When the Skills Aren't There

I have mentioned lately that if people are intimidated by teaching visual arts that they should practice. Well, here is the other side of the coin - teaching music scares me!!! So much. I had the chance recently to see my son perform at Vanier Hall with his choir and although it was such a neat experience, you could tell that there were differences between choirs, quality wise. I'm afraid that one day I will be that person, lacking the skills to teach music and doing it anyway. Unlike visual arts, I feel music is a place where there is some natural born skill required. A music teacher once told me that tone deafness is determined between 3 and 5 years old. All people are born with tone range but depending on what they are exposed to in relation to tone, that can go away around these ages. Unfortunately I have a bit of tone deafness. Not completely but I definitely lack the skills to teach. What do you do in these situations? Maybe those are the times you look to parents. I have an amazing friend that is a stay at home mom who loves to volunteer in the schools and is an incredible singer with a lot of experience. Maybe I'll luck out and find one of those people to help, it is always worth asking. This is a great way to involve family and community in the classroom and school.

Right now I am switching gears to holiday mode. Homework and classes are done and I have a smile on my face. I came across this video this morning and it brought tears to my eyes, it is so beautiful! Please check out this acapella version of "The Little Drummer Boy" by Pentonix. It inspires me to find a way to reach those kids who have amazing skills and need the experience.

Merry Christmas all, especially to my classmates. I hope that you all have a wonderful, relaxing holidays, see you all in January!

X-Tails and X-dreams

This evening I received a special delivery. A friend of mine delivered the first book of a series that her husband wrote.

The X-Tails: Join tis adventurous group of best friends on their thrilling journeys as you learn about friendship, sports, safety and the importance of being a role model. This first book, The X-Tails Snowboard at Shred Park is great. It has a great story, amazing art work and even a moral. Good times. I will definitely be purchasing the rest of these series as they publish them, and can't wait to introduce my kids to new adventures of skateboarding, BMXing, heli-skiing, surfing and mountain biking.

When I see someone following their dream and giving up everything to make it happen I can't help but be inspired by Larry Fielding. I used to have dreams of writing a kids book, even have collections of pages that were going to be my first short novel. I'm not sure if that is my dream anymore but still, it is inspiring. Perhaps when we have more time (Christmas? Summer?) I will take an opportunity to consider further the X-Tails and my ex dreams. For now, I'm going to finish up some assignments and take some time aside to read my kids a cool new book.

Those Who Can't...don't tell.

So I recently made a post about an art experience in school that had a huge impact on me and so I thought that I should mention a course that had an equally huge impact on my love of art. It kind of relates to my last post :) For the second half of grade 10 I went to school in Saskatchewan and because I had already taken Art 10 I took Art 11 in my new school. This course was incredible!! I learned two things in this course and fell in love with doing art. I think that the teacher in my previous class had artistic ability (the learn to draw on the right side of the brain teacher) but she never showed it to us. This teacher was an artist and he was not afraid to let us know. In this class I spent half of the year doing watercolour painting and then the other half doing pottery. I learned this from a man named Ken Guenter who is a watercolour painter and a potter (go figure!).

I think that you can learn math from someone who hates math but it will be harder and you might not learn it as well. The same goes for any subject. I think that anyone can teach art but I think we are much more likely for students to get excited about art if you love it...and actually do it! So this is my theory, if you hate art, try to do some and see if you can grow some fondness (Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain?) If that is something you REALLY don't want to do, at least do the art project before you have your students do it (maybe you  will find it is fun and decide you still hate art but love doing this project). And keep in mind, this is all my theory, don't put to much credit in it. If you can't do any of these things: FAKE IT "TIL YOU MAKE IT. That's it. I think that is actually my theory with all subjects. If you can't stand a subject, don't let your students know. Fake it and maybe one day you will love it, and at the very least, you will not spread your hatred to your students.

For now, I will say that Ken Guenter was one of the greatest teachers that I've ever had. He loved what he taught, he did it well, he taught skills, he made us work for our finished products, he often made us start from scratch and do paintings 10 different times...these rough drafts were actually a requirement for some assignments. He taught me that art skills are just that, skills. They can be built up and refined by anyone. I am taking those theories with me to all areas of education.

Mrs. Aaslie, You Rock!

