples of his colorful and uniquely painted hearts.

The Month of June # 7

The Month of June-#10

Sunflower 2005-
http://www.artnet.com/artwork/426182095/425932373/jim-dine-sunflower.html

So beautiful!
The kids traced a heart using pastels and a stencil, then colored them in

They were very creative!

Some chose to paint watercolor over the pastel

Lovely flowers!

Pennsylvannia Dutch inspired designs

2012-01-05T21:55:00.001-05:00


by hexerei Starwalker http://www.dutchhexsign.com/

The Pennsylvannia Dutch, immigrants from Germany brought with them the folk art of decorating everyday items with hand painted designs. These were created on doors, walls, books furniture and other household items. Later they also created colorful circular signs on the side of their barns. These typically were radial designs of bright colors and flower-like shapes, but also included symmetrical designs of birds, plants, hearts, raindrops and other symbols for nature, love, luck and good health.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~aferm/pennsylvania/hex.htm

After looking at examples of some of the designs, students tried their own.

Hearts and Flowers....

Stars....

They focused on the bright colors, radial and symmetrical designs.

Some reflected the holidays.

Other designs and added details...

And some used symbols that represented their interests.

Maps!

2011-12-17T15:53:00.000-05:00

"Sometimes the most exciting journey you can make is through your own imagination "-unknown

I love looking at and using maps, whether to find a particular address or city or to figure out the meanderings of a trail or river. So when I found out the 3rd grade students were learning about the parts of a map in social studies, I knew mapmaking would be a great art project!

I wanted students to know maps really have a lot of information and
are made for many different kinds of places, even outer space!

I also wanted them to learn about the different parts of a map

and how to use the parts to read the map.

I was excited to come across this website which helps students

become familiar with the different parts of a map.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/09/g68/cartographyguidestudent.pdf

The lesson used the acronym DOGSTAILS to remember each important part of a map:

D Date-When the map was made
O Orientation- Directions (north arrow)
G Grid- Locates places on the map
S Scale- What the map distance is
T Title- What, where, and when
A Author-Who made the map
I Index -Map address of places
L Legend (Key)-What the symbols mean
S Sources-Basis for map information

I explained the different features or elements to the students and showed them examples on real maps.
I explained they were going to create their own unique maps which could be of a known or inaginaryplace and they were to include as many of the elements as they could.

They created the grid first using pencil and Isometric paper. (I'm lucky to have a Mom who donates all kinds of art materials she's had from when she worked at Pearls!) The alphabet was written across the top and numbers down one side. Next, they drew a compass rose, which they had practiced earlier with their classroom teacher. Then they drew a box to the side for the legend and finally created the details of their map. After, they added a title, the date and their name.

In these examples above, you can see the type of squared paper we began with.

After the pencil drawing was finished, I gave them a translucent Mylar paper to use for their final map. They taped it over the pencil drawing and used permanent black marker to trace over their work.

Color was added with crayon or colored pencil.

It was interesting to see how some included an aerial and a frontal view.

They all enjoyed the project!

"It is not down in any map; true places never are."

- Herman Melville

Gecko

2011-12-13T11:32:00.000-05:00

My mother just Loves GEICO's Gecko-

she has photos of him on her fridge and tucked away different places...

I decided to make her one as a gift. I thought I would use paper mache

but decided at the last minute to use some air-dry clay I had around.

He was fun to make and it took me an afternoon and evening to finish.

I used some marbles for eyes.

He was pretty top heavy and having trouble standing up.

My husband devised some assistance to help the gecko stand until he was dry!

He went on a road trip and actually made it in one piece

I let him dry another day

I used acrylics to paint him and didn't have the right blue to make the green I wanted.

I wasn't thrilled with the green, but it was ok

I did add a little brown stippling for his bumps...

Mom loves him and he defintely has an attitude!

"Florida Lost Tribes"-The Timucua

2011-12-01T08:58:00.000-05:00

Theodore Morris- "Timucua Fisherman"
http://www.floridalosttribes.com/index.htm

The Timucua were a group of Native American people who lived in North Florida and parts of Georgia in the late 15^thcentury. They were a large group of about 200,000 and were made up of many different tribes or chiefdoms. They lived in villages and provided well for themselves by using the native plants, growing vegetables, fishing and hunting game. Tattoos decorated their bodies and were a symbol of accomplished deeds. Men wore their hair in buns on top of their head. Bone was used for hairpins and shell, bone and fish bladders for ornaments such as necklaces and earrings. Their clothing was made from animal hides and plant fiber, including cloth made from Spanish moss.

Theodore Morris- "Gathering Coquinas"

By the 1800’s they ceased to exist, victims of disease introduced by European explorers, warfare and slavery.

