Possibilities

As I research projects for my younger students I love the ideas that I've been coming across. What does an art teacher do with all of those toilet paper rolls that have been donated to me? You could make simple Martha craft ideas from them, gag. Maybe even stand them on end, glue them to a surface creating a relief sculpture. But, is that fun for my students and myself? What I thought about was and have started developing is turning the toilet paper rolls into marionette puppets! Yeah, thats right marionette puppets. Think about it, long tubes for neck, shorts tubes for legs-even cut the tubes in half attached a piece of yarn in the middle to resemble the knee joint now your studying the figure and movement. Cut up the middle of them, tapper them glue down and paint. The more I think about this and how the possibilities are endless and I love it. Its this type of thinking that provides me as an artist and my students opportunities to get out of the box and explore our ideas. Students don't realize the amount of problem thinking strategies they go through in the visual arts and by leaving my lessons open ended I introduce them to many. All I can hope for is that, as ideas come to me and I pass them that my students they continue to explore every avenue in front of them realizing they have the potential to do anything they want. So, let the creative spirit run through your mind and come out through your figure tips.

The Process!

Discovering the process, does it happen within or is it external stimuli that helps us through the creative endeavor? I feel between talking with friends and colleagues that my personal creative juices have opened up and the the internal process within has opened up. My mind has begun revisited old processes and how they come forward into my new art. But, even more so my students art. Being a visual artist to me is the greatest thing in the world. Imagine being able to see the concept/idea in your head and translate that to an actual piece of art. I love it.

Finding my way

Keeping up with my blog. Yes, I know I've neglected it for some quite time now but I figure I'm entitled to do this. But, with my recent achievements I've begun to feel it is very important to use this as an outlet to discuss my internal and external creative energy. Being the art teacher at a school where all the students are diagnosed with learning disabilities has posed many challenges for me. Am on task with them? How is the art I am teaching enriching their life's? From writing curriculum for my classroom to staying up on the paperwork I feel like somedays I'm going under. But, I know that is not the case-just feels that way. What I've come to know more than anything about myself as an artist and teacher is I can not forgo my "art!" I have felt lost lately, not creating, feeling stifled and a bit unsatisfied. I know this is not healthy and something I need to correct quickly. So, yesterday after several conversations I am a commitment to be part of an art show at the beginning of the new year. The idea of creating new pieces and showing some of my old ones intrigues me. What a way to start off the new year with new adventures. Well, for know I need to get some Sunday relaxing done and enjoy the day in front of me. Relax often and feel free to allow your creativity out!