Well, lately I have been focusing on the Art Show...and inspiration. I thought I would combine those thoughts today and talk about what inspired me in the art show :) My cohort did, of course! All of you facilitated amazing projects in your class. Beautiful, meaningful projects. Recently a teacher in my school asked me what I thought of my cohort - what kind of people they are. I was proud to say that I think that you are all great. I said that we work together well and that I think that there are soooo many great teachers in the cohort, they really make me happy about the future for students. I might have not sounded quite as gushy as that sounded but really, that is the truth, I have come to respect you all so much. This event really enforced that respect for all of you.

As an example, Mrs. Aaslie rocked this art show. Now, Laura inspires me all the time. She is a great teacher, amazingly dedicated student and a loving mother. She has given so much to be here in Prince George and in the end, it will be her students that get the advantage from that price paid because she is going to be such an amazing teacher. Her art work that she brought to the show was amazing. Inspired. Beautiful. Every piece of art was frame worthy and some were far more than that.

If that wasn't enough, there is more! There was a really great lesson to accompany this art. Students were able to learn about identity, First Nations culture and hard work, among many other lessons I'm sure. It was such a neat experience to hear Laura talk about each of her students and their process towards their masterpieces. You could tell that she was invested into each and every one of them. 

So, kudos to you Mrs. Aaslie. You have inspired me and many others. 

Right Side, My Friend

I first started to believe that everyone has artistic ability in high school, this belief came in relation to a school art class. I did the majority of this program when I was in grade 4 and then did it again in grade 10 and I absolutely love it.

If you have never done it, I encourage you to do it. If you think that you lack artistic ability, do this in your spare time. That might sound lame but I am serious. If you "can't" draw but can honestly say that there is a chance that you may have not invested time into this before deciding you "can't", I think that this is a valid thing to do in your down time (lol - down time). In the beginning of the program you draw a face and then you do a ton of assignments that seem to have no value (in the eyes of a child). You cover perspective, shadow, symmetry, among others. At the end of it you draw the same face again and see your progress. I encourage you to google "Drawing on the RIght Side of the Brain" and see the before and after photos. When thinking about this I though "I have some stuff from this program in my portfolio" and so I decided to check. It turns out that I have the WHOLE program worth of assignments saved. I am not sure if I have even one other thing from my elementary or secondary schooling but I have this whole course full of assignments, that is saying something in support of this program, right there! This is my before and after of my faces.

At 14, this evidence of developing skill blew me away and developed my philosophy on artistic ability. It was so neat to see some people in the class go from one extreme to another. I think that this program has a completely valid place in school, especially intermediate classes and secondary. I will also re-iterate what I said in the beginning: If you are reading this from the perspective of a teacher that is freaked out of art - pick up a copy from the library and try this!! I am hoping to find bucket loads of extra time over Christmas and do it again.

While I was looking through this course of assignments I found this picture. I was talking with a classmate about this technique so I thought I would throw it in. It is created with making tiny dots of ink (we had an old school pot of ink and pen that you dip in - I thought that it was the coolest). I think that it is called pointillism.

Inspiration

When I was on practicum a couple of the teachers in the school told me about this great blog called "That Artist Woman". I LOVE this blog. She has so many wonderful projects that are totally do-able in the classroom and as an added bonus are really nice looking finished products. Another thing that I really like is that the projects are categorized into seasons and also into medias. Such a great resource! I couldn't leave it without a picture so I will add this one - I can't wait to do this project one day. It involves a wet on wet watercolour painting technique, which is great, but my favourite part is that the trees are painted using a blowing technique where you move the paint around by blowing through a straw. Can you even imagine the different things you could link this to? How seasons change, forces of nature (wind), creating with different techniques...PLUS it is gorgeous!

Time Well Spent

I have to say - there were times that I didn't LOVE the process of planning the Art Show. Don't get me wrong, I felt it was a completely valid event and experience but there was something about trying to get a whole class of people to give honest input into things like date, refreshments, budget etc. It seemed like it was hard to be heard, hard to come to decisions and hard to discuss anything without it sounding like we were arguing and complaining (which we have all made a pointed effort not to do). Everyone had such valid concerns or desires, it is so difficult for 28 people to go from nothing to a planned event by discussion.

HOWEVER, the event was awesome. I think that it came together so well. Everyone had such unique and beautiful projects, the snacks were sufficient, the violin playing was really great (one of my favourite moments was seeing a students holding her baby sister in her lap, sitting in a chair right in front of the violin player and just mesmerized - I was most inspired by the "art" of that moment), the decorations were wonderful. I was so impressed with the graciousness of the whole cohort to all of the visiting students and families. Everyone was eager to jump in and help students find their project or talk to visitors about their own projects. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole three hours. It was neat to see it go up so fast and equally neat to see it come down so fast - like a pretty little moment in time.