My 4^th grade students were enraptured by the beautiful detailed paintings of artist Theodore Morris. Some of these are included in his book, Florida Lost Tribes. He has done much research to provide a fascinating and as best as possible, accurate portrayal of these people of Florida’s past.

The students then explored their own ideas of how the Timucua would have looked by creating a tempera portrait painting.

Cole-"Chopsticks"

Abby-"Pocahontas"

Haley-"Cowhow"

I love the names they chose for the portraits.

Shy-"Starlight"

Justin-"Caliga"

Morgan- "Tigertooth"

Hunter

Kayla- "Florida Lost Tribe"

The portraits unwittingly look like self portraits!

CJ-"Red Duck Warrior"

Canin- "Angry Birds"

Gena-"Leaperd Kid"

Loranzo-"Florida's Lost Tribes"

Jacob-"Scraggy"

Alina-"Pocahontas"

After the rain...

2011-11-30T21:18:00.001-05:00

Rain always makes the plants brighter and fresher... and brings out the blooms!

This fungus looking plant is actually a flower in the Heath family called Indian Pipe!

I thought the rain brought it above ground but found out some interesting things about how it grows.

- jgravois

It is a saprophyte- a plant lacking chlorophyll and living on dead matter.

It has a unique relationship with fungi who also have a relationship with a nearby tree.

The fungi absorb minerals from the soil and by entering tree roots, pass these on to the tree. The tree passes sugars and other carbohydrates to the fungi. The Indian pipe, a mass of roots underground for most of the year, are covered with fungi's tiny roots.

It convinces the fungi to feed it the minerals to grow.

http://curiousnature.info/A1-Indian%20Pipe.htm

Each stalk has one drooping flower and scaly leaves.

This part really impressed me-

After months, and even sometimes years, of gathering nutrients into its root system, an Indian Pipe plant may rather suddenly develop above ground, usually June- September in our area.

Fall 2011 snap shots

2011-11-14T18:22:00.000-05:00

Fall in North Florida brings cool, dewy mornings followed by

hot afternoons and some intermittent cold snaps with frost on the ground.

These golden yellow flowers which bloom out on the marsh in late Sept -frost are in the Asteraceae Family/ Scientific name Bidens

I was peeking amongst these flowers to see some white ones in the center of the clump and found a nice flattened area. I then walked on and my husband came mowing right after and disturbed a bobcat who had been right in there!

Such lovely, fuzzy 'moss' near the marsh

Visitors to our bean trellis!

The coral vine is slowing down..

collards

Pac choy loves our soil and we are able to save seeds each year when they flower!

Stormy, the neighbor's pony greets us on a walk

Monarda-wild horsemint along the roadside in the neighborhood-

An overnight trip to the east coast for a concert offered a treat of the November full moon!

Aboriginal Dot Painting

2011-10-27T21:39:00.005-04:00

We visited the First People of Australia to discover how they used painting as a way to tell stories and to describe their surroundings. The images included here are student art.

The Aborigines are descendants from the earliest inhabitants of Australia who came over 50-65,000 years ago, to spreading out over the contintent and living in clans and tribes, each with their own languages and rituals, but all with a similar way of life and a deep respect for the land.

McKenna

Storytelling is an important part of life for the Aborigines. Early on, parents, grandparents and other elders told stories as a way of educating their children about many things; their surroundings- how the land came to be shaped, their families-how to behave and why or about survival-where to find water or which animals and plants to eat. In many of these stories a character would often be an animal whose actions or behavior taught a lesson to the people hearing the story. As the children grew into young adults, deeper meanings and history is shared. Other stories might include major events such as great battles, memorable hunting expeditions or the arrival of Europeans and others into their country. In this way, adults are responsible for passing on the stories to the next generations. These Stories of the Dreaming have been handed down over thousands of years. Some of the stories have been lost, but many elders today are active in keeping the stories alive and passing them on the next generation.

Emily

Lauren

Aborigines believe that their ancestors created the world and live on as spirits. Their storytelling connects them to their ancestors and helps keep the land and spiritual world in harmony. Aboriginal Dreaming is the term that refers to this spiritual connection to the very beginning of things. For the Aborigines, the Dreaming sprits from the beginning of time are still active in the modern world. Through their dancing, singing and storytelling they renew their relationship with spirits and the land. They tell Dreaming Stories about the creation of their world, where the ancestors moved through the landscape creating the mountains and rivers, changing into stars, rain or animals. These stories tell about sacred places and objects that Aboriginal people must treat with respect. These included laws of places to live in and others that were forbidden unless having permission. Sometimes particular animals are used as symbols or Totems for an Aboriginal family.

