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.

Incorporating a Place you Love in your Novel

I love Wisconsin. I know it's because I grew up there and now that I live in California I miss Wisconsin even more. 

I spent my first 24 years in Madison, a good size city in the south eastern part of the state. We were surrounded by lakes, green, snow, ice, and lots of layers of clothing during the grey season (which was around six months.) I celebrated many days with minor frostbite on my toes, and huddled in the basement hoping the thunderstorms wouldn't become tornadoes.

When I talk to friends that have never been to Wisconsin, they often pictures farms, cows, and overalls. Quite understandable, it is after all the dairy state. But Madison doesn't fit that description. It is the capital of the state, with a Washington D.C. capital replica in the center of the city. It also has an enormous university (go Badgers!) If you grow up on the West side of Madison, it was a no-no to go to the East side of Madison, and visa-versa. Can you hear the West Side Story music in your head?

So, why do I sit here and reminisce? Because I miss it. But also because I've incorporated Madison into my novel. Three-quarters of my entire book is set there. I get to dive into my memories and explore a place that shaped who I am today. It brings my childhood to the surface which helps me remember what it feels like to be a teenager in love, in pain, lost, and angry.

The masters say to write what you know, including setting. The more I tap into where I'm from, the stronger my characters become, and their setting becomes a character in of itself.

Fostering Children’s Love of Art & Animals

I have yet to meet a first grader that doesn't love animals and art. I've worked with a lot of students to come to this conclusion. This past year has taught me how important creative expression is to our youth, and how creative time is dwindling for them. So many elementary schools in the U.S. don’t have art rooms, let alone art teachers. Some teachers are able to incorporate art into their curriculum, but it sounds like it’s getting harder and harder to do that, and adhere to strict state-wide standardized tests. 

Giving kids a place where there isn’t a right or wrong answer, or good or bad solution, is healthy and necessary. How else will people be able to think-outside-the-box? So instead of complaining, I decided to start an after school art program at my children’s elementary school. And all I can say is that children around me are starving for art.

  

It takes a few classes before my students get excited by the words “free draw,” which I start most of my classes with to get their creative brains working. At first, many look at me for answers, they beg me to tell them what to draw, like they’re afraid to try and fail. But, once they get into the groove, there’s no stopping them. They can’t wait for free draw. I hear muffled giggles. I see big grins.

My favorite drawing exercise is one that was inspired years ago by an illustrator being interviewed on National Public Radio. I place long pieces of drawing paper on four tables. Each paper is given a title across the top: “Fish on Parade,” “Insects Everywhere,” “Reptiles Wearing Hats,” and so on. I break the kids into four groups and give them three to five minutes at each paper. They are supposed to draw whatever the title inspires.  Often it takes two rounds for the kids to get ideas. I usually add a little something on each paper to help get the wheels turning.

I’ve started to expand my art program to weekend workshops, and summer camp. I only take seven students at a time and invite kids from 6-13 years of age. Being a wildlife artist, I incorporate animals in many of the projects I do with my students.

I figure with a little effort we can inspire a child that loves art and animals, to continue to love art and animals. Earth knows we need environmentally passionate kids now more than ever.

I Hooked a Teen!

I can't believe it. I hooked a teen! Thank you Brenda Drake for the contest opportunity.


I'm so excited. To have a seasoned, well-read, well-written teen enjoy my first 250 words is so cool. Of course my writing partner had to let me know, since I was.....painting! Yes, I got my butt in gear and painted today. 


Okay, so those of you who weren't at this contest and are writers, check out this resource, Teen Eyes Editorial Services. Smart young women!


I'll update and let you all know how my critique goes from Kate. I have to decide whether to have her critique my query + ten pages, or 20,000 words. Decisions, decisions. 

Can you Hook a Teen - Blogfest Contest

First 250 Words

Title: The Lion Within

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction

By: Rachel A. Dillon

Insects were scattered across the outside of the shower curtain. Renna ignored them, and focused on the inconsistent stream of water splashing her head. The shower would only last a few minutes, and her lengthy mane of hair took most of the water to clean. She had her mother’s thick locks, and despite the inconvenience, she wouldn’t dream of cutting it short. Every time she brushed it she reminded herself, like a mantra, she wasn’t her mother. Only five more showers in Kenya, she thought, and then she, and her dad, would return to California to start her junior year in high school.

The last soap suds rinsed away just before the water ran out. After two years in Africa, Renna had the timing down to the second. She grabbed her towel and tapped the curtain. Bugs took to the air or fell to the ground. All but one departed, an insect the size of Renna’s pointer finger. She tried to flick the straggler off multiple times but it wouldn’t budge. With her usual curiosity she moved to the other side of the curtain to take a closer look. The beetle was bright purple with long antennae. She’d never seen one like it. She leaned in to admire its textures. Paper thin, iridescent wings were folded across its flat back.

It tilted its head to look at her and then took flight, bouncing off her cheek.

Startled, Renna shrieked, and fell backwards hitting her funny bone against the wooden divider 

A Couple of Writing Contests

Here are a couple of writing contests I'm putting on my calendar:) Great motivators and since I can't keep anything straight on my calendar, this blog is a reminder place for me.

Operation Awesome Mystery Agent- September 15 - usually a one sentence pitch, but I've only entered a couple of times. I'm sure some of my fellow writer friends know more about this.

Brenda Drake's - Can you Hook a Teen? Blogfest Contest - First 250 words of your YA or MG, Sept. 21-23

Holy Resource Batman!

I follow a lot of blogs, not daily, but often enough to realize when one of my favorites hasn't updated in three weeks. I'm talking about the old blog for the Guide to Literary Agents. So, I went-a-searchin'. The URL indeed had changed and when I linked to the new one, HOLY RESOURCE BATMAN!


I came across a great article about 6 Keys to Revising Your Fiction, by Kristina McBride. What is also cool is along the right hand side of this blog is a blog roll that lists oodles of Agent blog sites. 


And now that I'm getting into Twitter (yes, a little late in the game,) I'm going to see how many agents tweet and try to follow those too. I've been told by several other writers that I need to know twitter, sigh, so I signed up this week.