Class Masterpiece

I was really happy with the piece that my students created for the Art Show. The last week of practicum I was able to embrace Remembrance Day in my grade one class by focusing on a theme of peace. We had done multiple lessons embracing the theme and a few different art projects.

For this lesson I had my students paint a sunset sky together. We went out in groups of four, each group painted one colour and had to be mindful of what others painted before them and what others were going to paint after them. We used Peter Reynolds book Sky Color to inspire creativity while painting a sky with colours other than blue. On a side note - I just LOVE Peter Reynolds books. The students traced their hands to their elbows and cut them out to create a forest of trees at the bottom. We talked at length about how alone we are each an individual but together we create something bigger, a "forest" or a community. We talked about how we feel when someone is missing or is not wanting to be a part of our group. We feel like there is something missing, like there is a hole. I really enjoyed the lessons and really love the project that they created. 

Wonderings from a Hippy Heart

A few weeks ago a classmate mentioned that I am approaching this blog like a hippy, that I am trying to find beauty in everything and just talk about it. He said it in a "no offence" sort of way but little did he know, even if offence was meant, I will take it as a compliment. You see, if having a "beauty is everywhere" sort of approach is my crime then I am okay with that. In fact, that is kind of who I aim to be. So welcome to the most hippyish post you will read on here. It may sound like I'm joking but this may get a little personal so if you are reading this today to get some inspiration for an elementary art project, look away, today all I have is wonderings from my hippy heart.

I started this practicum differently than most. I started by stopping. Not just practicum, but life. The morning of October 21st, just as I was about to get my kids off to their care facilities so that I could start my first day of practicum bright and early, my life came to a halt. You know those moments when you know something has happened but you think that there is no way it could be true without confirmation? It was one of those moments. About 5 minutes later, when I was doing a final mirror check on my way out the door, the phone rang and my fears were confirmed. My brother Joe had passed away. My brother (in law) had been fighting a horrific battle with pancreatic cancer. This man....this man was much more than a brother in law. This man had been my big brother, my comforter, my friend, since I was seven. He was a such a big part of every phase of my life, from childhood, through my teen years and then, when I became an adult he became an anchor, in my life and in the lives of my family. Although I know some amazing men, in my heart there has only ever been four. My Grandpa, who was a light in my life; my husband, who is my other half; my father, who is my guide; and my brother Joe, who has always been a pillar in my life.

So what does this have to do with art? Well here comes the "peace and love" aspect of my thoughts. What is art? I feel that there are some criteria by which I judge all things to consider if they are art or not. First: Does it make me feel? Does it make me feel good, scared, happy, abandoned, alone, a part of something....does it make me feel anything???? I could stop right here, because this question is the basis for many other questions. Do I value it? Do I think that the world is better, deeper, for hearing the message contained in it? So this all leads to the question that I have been pondering...can I consider our lives art?

Is there any way that WE are the medium, our actions the equivalent of brush strokes on a canvas? Do the things we do send a message, open to interpretation by the beholder of our art?

I have to tell you, I think that Joe's life was a work of art. This man was not great in the way that traditional people consider greatness. He was not abundantly successful to the point of obscene wealth. He was not a public figure. He did not surround himself with hoards of people. But this man was great. He did things that stopped you in your tracks and made you reconsider everything. He was well known for being able to drop a couple of words (an by a couple I really do mean just a couple) into a conversation to create hilarious humour - mostly through puns. Does this sounds "great"? Nope. But the way he did it was. People could have been heartbroken or depressed, or just disconnected, and with only a couple of words he could bring them in, make them smile, and most of all, reconsider where they were at. This man would drop anything for those that he loved. He would take a child skating, sledding, teach her to drive a stick shift (properly...she knew how to drive it, just not properly), he would fix her car, he would give her a place to live, he was a friend, he was an anchor. On more than one occasion, when I was sick or super pregnant and I would look outside to see him de-icing my driveway because he didn't want me to slip. Once I saw him doing this in the early morning, when it was still dark out. "Well, this guy sounds like a giver," you may say. That's the funny thing, most of the world thought he was...well, they certainly didn't think he was a giver. Most of the people in his life had no idea whatsoever how much he was taking care of everyone in his world. He did most things silently, without recognition. He would most often deny anything that he had done that would bring attention to himself, saying flat out that he would never do these things. I feel like I cannot put into words even a fraction of the amazingness that he did. When I read over what I have wrote it reads like a ingredients list of shepherd's pie - there is nothing in particular that moves me. I have to tell you though, he was an enigma, and he ALWAYS moved me.