Grace H.

Shelby

The paintings were designed on rock, bark, sacred objects and in the sand on the ground. Traditional designs were made up of lines, dots, circles, and swirls that had different meanings to different groups. Dots are one of the traditional symbols widely used and for many non-Aboriginal people these are what give their art its unique character. Dots may represent many things - including stars, sparks or burnt ground. The base or floor of any Aboriginal design or painting is the preparation of the earth, or the ancestor being's involvement with the earth.

Elijah

Matthew

The design in the painting might tell a story about the natural features of the land or forces and the spirits that created the world. Most often the paints used were the items in their environment and made of white clay, red or yellow ocher (minerals from the earth) or charcoal with water.

Carolina

Ann

More recently, artwork has been made just for public viewing. In the 1970’s, the Aborigines living in Papunya in the western desert region, developed their own school of art. They painted in the traditional style and sold paintings to art galleries around the world. These were done with acrylic paints on canvas and still describe the ancient legends.

Hannah N.

Taylor S.

Grace W.

Students created dot paintings showing favorite animals or special events in their life.

The brown paper is used to look like the bark or the sand the aborigines would have used. They drew a simple design on the paper with pencil, painted main objects with a paint brush, adding details of skin or fur or rocks, etc. The paints could be mixed to create earth tones similar to the natural paints the Aborigines used. Next they came back and added dots in their main elements and also to camouflage the picture with other colors and patterns. Swirling and waving lines could also be used. The ends of the paintbrush or small branches of bamboo were used for this.

Yumari, Uta Uta Tjangala 1981

http://www.nma.gov.au/collections/papunya_collection/

http://www.ohmsartgallery.com/aboriganal.htm

http://australianmuseum.net.au/Stories-of-the-Dreaming-General-Information

http://www.cooinda-gallery.com.au/

http://www.aboriginalartonline.com/culture/dreaming.php http://www.aboriginalartonline.com/culture/dreaming.php

New Zealand Koru

2011-10-08T09:18:00.002-04:00

http://whakaahua.maori.org.nz/kowhaiwhai/index.htm

The koru is most basic design element of the patterns that appear on the New Zealand Maori's painted scroll designs.

It is a curved, coiled shape that resembles the new shoot of a fern and symbolizes new life and purity.

http://whakaahua.maori.org.nz/kowhaiwhai/index.htm

Much of the Maori's history has been handed down by the ancestors through their beautiful works of art and were inspired by the patterns in nature. The symbols that were created would tell about a person’s history and genealogy. The Maori art forms include wood carving (whakairo), bone and jade carving, tattoos (moko), and scroll designs.

http://history-nz.org/porch.html

(Kowhaiwhai) are beautiful patterns that appear as painted scroll designs most often seen on the ceilings of the meeting house (wharenui) ridgepole (tahu) and on the rafters (heke).

My students explored the symmetry and transformations of the scroll patterns as well as some of their meanings. This was a great resource:

http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/site_resources/library/Education/Teachers_Guide/Teacher_Resources_Library/Maori_Education_Kits/Maori_02Kowhaiwhai_1_.pdf

Notice the geometric patterns in which the motifs show translation (repeat)

Mangopare

This design comes from the hammerhead shark and represents strength and power

Some motifs show rotation -they turn clockwise or counter clockwise

or the motif show reflection-(flip over)

Ngaru

This design represents the cutting of the waves when the waka traveled.

Some image are in pairs where one is an enlargement of the other

Beautiful!

The oldest known examples of these designs were painted on paddles and carved on the under bow of the canoe. The war canoe was the original means of transport and a symbol of tribal identity, unity and pride. After settling on the island, this evolved into the meeting house as the new symbol of prestige and unity.

http://www.maori.info/maori_art.htm

Students viewed the koru motif used in patterns created by traditional and modern artists and then created their own design on a rectangular or square sheet of tag-board. Color was added with pastel.

Jenna

Chris

Aurora

Jackson

Emma

Abby

Eli

Eoin

Maria

Kaitlyn

McKenna

Sam

Erin

More student work in our gallery on Artsonia!

http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=415104

"Preserving Marion County Springs Through Awareness & Stewardship"

2011-09-19T11:49:00.004-04:00

Elijah

The title of the post is the theme for the annual Student Art Contest sponsered by the Marion County Springs Festival in Ocala, Florida. Students who participate, learn about the threats to the springs and different ways they can help protect and care for them. The homeschoolers at the Marion County Parks and Recreation Art Club discussed daily water usage, care of the springs environment and how pollutants can enter our springs. They were asked to illustrate the springs as they have experienced them; perhaps swimming, boating, snorkeling or just enjoying them. They were to include plants, birds, fish and any other animals who lived in the springs.environment. The paintings were done with crayon and blue liquid watercolor. We used drawing paper, so the blue came out darker than I expected, but it did give an interesting underwater look.

