Falling Leaves - celebrating the changing season with art

My favorite part of the workshops happens after everyone leaves and I'm left to stare at the creations. Don't judge:) I mean the statement in the best possible way.

During a workshop I get caught up in the intensity and energy in the classroom as students work on their pieces. I love it. And then when it becomes quiet and empty I organize the drying paintings and view them one at a time. It never fails. I'm repeatedly amazed at what is before me. Every piece is beautiful. Every artist shares a little bit of their magic and paints something only they could paint, and what a gift that I get, to witness that moment.

Acrylic - Fourth Grader

Acrylic - Eighth Grader

Acrylic - First Grader

Acrylic - Fourth Grader

Watercolor - Fourth Grader

Acrylic - Third Grader

Watercolor - Second Grader

Acrylic - Fourth Grader

Acrylic - Second Grader

Watercolor, Resistant - Fourth Grader

Acrylic - Fourth Grader 

Acrylic - Fifth Grader

Acrylic - Fourth Grader

Acrylic - Third Grader

Session Three Art Camp

Four of my students and their week of creativity

Each art camp session bodes new and exciting creations. This past week I had a wonderful group of artists not only visually but verbally as well. When a glue stick ran out, one student said we should have a gluneral for it. Of course this idea stuck and so when a marker ran out we gave it a markuneral.

I know I've written before the glory of watching students explore who they are through their art, but every day I work with kids I'm reminded of it. Every child is different. How they see color, shape, design is different. Never is it right or wrong, it just is what it is and no one can help but be successful every day when they have that attitude.

So, enjoy this sampling of children's projects. One week and so much brightness and life!


Watercolor Pencils - 6th Grader

Marker and water - 1st Grader

Marker and water - 4th Grader

Acrylic Paint - 3rd Grader

Acrylic and Crayon - 2nd Grader



Watercolor and Salt Collage - 3rd Grader

Watercolor and Crayon and Glue - 6th Grader

Acrylic Paint - 4th Grader

Watercolor and Crayon - 1st Grader

Art Camp Tuesday

Well, I have some extremely fun and talented artists in my first session summer art camp. I promised the students that I would post three pieces today. Everyone will get a chance to be on the blog. It's just fun to let the kids wonder who will be up on the site:)

The Proud Rooster by Emmy (11 years old) The students painted two sheets in watercolors and then drew the pieces over the paint, cut it out and pasted into a collage. I LOVE this project!

Perspective (Kat, 11 years old) This was teaching the kids about foreground and background. Getting students  to bleed off the edges of a paper is very challenging. I thought this was a great project to show the illusion of distance.

Reflection (Haley, 9 years old) Colored pencil on top, watercolor paint on the bottom, spectacular effect. Haley's piece is so vibrant in person. I love how she just let go in the reflection.

Hayden's Reflection (11 year old)

ARTitude Kids Workshop

I ran my first ARTitude Kids workshop this past weekend. Seven kids ranging from the ages of seven to ten came to my house to complete one painting. With that age gap I was concerned I'd created a piece too difficult to mimic.


My goal was to have the kids think about texture, color transition, moving the eye through a composition, and layering colors.

Leah - 5th Grader

Half way through the project, as I was walking around to help my students I thought, crap, this project was too hard. The kids weren't getting it. I had them squinting to see  if there were enough dark colors and contrasting light colors, many of them couldn't see that there weren't. Some of them wanted to stop at that point, and it was my job to show them there is more to a painting than the top layer.

I began to grab the kids brushes and show them how and where to add the color. I wanted the kids to create something their parents would be psyched about hanging in their house. I know, unnecessary pressure to place on the kids. 


With thirty minutes left of the class, I breathed a sigh of relief, the kids were layering their colors. Their paintings were their interpretations of my example, and they were all unique and beautiful.

Nicholas - 3rd Grader

It was a reminder of what I go through as an artist every time I do a painting. Half-way through my paintings I hate what I'm working on. I think I suck. I wonder if the painting should be thrown away and I should start over. I keep going, because I can't stand walking away from an unfinished piece. The areas I can improve and expand upon begin to stick out. I keep going and before I know it, I fall in love with my painting, glad I stuck with it.

It is that extra push that turns an average piece of art into something really wonderful, in my opinion. It's like baking, if it is under-cooked it's messy, if it's over-cooked it's ruined.

Anyway, I am very proud of my students. They didn't give up, and wow did they come up with some incredible pieces.