When he and my sister had a son I saw a new and amazing side of him. It is a lovely thing to see someone you love in a different light. To see my brother, tough as nails, become a father, was incredible. He protected his son with his whole being, he loved him and invested into him with everything he had. He fell in love with my nephew. When I had a son I got to see Joe in a whole new light yet again. I realized how much he loved me when I realized how much he loved my child. I wouldn't say he loved him like his own child but I would say that he loved him in a way that is more than family - a deep connection and investment. He became and incredible god father to my three children.

Like I said, not every one fell in love with him, not every one saw his goodness, but I think that is how it is with art. I think that two people can look on the same piece and one can fall to their knees and another can keep on walking. I looked at his life, the intricate details, and I was moved. Every day I was moved. I loved knowing him in his life and it broke me to see him in his death. For six months I saw a man that I adored waste away. I saw someone strong, healthy, fit, turn to someone I didn't believe could be the body of a 42 year old man. What I didn't see, was a diminishing of spirit. The last time I got to spend alone with him I fed him. The first meal he ate in a few days and one of his last. He was stubborn, he was funny, he was independent, he let me love him, he let me help him, it broke my heart and uplifted it at the same time. To see a man who was always doing for others and not letting anyone help him, allow me to feed him, it altered my universe.

So...maybe it's a lie. Maybe my heart's wonderings are just lies. Maybe our lives are not artwork. Maybe I am just a broken person who wanted to talk about my brother. However, I have been pondering these thoughts for six months and needed to put them somewhere and where else to put your pondering of life being art than on an art blog? And really, the point is not if we can agree that life is art the point is really, isn't it worth living it in a way that when you are gone someone might consider that your life was a masterpiece?

For now, I consider it true, life is art. The lives of those I love are art. I feel like I am standing in a gallery, hung with some of the most incredible works of art that could ever be. However, for this time...I can't help but stand in front of a gaping hole on the wall. I know that the works around it are great but as people bustle past me and life is happening, I am just staring at this hole where a wonderful painting once hung. I know that in time I will be able to take a step back and enjoy the whole gallery but for now I can't. I know that I will be able to step back in time because there are other holes...there are the holes of friends who died too young, of grandparents who nurtured my soul, of my first, third and fifth children who passed on before I could hold them...holes. Big holes. Holes that I stood in front of for a long time before moving on. Holes that I still see but when I glance int their direction I also see the art that once hung there. Beautiful art. In time I will take a step back and the hole that is now consuming me will not hurt as much. Oh, it will always hurt but I won't stand here. I will walk past and remember what was once here...I will smile when I remember the beauty. But for now, for now those smiles come with so many tears.

Never to be Forgotten
2.28.71 to 10.21.13

It's a Dandy World...or is it?

It is weird how things that are common place all of a sudden become popular! For instance, the Dandelion. When I was a child I love blowing Dandelion seeds all over the place, or tickling a sibling with them. Like all weeds are to children, I thought that it was pure beauty. In time we are taught that weeds are are not beauty. It happens in a million different ways. A "bouquet" of beautiful weeds that gets put outside instead of proudly displayed, witnessing or even being asked to help your mother pull all of the wonderful weeds out from her garden of vegetables (which, by the way, are not nearly as pretty), to witnessing obsessions with getting rid of weeds off of lawns. It happens in a million different ways but the end result is the same. Most of us, by the time we are adults, believe that weeds are nothing but a pain in the butt.

When I was a child I was dead set on loving weeds. I would not pull them, I would "transplant" them to a place where they were allowed to live. I would pick them, bugs and all, and proudly display vases all over our house (until they were found and thrown out). I really did love them. I REALLY loved the Dandelion full of seeds, but oddly enough, my mother didn't like it in her house. However, as a parent, I don't love vacuuming up seeds that have been used to tickle a sibling or blown all over the house and through time....I have become a weed hater :( It has turned out that my mother the world has passed her its dismay to me. I noticed this one day when I drove up to my house and saw all the dandelions and wondered if I should "weed and feed" my lawn while my son mentioned out loud that he thought we had a beautiful lawn, if we could just get rid of the grass and somehow grow more dandelions. Its a funny little world we live in where perspectives can change on a dime.

Back to my original point though - all of a sudden, Dandelions ready to seed are EVERYWHERE. They are used to get the message of sayings across....

They are used to adorn walls....

In all, they are celebrated....