Taylor

Gabriel

Marion County is blessed to have some of the largest

and most beautiful springs in the world!

Jane Gravois

These 2 photos are at the Rainbow River in Dunnellon, Fl

"Rainbow Springs is the fourth largest and one of the most picturesque of Florida’s first magnitude springs. Archaeological evidence dating back 12,000 years ago shows that Rainbow Springs was important to prehistoric people for clean water, food and making stone tools".

http://www.floridasprings.org/protecting/featured/rainbowsprings/

Jane Gravois

The springs are the windows to our aquifer, the source of our drinking water and 'nature's underground water storage system'. Plants, animals and humans depend on the health of our water.

The Springs Festival aims to educate people on ways to protect the springs, the aquifer and our drinking water. Reducing pollution and decreasing water consumption are two simple ways to help minimize the impact on the springs and its environment.

Micah

Changing methods of agriculture and farming practices, keeping important recharge areas and minimizing recreational impact on sensitive areas are other important issues which impact the springs and the water.

Chris

These are excellent sites to learn more about Florida's aquifers and our magnificent springs!!
http://www.floridasprings.org/

http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/water/water.htm

http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/

http://www.sjrwmd.com/education/index.html

Eli

Rainfall is what recharges our aquifer.

Hannah

"In order to facilitate photosynthesis, plants absorb water from the soil through their roots, a process that can also clean water by filtering out nutrients and pollution."

Emma

"Rainfall that is not absorbed directly into the soil, through the roots and leaves of plants, or accumulated into exisitng lakes or rivers is called surafce or stormwater runoff. In any areas where there is an underlying layer of clay, the water will flow into the rivers, lakes, wetlands and the ocean.

Jenna

Most of Florida's soil is sandy, so the water percolates down through the rocks, soil and the layer of limestone into the aquifer.

Drew

The groundwater flows downhill through holes, caves and caverns in the limestone until it is forced up through the surface through natural openings in the ground.

http://www.floridasprings.org/protecting/featured/silver%20springs/

"Silver Springs is a "magnitude 1" spring, that means it discharges

more than 550 million gallons of water a day!

Reece

"The continued health of the aquifer and Florida’s many springs is directly related to our actions, as individuals, as communities. By taking responsibility for protecting our aquifer and springs, each of us ensures that future generations enjoy the beauty and the benefits of our natural resources."

-Florida Dept of Environmental Protection

Ryan

"Water's Journey: Hidden Rivers of Florida"

"These videos provide an up-close experience with springs and

highlight threats to springs and the aquifer."

http://www.floridasprings.org/expedition/videos/

10th Annual Marion County Springs Festival

Saturday Sept 24th, Silver River State Park

10am-4pm

Self-portrait with Favorite Summer Food

2011-08-20T14:13:00.000-04:00

This was a project from camp this summer that all the kids seemed to have fun with. First I asked which foods they especally liked to eat during the summer. We all shared what was best when it was hot outside, or when we BBQed, or which of the fruits/veges we loved that ripened in summer...
Watermelon! IceCream! Slushies! Ribs!! Corn on the Cob!! Yumm!!

I asked the kids to draw just their face taking up most of the page except at the bottom where they would show their hands holding the food as if ready to take a bite.

We had crayons and manilla paper to use and

I told them they could add any extra details on the sides.

It was especially fun to see their real face
next to their self-portrait!

It is nice to see such happy faces!

When I asked what the circular shapes were to the right of the person in the drawing below, he told me they were watermelon rinds!

This child did a profile view!

Mexican Amate Painting

2011-07-11T12:34:00.000-04:00

Mexican bark paper or "papal amate" is produced by artisans of San Pablito, a city in the east-central Mexican plateau of Sierra de Puebla. It is made by soaking the bark of ficus and mulberry trees until the fibers are soft. Then the fibers are pounded with a stone into a pulp and dried flat on a wooden board.
http://festivalofmexico.com/sanpablito.html

This paper is used by the Otomi community to make intricate paper cut-outs
http://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/minigalleries/otomi/intro.shtml#

and colorful paintings

Originally the paintings recorded events in the community and showed village scenes and wildlife.

Today they are made to sell to tourists and are often stylized designs based on their culture and mythology.

http://www.mexicanartdealing.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=3542140

I found several lessons used to introduce students to these beautiful works:
http://www.northbellmoreschools.org/schools/dinkelmeyer/DinkArtGallery_files/page0001.htm
http://www.internationalfolkart.org/eventsedu/education/girard/otomi/otomilesson.html

I introduced Amate Painting to 2nd graders at school and at a special summer program at the library.
I had students pick a favorite animal to draw with pencil on brown packing paper.

