Zheng Lab - Bad Project (Lady Gaga parody)

I love how science meets the arts. This is a fun video made by co-workers at a research lab at Baylor College in Houston, Texas. It was created in a few days.

Imagine Having No Imagination

I was surfing the web- looking for inspiration on art projects to use with my students  when I came across an artist called Fred Babb. His art is  expressive, colourful and full of energy. Many of his famous expressions are so relevant to thinking about the arts today. He is well known for coining the following phrases: "Good Art Won't Match Your Sofa",  "Art is the Place Kids Travel, Keep their Passports Current", Imagine having No Imagination and " Get Smart Make Art".

Check out the website maintained by his family. Unfortunately, Fred died in 2006.  There is a poster collection of his artwork that I would love to have but its out of print. I am going to have to save up and buy them from one of the used book Amazon sellers. It would be an excellent resource to inspire my students.

Patti from Deep Space Sparkle has examples of artwork created by her grade 3 and 4 students. Follow this link to see the inspiration Fred Babb has given to the world.

Happy New Year! This year play a drawing game

It was such a busy fall with Budding Artists that I really did not have time to breathe let alone post. I'll do my best to post more regularly now that I have a new computer and some new ideas.

Over the holidays, we played a really fun drawing game called Telestrations. It is a cross between Pictionary and the children's game Telephone. At first I was a little skeptical. How could this be fun? However, it was a hit. There was a lot of laughing. The game consists of game eight erasable sketchbooks, a 90 second sand timer, a die and 2, 400 words to use. We played it with a group of nine and doubled up with one sketch book. The die determines which word a player draws.  Player draws then passes his sketchbook on. This person must guess what he thinks it is then passes it on to the next player who must draw what is written. The results can be so hilarious. I highly recommend it for your next party. Its best when played with a bigger group. We didn't use the timer.

This game can also be played using materials at home. I did a quick search and found a variation of this game and other drawing games on eHow. Try it and have fun.

Norval Morrisseau

Norval Morrisseau was an Annishnabee who was raised by his grandparents on the Sand Point lake Reserve near Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1930. His grandfather was a Shaman and his grandmother was a devout Catholic. These contrasts played significantly in his artwork. He is one of the most well known First Nations artist. He is known for popularizing the Woodlands style. A style that shows the secrets of legends and the connections people and the natural world.

"My paintings depict my own uncorrupted impressions of Ojibwa beliefs and legends, god and creatures." Norval Morrisseau

These two pieces were samples I created based on the art of Morrisseau. If I was going to use Morriseau's art in the classroom, I would combine it with a unit on legends. Try and see what you come up with. Have fun!

Notice the artwork, it is the same art I sent  to Spoonflower and I used it as a design for fabric. See previous entry. I am still undecided on what to make with the fabric. Check back to see what I have done.

Canada Post Honours Canadian Painter Prudence Heward

Yesterday, I made a trip to the post office and came across, Prudence Heward, Canadian Representasional Figure Painter. Canada Post honoured her work by issuing two stamps. I had never heard of her so I decided to find out more about her.

Prudence Heward lived from 1896 to 1947. Montreal born to a wealthy family, Heward studied at private schools and was encouraged to study visual art at the Art Association of Montreal. She went on to study in Paris with her and friend and mentor A.Y. Jackson. She began exhibiting in 1924 and in 1929 won the Governor General Willingdon initial prize for Girl on the Hill. She exibited along side the Group of Seven and the Beaver Hall Group. It wasn't until 1932 that she had her first solo exhibit. For more information on Prudence Heward click this link to  Library and Archives Canada. To view her paintings, check out National Gallery of Canada's Cybermuse.

Our Miniature Earth

 

This is a really good reminder to appreciate what we have. I believe that if we live the creative life by example, we will be able to create a new generation of creative problem solvers. Here's a good reason why. Check out Miniature Earth. 

What will you do today?

Art Collection Posters

Yesterday, my daughter asked me if she could borrow my iPhone so she could take pictures of her stuffed toys. Then she wanted me to print each one individually.  Instead, I created a poster of her collection using Adobe Photoshop. In minutes, we made The Beanies.  It then inspired me to take some of her art and make some posters. Of course, her favourite is the Pinky bear poster.  I am planning on enlarging them and printed at a local printing shop. There are also companies out there who will take your children's artwork and scan them for you to make art books or posters. There is Artimus based in Massachussettes. They can create art books for you. To have a poster designed and printed,  try SimplyCreate on Etsy.