In fact, Dandelions are everywhere these days, it almost makes me not like them for the simple reason that they are too popular! That was, until I cam across this photo, the first one that I posted on this entry...

I talked a while ago about how I have been challenged as to what this blog is supposed to inspire me to feel when I talked about a kids movie that inspires me to cry. Although the dandelion is over used this picture inspires me to feel exactly how I feel. Like I'm drowning, like something that is not supposed to happen is happening and I'm falling apart and that I am helpless but in the midst of it, there is beauty. 

....I had written some other stuff here but I am going to erase it because it got super real, super fast. I am going to leave it at that I guess.

Beauty as Care

This post will not have any pictures...which is weird because it is all about pictures and pieces of art. I have been interested lately in the art that hangs in places where emotions are high. Most of my last few weeks have been spent in the Hospice House here in Prince George and in the Paediatrics wing of the hospital. There are two things that these places have in common. First they are places that you never want to be, and second, they have a lot of art. I am more partial to the art that is in the Peads wing but that is just a preference. The art there is bright and happy and is a wonderful encouragement when you are going through a hard time as a child or extremely concerned about your own child, as a parent or family member. There is pictures of cartoons, wonderful and happy forrest pictures, paintings of local scenery such as children playing at Ft. George Park. The Hospice House also has a lot of art. There are calming pictures of beautiful (but muted) forests, carvings that show local talents and more angels of every style of art than I have ever seen in one place. The majority of these pieces in both places have been donated by different individuals and companies in the community. There are many of them that have been donated in memory of loved ones.

It has been interesting to me to think about the way we show people that we care about them and have sympathy for their circumstances. Most of the time, we give art. Whether it is a beautiful card or a painting, or a park bench with a carving on it, they are all forms of beauty that we give as care. It must be that our own human nature tells us that when we were in those circumstances we would have really loved to see a little more beauty, something that reassures us that all is right with the world.

I have to say, of all of the art that I have taken note of in the past month, I can pick my favourite without hesitation. There was a really big painting in the Paeds wing that portrayed four popular TV kids shows like "Toopy and Beeno" and "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That" (I can't remember what the other two were). What I found interesting is that this painting was donated in memory of a child that died very young. I love that this family thought about what other children going through medical turmoil would like to see, and found or made art that catered to those needs. I am a religious person and find a lot of comfort in my faith in God but I have to say, walking around a room with someone who is terminal and is in there last days, seeing an angel on every surface is not really comforting.

So now I start the debate: how will I grieve, what kind of art will help me down this path when I lose one of my most loved people? Perhaps a quilt, as I have already expressed is my form of choice. However, what I think this particular space needs is a huge painting of a beautiful sunset or a gorgeous view of sun coming through trees in a forrest made of strong trees, or maybe a fall scene. I'm not sure if I can create one of these things but I am quite sure that if I were to ever spend more time in a place like this I would like to look on art that makes me smile, the same way that cartoon painting does for my child.

Bully Bully!

There are many ways to promote different ideas to students; lessons, teachable moments, cultural performances, among many others. There are some lessons, however, that you want to cross through all lessons and all teachable moments, and all experiences in school. These social / emotional lessons and values need to be a part of everything we do in school.

Today I was in my practicum class and there was a cultural performance by the Story Theatre Company out of Victoria. This group is excellent, but what makes it even better, is that this group promotes the same social / emotional encouragements as we do in the school, the W.I.T.S program. For those not familiar with this program, it's like many out there, WITS stands for the suggested game play when you encounter bullying. First you walk away, then you try to ignore the situation, you try to talk it out and then in the end if nothing else is working, you seek help.

The group was very well presented and had a funny script, it was definitely worth it. I like that we can use arts to present ideas and curriculum to students. It inspired a conversation this evening about cultural events and different ones that we have seen. While it is nice to have the students entertained, it is hard to gauge what they are getting out of the event. Today, for instance, the actors were so funny and entertaining, the kids were laughing hysterically. However, there were times that they were laughing so hard that they missed the point and kept on laughing when the actors were getting bullied by others. So the question is this, can they still get the message when they are too busy being entertained to really listen? What is better, a good message or a good delivery?