They then outlined it with a black sharpie. Next they crumpled their paper for a bark-like look. This was then straightened by sliding it gently back and forth over the edge of a table.

They could even tear the edges for a more authentic look.

I had about 4-5 colors of flourescent tempera paint to useee.

White paint could be mixed to lighten up the colors as the brown paper makes it a little darker.

Finished work from the library-mixed ages-

2nd grade work:

The 2nd grade also created the Amate Cut-out Figures.

These Intricate paper cutouts are traditionally made by the Otomi to represent the spirits found in seeds, crop plants, the rain and sun. They believe these spirits embody certain qualities to be respected and to pass on for their values.

"Seed of the chile plant"

They are created by folding a piece of amate paper in half and cutting the design to create a symmetrical figurine. The figurines are then used by religious leaders in rituals and offerings performed to control the spirits represented in the cutouts. The rituals are usually performed to cure and prevent disease or to ensure crop fertility and the health of domestic animals. More importantly, the cutouts show how the Otomi view the world and their place within it. -

Taken from: http://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/minigalleries/otomi/intro.shtml#

Some were Anti-culture figures that went against their beliefs-this is one a 2nd grader did:

A Saturday morning exploration tour....

2011-06-20T12:24:00.001-04:00

I like to get out early and see what is going on in the garden...

the Black -eyed Susans come back each year,

even with some tromping on and around them.

I love the smell of this Sweet Almond Bush,

It has just begun to bloom.

This is the year for tomatoes...

Definitely meaty and flavorful!

We have loads of cherries- red and golden,

a teardrop type shape and romas.

Joe planted eggplants and a green shiny bug is enjoying the pollen!

Doesn't it look like a sweat bee?

http://www.dpughphoto.com/images/halicitid%20bee%20durham%2092806.JPG

My summer favorite-

We usually have some volunteer squash from the compost

and it is always a surprise as to what kind it will be...

sometimes they make it and sometimes not...

but their flowers are gorgeous!

It has been so dry and hot, every creature is looking for water.

My neighbors keep several flat planter trays full of water for birds

and they got to watch an armidillo come and drink and drink from it.

I went thrifting and bought a bunch of old shallow bowls to use for water,

adding a shell or rock to rest on and the honeybees have been coming to them!!

The tour continues...out to the marsh!

The flower of pickerel weed-another of those wild edibles!

Notice the 'spit' looking stuff on the leaves?

There are actually spittlebugs and they "earn their name

from the small patches of foam or "spit" they create along the stems of plants and meadow grasses in late spring and early summer."

They seem to go for nitrogen-fixing plants-interesting to think about-

Pest or not?

http://crawford.tardigrade.net/bugs/BugofMonth21.html

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh077

This guy was flying around-he might be in the Family Syrphidae:

Many of these flies are bee and wasp mimics-

Ck out these beautiful photos:

http://www.pbase.com/lejun/flowerflies

Thanks for coming along on my morning tour!

'Summer Time'... and the Plants are Growing.....

2011-06-12T09:09:00.000-04:00

We have not had our summer rains, but the sprinkler has helped everything grow wild!

I planted black corn but not all the seeds sprouted.

In between sessions of my online computer class,

I am attempting to weed one bed a day.

My toenails always look lovely when I go to town...:)

Michael figured out a great way to support the tomato plants using bamboo poles.

Sometimes it gets too crowded so I thin out the branches.

This cool moth was sucking on the tomato plant.

I love glads, they were a favorite of my Grandmother, Memi.

A nice mix of spiderwort, Spanish or Shepard's needle and coral vine.

Both the spiderwort and the needle are wild edibles. You can eat the young leaves and the flower petals of the Spanish needle and you can eat the flowers, leaves and stalks of the spiderwort.

This morning the sun was so beautiful, and bright orange!

I wish I knew more about camera settings to have captured it better.

This is out on the south shore of Orange Lake-

there is no water and you can walk about a quarter of a mile out.

There are cattails (also a wild edible!) and acres of what I think is Elder

Close up of the Elder flower

It's very soothing to the soul to enjoy nature's beauty!

4th Grade Foam Prints

2011-06-09T13:22:00.000-04:00

Students created prints using thin pieces of foam I purchased from Dick Blick. They are called print foam board. They come in a 9" x 12" size and I cut I them in half to a 6" x 9" 'plate'.

All surfaces that are printed are called plates, whether they are wood, metal, linoleum or foam.

