Dream Art Classes

Teaching kids to dream and set goals in summer art classes.

Art Class for Kids

Just finished up teaching a course at a College for Kids Camp at a local junior college.  This class was an art element class.  We had pretty limited supplies, but I feel like the kids really enjoyed it and learned a lot. All four classes made art element books and we finished five other projects as well. I forgot to take pictures of the books and impressionist paintings "with depth (SPACE).  Here are a few examples of the other projects and a sketch of two students I did one day with a little breath of time. Fun kids!

 

Family Modeling

I have to chuckle when I think of my patient family, always being asked to pose for a photo in some unusual way to help me with an illustration.  I am reaching the end of the dummy phase on a very long and loved project.  I thought I would share a few of the many many poses my family was willing to do for me. No, they don't know I am sharing them. :) And yes, they are all creative people.  Thank you family!!

New York

I have been so inundated with a project I am working on, I have not had time to blog about my trip to New York.  It was the first time I have gone there.  It may not be the place I would like to live, but I loved visiting and look forward to going again someday.

Central Park and all the buildings in that area are incredible.  My husband and I took a short carriage ride through Central Park (something he has always wanted to do).  The weather was absolutely perfect and the flowers gorgeous, especially the tulips.  My husband was there on business, so I spent several days with a new friend from New Zealand.  She was very gracious to explore some art museums with me and she loves books!  So one day we spent quite a lot of time in Barnes and Noble looking through books and chatting.

Museums we visited were the Moma, the Met, and the Neue Galleri.  All these museums have a place in the project I am currently working on so it was an added excitement to actually go there!  Seeing the Woman in Gold by Klimpt was definitely a highlight as well as Van Gogh's Starry Night.

My husband and I also took the ferry to Staten Island and saw the 911 Memorial.  It was like millions of tears falling all around the victims names--very deep sadness.  We went through the Federal Trade Commission Building and Grand Central Station, which was amazing!

We visited two churches there- Hillsong, and Times Square Church, both right off Times Square.  That was the first time I have gone through a security check to go to church, but I understand.  There were police everywhere in New York, especially near Times Square with loaded artillery.  They are not messing around. It kind of gave an uneasy feeling, especially to my New Zealand friend, who comes from a country where no one has guns.

The view from the plane when we left is something I will never forget.  We could see all the buildings and Central Park covering New York.  What an incredibly built up mass! What an intriguing place!

Here are some art highlights:

Roller Girl

I just finished this graphic novel and I was so impressed!  So many books for children don't really seem for children, but this one speaks to them in their language.  So much to take away from this story and the word and pictures worked together like a perfect symphony!

School Presentation Waaaay Out West

I just got back from a school visit waaaaaay out west in Bracketville, Texas.  What a great adventure! Bracketville is a little Texas town near the border of Mexico and near some incredible scenery.  I have lived in Texas all my life, but I have never seen actual mountains here.  Okay, they were not exactly the Rocky Mountains, but pretty awesome nonetheless.  There are some brilliant, talented kids tucked away in this historic little town and I am so thankful I had the privilege of meeting them and the very hospitable staff at Jones Elementary. I was able to share with pretty much the whole elementary as well as one high school art class.  One of the high school students there has just been accepted into Parsons in New York! My husband and I fell in love with this place!

 Before I arrived, this class had created their own version of the Supermoon cover.  Good thing my publisher did not see theirs first.  I might not have gotten the job!

 The room I presented in just happened to be decorated in a superhero theme.

  They had this nifty jail box that came in very handy.  What else do you do with your performance husband on a school presentation trip?

A Little Peek

A little peek at some work for a recent project.