For now I'll just say, it was a great show. The only downside is that I have a "Bully Bully" stuck in my head (a catchy tune set to "Louie, Louie")!   :)

"Spirit"

Sometimes I approach this blog with one basic question in mind: "What inspires me?" Well, sometimes this question is just too vague and to be truthful, I can't think of a single answer. I think that I need to ask the question, "inspires me to WHAT?" What do I want to be inspired to do? Often I think, what inspires me to smile? What inspires me to feel good? What inspires me to want to do better in life? The problem is, this isn't realistic! I am not going to just feel good things and sometimes, these warm and fuzzy feelings aren't what is appropriate to feel. So my question today is, "What inspires me to cry, to feel torn?" Why would I want to feel these things? You see, I am a big believer in being strong when strength is needed. I'm a big fan of never wavering when things are falling apart. Now, this doesn't always happen but when there is an opportunity to break down, I usually am the strongest. I think that is how it is with a lot of people, you do what you have to do to get by. The problem is that you store up all sorts of sadness that really needs to get out. So, I have a "go to" thing that I can do when I need to cry, to let emotion flow. It may be completely different than most people though, it is a kids animated movie. The movie "Spirit" gets me every time. I don't just get a little sad during this movie, it wrecks me. If you have never seen this movie (or maybe even if you have) this may sound strange. I first saw the movie during a time in my life when one of the people that I love the most was given only weeks to live because of a diagnosis of breast cancer. Every night for a long time I watched this movie and cried, but during the day I was a rock. I am so happy that the doctors were wrong that time and my mother is now 10 years cancer free. I'm not sure if it is these background circumstances that make this movie so emotional, or if it is just that I find the story incredibly heartbreaking, but when I think of what inspires me to cry, this is it.

So what do you think? Is inspired to cry a definition of a work of art that inspires? Can a DreamWorks movie for kids be considered a work of art? I feel that in art there is two distinct roles: the creator and the interpreter. There is a (good) chance that this movie was created to be entertainment for children. I think that along the way there were people in the creation process that wanted to portray raw emotion and heartbreak but that may have not been the vision of everyone involved. I also think that there are other interpreters (movie watchers) who will see this as nothing more than a cartoon. To me, this movie is amazing because of the emotion it can evoke.

If you ever need a good cry, give it a shot. And if you need a good cry in the next couple of days, feel free to join me, because once again I feel myself in need of a good "Spirit" night. Just kidding. I would never watch this movie with someone, it is not the type of crying you do in a crowd!

Letters to Amuse

Yesterday I had the opportunity to experience a different kind of art than I usually do!

I think that I have only been to one other play put on by Theatre North West here in Prince George but when the opportunity presented itself to spend a season going to plays with some of my favourite people I was excited for it. Yesterday we went to the season opener play, "Letter From Wingfield Farm". I have tell you, this one many show was amazing.

Not only did I find Rod Beattie and his acting amazing, it brought back so many memories of funny anecdotes from farm life and small town living. Funny enough, it also brought back memories of this exact play. It wasn't until a particularly funny line in the first act that I realized that I knew this play. It had been televised when I was a teenager and I remember watching it with my father and laughing and enjoying it. I thought that the actors where strikingly similar but when I got home I googled it and found out that not only were they similar, they were the same man! I also found out fun information (that is so readily available on the wonderful internet), like the fact that Rod Beattie was recognized in 2010 for having been in various plays from this series over 4000 times!! And I thought that it was a crazy coincidence to see it twice!

I would say that any person would only throw their life into a play the way that this man has if he truely loves it, and it is obvious from the phenomenal acting that he indeed does. So I say well done, Theatre North West, well done Rod Beattie! I am excited to see what TNW will have to come in the next three plays of the season.

Mache Much?

Last year I was inspired by my little brother to create a fun project for my children to enjoy! I have four brothers and not one of them has ever wanted to do anything artistic. I love hands on projects and they REALLY did not want to take part in them. So, I was pretty excited by the effort that he wanted to put into the birthday party for his son who was turning four. He wanted to make and decorate a cake (with me! I finally got to do a hands on project with a brother!) but also wanted to do a treasure hunt for the kids. He had an idea that he wanted to do dinosaur eggs so we came up with the idea that he would make miniature pinatas and make them look like dinosaur eggs. So, like a big sister, I told him how to do it...and then made him do it by himself! And he did amazing at it and the kids LOVED it so much. Here is a photo of them with their smashed pinatas enjoying a bunch of candy!

So of course, my kids wanted pinatas as the "grab bags" at their birthday! This projects was super time consuming but SO fun! Like my brothers, I have a husband that although wonderful, does not like to do art projects with me (shocker). However, this was a project that he could get into. I'm not sure if it is because he was more confident or if it was because the finished product was for our children, but my husband was completely excited willing to help out! I loved being able to do a project with him! So here are Nikles's Pokemon "grab bags".....

And here are Owen's Angry Bird's "grab bags".....