You can recycle Styrofoam vegetable trays for this same project-just trim off the curved sides so you can work on a flat surface.

The kids first practiced an idea for their print on paper the size of the foam board. When they were satisfied with their drawing they taped the paper to the foam board and traced over the design so it would create an imprint in the foam.

Any words and letters had to be drawn in reverse on the foam,

so that when printed, they would be facing correctly.

They took off the paper and went over the impressions

creating a deeper line or indentation into the foam.

They inked the foam board using a brayer and printing ink

and then printed it 4 times onto different colored paper.

Before each printng the board was re-inked.

When dry, the students trimmed the prints, arranged them in a group

and matted them onto colored construction paper.

Although most of the designs are very simple, I think it was a good exercise in seeing what kind of lines and details print well and exploring different arrangements of similar images.

Printmaking with Kindergarten

2011-06-09T10:06:00.001-04:00

Since the kindergarten class this year loved to cut and mess around with paper, I decided to let them create a collograph for a printing project.

They were given scrap pieces of tag-board and other assorted papers and asked to create a collage of something they liked by cutting and gluing the pieces onto a 6" x 4' paper. In the next class we would use it to create a print.

Of course some added pieces that overlapped the 4" x 6" paper-

This (above image) is the actual collograph that had been used for printing

and was later glued onto a large piece of paper.

This is how it printed-(above)

Each child inked their their collograph using a brayer and printing ink

and then printed it twice using 2 different pieces of colored construction paper.

Later when the prints and collographs were dry, I asked the kids to mount them onto a larger piece of paper and then add any details they wanted with crayons.

Some put all three onto the same paper.

This was a cool face, but the paper was too dark for the blue ink to show up well.

This one is my favorite-it is very creative!

This child added long legs to her creation- it printed well!

I showed them how to number their prints with the fraction 1/2 or 2/2

and some added that as well.

The most suprising thing was that we finished printing them

all in one 45 min. class period!

They enjoyed it and fully participated.

Groups of Animals in Motion-Prints on Watercolor

2011-05-27T18:46:00.003-04:00

These prints are two variations of creating a stamp to print onto a watercolor background.

The first example is a stamp made by drawing onto print foamboard and cutting it out.

Foamboard stamp

The foamboard stamp was inspired by animals that live in a groups. After creating the stamp of an animal, the students were to print it several times onto a painting of the animal’s environment to create a rhythmic group of animals. This project was done by a mixed age group-5yrs-14yrs old.

First we talked about animals and how some animals like to live in groups and others are solitary. We thought about what kind of things animals did as a group such as eat, bathe, clean each other, play, fight, protect their young, sleep, etc.

Then we wondered why some animals might be solitary? We found this could be because they do not like the company of another animal in their territory and especially an animal of their own kind. it also could be due to competition between rivals for the opportunity to mate or over territory, or it could be a more suitable way to live in the environment. Sometimes an animal is solitary when it is caring for its offspring or when it is ready to mate.

We learned some of the interesting names for the groups. Here are some examples: Herd of giraffes, Pod of dolphins, Pack of wolves, Troop of monkeys. My favorites are an army of catepillars, memory of elephants, and a knot of snakes.
I found a list online that gave names for groups of animals:
http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Pointless/AnimalGroups.html

Liquid watercolors were used to create a painting of the animal's environment. This would be the background to print the animal on.

The kids picked a favorite animal to draw and tried it first on scrap paper. They taped this onto the onto the foamboard and traced over it with pencil. After removing the paper they used a pen or soft pencil to deepen the contour lines.

We fashioned a piece of folded masking tape to the back for a handle. the stamps were laid flat and printing ink was rolled over them.

They could be picked up by the masking tape 'handle" (see end of post) and stamped onto the watercolor. The stamp was inked again before each printing.

This student came back and printed more she enjoyed it so much. The fact that they animals are overlapping and some didn't come out fully, creates a look of a group of running animals, some near, some further away.

The second example is made from a collograph.

A 2nd grade group created the collogaph stamp and used fish for their theme.

One student made a deer instead!

They drew the outline of a fish onto 3" x 5" pieces of tag-board then cut it out for a silhouette shape.

They cut out small pieces for fins, eyes and tails and glued them onto the original shape.

This would create the raised, print surface.

The collographs were inked similarly to the foamboard stamps, using a roller and printing ink, inking the stamp again before each new print.

This one below, really shows the individual pieces. Some found it tedious and just created the outline silhouette shape.

In a fun idea I got from Artsonia, the kids took their collograph after the ink dried and colored with colored pencils to add details.

Then they glued it to paper to look like a stuffed or mounted trophy.

