First Week of Classes: Pre-History

This week was my first week of Winter '09 classes. We learned about Pre-History. This time in the Earth's history is before there were any written forms of communication. There were no alphabets or consistent use of symbols to create a written documentation of events. All we have to go by are the drawings left behind by the people of that era. To this day, cave drawings are still being discovered and interpreted. We also learned, that the most likely purpose for these drawings were as instructions and/or warnings. This was the earth's inhabitants only form of communication.

So, for our activity, we learned how to age paper using coffee, tea bags and heat. We then practiced what we learned and tried to emulate cave drawings. We also recognized that most cave drawings are very simplistic with little to no detail. They also contain a very muted color palette.

Below is a sampling of my student's work!

2009 Winter Classes

Classes for 2009 will start the second week of the New Year!

So far, I have plans for a 10 week class schedule that will be made available to both elementary and middle/high school aged students.

The elementary class will be held on Tuesday mornings from 11am-12pm, while the class for the older students will be held on Wednesday afternoons from 2-3pm.

During each weekly class we will learn about a different artist and their particular style. We will then all participate in creating a work of art inspired by that artist's works.

The plan of attack as of right now is:
(FYI: There will be a 3 week break in February due to a previously planned vacation.)

Week 1- January 6th & 7th, Vincent van Gogh
Week 2- January 13th & 14th, Pablo Picasso
Week 3- January 20th & 21st, Claude Monet
Week 4- January 27th & 28th, Edvard Munch
Week 5- February 3rd & 4th, Marc Chagall

*** 3 week hiatus ***

Week 6- March 3rd and 4th, Edgar Degas
Week 7- March 10th and 11th, Georgia O'Keeffe
Week 8- March 17th and 18th, Henri Matisse
Week 9- March 24th and 25th, Joan Miro
Week 10- March 31st and April 1st, Keith Harring

If you are interested in signing your child up for classes,

please let me know by the end of the year.
You can leave a comment on my blog,

e-mail me or call me.

Each class will be limited to 5 or 6 students.

If there is a large enough demand, I will add another class.

Winter Students

Just so you know, I will keep this list updated as to who is currently signed-up for the upcoming Winter Classes.

Tuesdays - Elementary Class:
1. Rachael C.
2. Kate F.
3. Hope W.
4. Michael F.
5.

Wednesdays - MS/HS Class:
1. Brandon G.
2. Theres G.
3. Levi M.
4.
5.

Fall 2008 Art Classes

This fall I've decided to make 2 classes available. One class will be dedicated to elementary aged students, the other to middle/high school aged students. Read the descriptions below:

Elementary Classes- Tuesdays from 10am – 11am
Each class will be based on a children’s book. We will first read the book
and then have an art project based on what we’ve read. It will be really good reading comprehension practice for the kids! This is what I have mapped out for the class, but it is tentative and subject to change.

Week I: August 19th-
Purple, Green & Yellow; by Robert Munsch
Week II: August 26th-
Jabuti the Tortise: A Trickster Tale from the Amazon; by Gerald McDermott
The Mitten: A Ukranian Folktale; by Jan Brett
Week III: September 2nd-
Can You Top That? By Lisa W. Nikola
Cudley Dudley; by Jez Alborogh
Week IV: September 9th-
Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince & His Orchestra; by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Week V: September 16th-
Flat Stanley; by Jeff Brown
The Jolly Postman; by Janet Allen Ahlberg
Week VI: September 23rd-
The Gardner; by Sarah Stuart
Week VII: September 30th-
The Bad Beginning, by Lemony Snicket
Week VIII: October 7th-
Charlotte’s Web; by E.B. White
Sophie’s Masterpiece: A Spider’s Tale; by Eileen Spinelli
Week IX: October 14th-
Alice & Greta’s Color Magic; by Steven Simmons
A Bad Case of Stripes; by David Shannon
Week X: October 21st-
Cinderella Skeleton; by Robert D. Sansouci


Middle & High School- Wednesdays from 2pm to 3pm
Each class we will be focusing on developing a different drawing and/or painting technique.

Week I: August 20th- One Point Perspective & Color
Week II: August 27th- Two Point Perspective & Color
Week III: September 3rd- Shading Techniques
Week IV: September 10th- ST cont. / War of the World Comic Strip
Week V: September 17th- Grid Drawing w/Shading Techniques
Week VI: September 24th- Grid Drawing / Self-Portrait
Week VII: October 1st- GD / Warhol Style Painting
Week VIII: October 8th- GD / Warhol Style Painting cont.
Week IX: October 15th- Graphite Transfer on Canvas
Week X: October 22nd- GT on Canvas cont. / Painting

Fall 2008 Students

Here is a list of the students who have signed up for classes so far:

Elementary Class:
1. Noah D.
2. Faith D.
3. Rachael C.
4. Hope W.
5. Michael F.

Middle/High School Class:
1. Levi M.
2. Brandon G.
3. Mary R.
4. Theresa B.
5.