So now birthdays are approaching and they want (guess...) more pinata grab bags! I think that this year I am going to do them all at once...yup - I think I will make 45 mini pinatas over the Christmas break (I need some extras just in case). I wonder what is in store this year. Considering one set will be for my little girl I think maybe some Hello Kitty ones...maybe Dora ones? 

The project, though time consuming, is so fun. It inspires me to see where else I can use Paper Mache in the classroom with my students. Paper mache solar systems? Paper mache...self portraits? 

What a Wonderful World

I love that we can integrate art into every subject to make it more engaging and expressive, or even just bring a smile to a class! Last semester when I was doing my practicum I was teaching a unit in light and I have to say - I didn't find it terribly interesting. I know, gasp! School work not interesting? It's not that it wasn't valid information, it just all seemed like common sense. One of the things that I'm challenging my self to think about is that common sense only becomes common sense with some background information....so all this "common sense" teaching is important. Does that make sense? Anyways, I wanted my students to be excited so we did fun hands on stuff and I wanted them to feel encouraged to play with light. Like most classes, we had a projector in ours...and as soon as that thing was on, there was some kid who just had to get up and get something and "accidentally" create a shadow of themselves, a peace sign, a bunny...you know, that common things :) I used this video to introduce light and at the end of the lesson, if they were done their work they were able to come and have at the projector to try to recreate some of the things that they say. Most of them had no idea who Louis Armstrong is so the first part was a little lost on them but I guess that is to be expected. The kids loved it and as it was the first lesson that I taught them...they liked me a little more too! WIN!

Reminders on a Wall

The weather is changing and the air is turning crisp and as it always does this time of year, my mind is wondering down a path that involves all the joys that winter brings. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking forward to the icy roads and the scraping windshields and the days when your body aches after one breath of the chilly air but lets be real, there is beauty in every season! I can't help but think of days spent sledding with all of my brothers and my sister, and now, as an adult, helping my children create those same memories. I think of hot chocolate and cuddling up with a warm blanket and a good book. I think of Christmas of course!!! And...I think of home. I think of the home that I grew up in with loving parents who taught me about love, about faith and about life. When I first started to think of a picture that encompasses these feelings I would have assumed that I would choose a family picture in a winter setting but instead, I couldn't help but think of a few paintings. For quite a few years my parents bought a painting every year at Christmas from an organization called Focus on the Family. In time we built up a collection of works by an artist named G. Harvey. His western paintings have amazing depictions of cowboy life and nature; but it is the turn-of-the-century American and European scenes that play with light and convey heartwarming messages that get me this time of year.

This painting is called "Unto the Least of These" and is my very favourite painting. 

I know when one of the other paintings comes down off of the wall and this one replaces it, that Christmas is officially on its way. I love the play of light in this piece but what gets me is the message. It is a message of giving and such a good reminder in a time of year that so often gets super busy and messages get lost. I don't necessarily think that this piece is the best painting that I've ever seen and it is not even a style of painting that I love. However, I love it! I love the home that it connects me with, the parents that I adore, the siblings that I love, the faith that defines me, the season that I love to celebrate and a message that I want to pass to my children. 

I would love to have this piece in my home. I picture a day that one of my children might curl up on a couch with a blanket made by someone they love. They can have a drink that makes them feel warm and safe and look at this painting and remember that they are blessed. Most of all I hope that they consider that not everyone is blessed in the same way and to remember others during the holiday season.

OK Go!!

I wanted to talk about music today, how it can make you feel and and how amazing it can be, but when I started to think of what piece of music I loved, I thought of this one! So alas, this post will not be about feeling emotions like love and sorrow, it is about a song that makes me smile, and I'll admit, when I first saw it, wonder if it was f'real. Since seeing this video I have fallen in love with OK Go! Ooops, I guess I was wrong, the song did inspire feelings of love. Ok, if you have not seen this video,  watch it now!!! 

Amazing, right???? These guys are so committed to their art and show a creativity that I have never seen before. They inspire me to find music in everything. To stop being annoyed with the person who clicks their pen or taps their desk but to ask myself, can I make a tune in my head that fits this tapping, this clicking? Is there a chance that the person doing that sound already has a song in their head? If so...do I want to hear it? 

I love the part in one of the behind the scene videos that Damian Kulash (singer) says "It's not a question of whether it will work...it's like....how good will it work?" I think that this goes with what I was talking about yesterday about things being "ish". They have a vision and they are going for it. They don't know exactly how it will turn out but are going to do their best - I find that inspiring. It just so happens I don't find it interestingish, or songish, or musicish, I find it completely spectacularish!!!