Ideas and information from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solitary_(animals)http://www.artforsmallhands.com/2011/02/printing-repeats.html and http://www.artsonia.com/teachers/lessonplans/plan.asp?id=4590

These are stamps made from the foam with the tape 'handle' on back

Treasures in the Garden

2011-04-23T09:11:00.001-04:00

We use leaves to mulch our garden and at this time of year when everyone is sprucing up their yards, you can find plenty of bags left roadside in the neighborhoods in town. My husband and son often come home with a truck-load of black plastic bags. We break them open and create a huge pile to use as needed.

There are a few drawbacks...you are never sure what people have done to their yards as far as spraying or if there is animal poo mixed in...but most of it heats up in the pile as it sits. There are the frequent cigarette butts, the plastic straws, wrappers, bottletops...

But then there are the 'treasures'!

Lost and forgotten toys, broken bits and pieces from who knows what, memories from playtimes and attempted projects.

I look at it as cleaning up the litter and recycling as well!

What I really enjoy finding are the pieces of flint, unearthed when we dig to create a bed or plant a tree...now these are real treasures from the past!

Georgia's Flowers

2011-04-16T13:45:00.002-04:00

Justin

Georgia O’Keefe is well known for her paintings of large flowers that take over the whole canvas. Her view of flowers is like looking from a bee's point of view or through a magnifying glass. She focuses on careful balanced arrangements of the shapes, forms, colors, lines and space to create an overall balanced design.

Georgia O’Keeffe, Jimson Weed, 1932. Oil on canvas, 48 x 40 inches.

My 3rd grade students were already familiar with Georgia, so we reviewed what they knew and learned a little more about her watercolor paintings of up-close flowers. We noted the colors and flowing lines and shapes, how the flowers were painted to take up the whole canvas and were cropped or cut off on the edges.

Georgia wrote of flowers:

Nobody sees a flower, really – it is so small –

we haven't time, and to see takes time,

like to have a friend takes time.

O'Keefe Petunia No.2 1924

Watercolors are very transparent and remain clear, glowing and vibrant even when dry. They work well over drawings since the lines show through the paint. The colors flow more easily than thicker tempera so require a little more control. It helps to practice and get used to some different techniques.

The class practiced using a wash, a watercolor technique used for backgrounds. Water is the main ingredient in watercolors and especially in the wash. Make sure the brush has more water than paint. Load up the brush with the wash and begin at the top of the page and pull your brush across to the other side. This should be done in one stroke. A puddle will form at the bottom of the painted area. Load up the brush again and begin at the side of the paper, pick up the puddle and sweep across again to the other side. Repeat until you have completed your wash. It is important to work quickly so the puddle doesn’t dry out. If you don’t get a puddle, you’re not using enough water. You can do this wash with a different color for each stroke across, washing in between each one.

They also practiced ‘wet on wet’ is a fun technique that shows the way watercolors will spread out on moistened paper. Take a brush loaded with clean water and wet the paper. It should look shiny when looked at from the side. Get a little bit of a color on the brush and paint dots across the paper. Try many colors, watch them spread. Try painting dashes and lines. Notice how much paint it takes to make a dark or intense color as opposed to a light tint of a color. With watercolor the white of the paper shows through to create the tint. If a clean white is wanted, the paper is left without paint. Light tints can be painted first and darker colors can be laid over those.

I used Painting and Children by Cathy Weisman Topal, for these techniques.

Students looked at Georgia O'Keefe's flowers and other images of flowers before they began painting. Real flowers are great to have as well!

They observed the shapes and important lines. They imagined taking a magnifying glass and looking at the flower. What do the parts inside look like? I asked them to try and imagine drawing it so the petals would go off the paper and the insides would seen as large as if you were a bee or hummingbird.

Andrew

Next, they sketched a very light line with pencil of the important lines and shapes of the flower they imagined. They could also add a few lines for texture (a curve or the petal, a bump on the leaf).

Haley

Cainin

They were to begin with the lighter colors and then could add darker colors while the paper was still damp. They were to try and repeat colors throughout the flower. Several variations of a color- such as blue, blue-green and blue violet could be mixed.

A small brush helped to add bright details and brush textures.

Gena

Jacob

They did a beautiful job!

I think because we used watercolors from a tube, they tended to not to add enough water and I had to remind them these are watercolors and to use more water. They achieved some of their dark colors by adding layers and some by not adding much water to the concentrated paint.

Abigail

Alina

Hunter

Cole

Morgan

Shyann

Shiny Cars! Foil Relief

2011-03-28T09:09:00.000-04:00

My 2nd graders love to draw cars so I had them design one using tag-board and aluminum foil creating a raised surface or Foil relief. They first drew a vehicle on a piece of tag-board, cut it out double-for extra thickness- and then glued the two pieces together. Optionally, smaller details of wheels or headlights could also be cut and glued onto the piece to create more of a raised surface. (Just to cut it double and glue it together was enough for some students-they had difficulty cutting around the small parts of their vehicle). The thicker and more parts that are added, the better the raised areas will show up. Older students would be able to do this.

The piece was then covered in glue and positioned on a piece of foil that was double the size of the vehicle. The foil was folded over and smoothed down carefully with fingers. I had them trim the foil to about 1/4 to a 1/2" around the whole piece. This was then folded to the back of the vehicle and glued.
Permanent markers were then used for color and added pizzaz.

Students then drew a background for the car that could include a road, racetrack or ramp for the vehicle.

Thanks to Miranda Nelken's lesson in SchoolArts called Fender Benders for inspiration!
http://www.schoolartsdigital.com/schoolarts/200903?pg=36&search_term=fender benders&search_term=fender benders#pg36

For other ideas using foil relief, see:

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/Linda-Foil.htm

Cityscapes with 1pt. Perspective

2011-03-27T21:35:00.040-04:00

My 5th grade students recently used the technique of 1 pt perspective to create a cityscape. To begin, they practiced by drawing a horizon line and choosing a vanishing point. Then they added several squares and rectangles in the space below the horizon line. From the corners of each shape, they used a ruler and drew orthogonal lines (receding parallel lines) to the vanishing point. Next, they drew vertical and horizontal lines at 90 degree angles to create cubes. You can see the student below needed a little more practice with the horizontal lines, keeping them parallel to the horizon line.

Next they tried out a cityscape, creating several cubes below the horzion line to look like buildings. Color and details were added using colored pencil for interest and a finished look.

A few were very creative with the details, even if all their lines weren't quite right!

The student work below drew squares above the horizon and produced a unique bird's eye view.

We ended our project by displaying and reflecting on the finished pieces. Students also viewed cityscapes done by professional artists, focusing on the different compositional viewpoints and the different media used- drawing, painting and photographs.

Yvonne Jacquette-my favorite cityscape artist-
http://www.artnet.com/artwork/424243617/137181/yvonne-jacquette-chelsea.html

Ben Aronson
http://www.alphagallery.com/artists/aronson.html

Clive Head

http://www.artnet.com/artists/clive-head/artworks
This artist has interesting double pespectives-

Beauty at the feet of the beholder :)

2011-03-24T18:09:00.000-04:00

While in 'town' and waiting outside a building for an appointment, I noticed a small little white flower at my feet. It was about 1/2" in diameter.

Upon closer look it had such a spring freshness to it.

I looked it up once I got home and found out it was the weed Nothoscorum bivalve, or False Garlic. It is usually found in lawns, pastures and along roadsides. It looks very similar to Allium but the leaves are thinner and grass-like and it lacks the onionlike smell.

Visions of the Gulf-Christopher Still

2011-02-25T17:18:00.000-05:00

Current exhibition “Visions of the Gulf” January 22 - March 20, 2011

at the Appleton Museum of Art in Ocala.

"Visions of the Gulf: Paintings by Christopher Still, is an exhibit with more than 35 of Still's paintings of Florida's waterways and natural environs, preparatory sketches and a new painting created specifically for this showing titled "And My Father Before Me." Widely acclaimed for his paintings depicting the landscape, wildlife and history of Florida, Still's artworks are in museums and private collections worldwide including the Smithsonian Institution, Governor's Mansion of Florida, Tampa International Airport and the House Chambers at the Florida House of Representatives in Tallahassee."

http://www.christopherstill.com/christopher_still_exhibitions.htm

This is a must see! His paintings are beautiful and he does so much research to get the colors and details as they really are in life. Besides a treat to the eyes and heart, it is an education about Florida, the beautiful waterways, landscapes, creatures and the people who live here.

He painted 10 murals for the House of Representatives which are a permanent collection that is displayed in the House Chambers at the State Capitol in Tallahassee. Each mural is a different time period of Florida's history. Each object painted in these beautiful murals has some signifigance about Florida. Christopher Still traveled around Florida to research the history, sketch and paint to get everything authentic. They tell a story of the people who have lived, visited, worked and died here-all loving Florida for its beauty and bounty.

Signs of Spring...

2011-02-23T09:06:00.001-05:00

Besides the fact that the kids at school are wild and are full of new energy....nature is displaying her new energy in the form of gorgeous sprouts and blossoms!

We planted this nectarine last summer

Magnolia Jane

Sweet Violet- Great in salads!

Red Maple with a lighter colored flower!

Red Maple