What kind of "Ish" are you?

In class we were recently introduced to a wonderful book called "Ish" by Peter Reynolds. I am sure that I will talk more about it later, as I have fallen in love with it and the message in contains. However, it has got me thinking about what art is. There are a few mediums that I use to express myself and I hear the comment all the time, "I would love to be able to do that....but I can't :(" And yes, that is a sad face. The people saying it don't say "colon, parenthesis" they show me their sad face...and I feel bad for them. That they feel they cannot do something is crazy to me. I don't think that I have any talent, I just like to express myself and chose to do it through hobbies. I actually had an art teacher tell me once that when I first started he thought that I had no talent but he saw how committed I was to using the medium (pottery at the time) and practicing like crazy and that I had become one of his most talented students. That, in itself, makes me question the idea of artistic talent. I know that there are people that pick up a paintbrush or a pencil...or any tool, and impress others; but I don't think that there are a lot of people that "wow" others without practice.

So that got me thinking of the different types of "ish" that you can be. What kind of mediums do people use to express themselves and what would happen if they decided to really express themselves through it? If they didn't let the fact bother them that their drawing of a vase of flowers doesn't exactly look like a vase of flowers and decided to be happy that it looks "flower...ish." If we let are expression become more than a replica of what the world expects and more of a showing of what is inside us, waiting to come out.

My favourite form of expression is not through a pencil or a pen, I do it with a rotary cutter and a sewing machine. I love quilting. This love began as wanting to make a quilt, but I quickly discovered that I didn't love making a quilt, I loved quilting. It is not about the end product, it is more about the process. I love thinking of patterns, dissecting how to make them work and taking whole canvases, chopping them into bits and then making them what my vision is. There is a funny thrill that I get from taking a perfect piece of fabric, ironing it 'til it is even more perfect, and then cutting it to bits, knowing that I can make it into something that no one else has ever seen in their heads. Some of my quilts are very plain and some are very complicated.

What started as a hobby has now become a part of me. When I am happy or sad, my sewing room is where I want to be. When the world doesn't make sense, I love knowing that I can have control over something, over my art, over my vision, over a part of me. It is cliche but quilting has become what I do when my world is in pieces. These little pieces going together is the perfect mix of art and math for me!

Those strong emotions of joy and desperation often are related to circumstances involving people we love. Conveniently, quilting is also how I chose to show love to others. I love the fact that through this textile form of art I can go to those I care about, and in their time of special celebration, or in their time of despair, I can give them something that they can wrap around themselves that is my expression. It is a piece of me that they take with them, and I LOVED making it for them.

So my greatest expression isn't necessarily "art" but it sure is "art...ish". And when I do it, it makes me feel like I am creating something great. Not "Sistene" great but surely enough to inspire emotion in the one that I am making it for. So what other kinds of "ish" could we consider art? I am sick of people telling me that they are not artistic when I see them making beautiful things in life. Beautiful woodwork, beautiful gardens, beautiful desserts!!! If you don't consider yourself "artistic" just be "artistic..ish" and rest assured, "ish" is completely beautiful to me!!

A quilt made for a girl I'd never met in a competition. I got to
read a bit about her and her loves (at three years old!) and
then make her a custom quilt. Funnest competition that I have
ever done! See the bottom for another view.

I love taking the interests of the parents and put them into a quilt
for their new little one! This is a quilt for an avid horse lover and
rodeo barrel racer. 

Sometimes a geometrical design is the most beautiful thing.
This quilt wraps my son, Owen, in warmth every night when I tuck
him in. 

A friend of mine adds her art to mine with custom, amazing,
top stitching before I bind my larger quilts. Most of my quilts,
for sure all the baby ones, are backed in soft chenille type fabric
called Minky. It is lovely and cozy and I feel that if you put your
heart and soul into a piece of art, you might as well finish them in
the most cozy way you can think of.

I wasn't sure how "make me a penguin quilt" could be cute when it was
custom ordered but I loved it and it was so neat to see it take shape
before my eyes, much to my surprise.

A doll quilt for the daughter of my son's Kindergarten teacher,
She was an AMAZING teacher, I would lobe to make a whole
series of these quilts (guess the series!) for my own classroom one day.

Lego Princess Leia for my niece, my brother loves Star Wars

This is another view of the first quilt pictured
It is the first quilt that I put hidden shapes in.
I told the recipient that if she ever needed a little
extra love she could hold the quilt up to a window
and find it.