Art Show 2014!

I have been meaning to post some pictures from the art show which took place a couple weeks ago so here they are!
Another great turn out from the community and as always it is a blast watching students show off their artwork to their families and friends. I know it is such a busy time of year with baseball,  school concerts, graduations but it is always nice to see various faces come by for just a few short minutes to say hello!
Having the art show always makes me excited for the end of the year and moving into next school year and starting fresh with new project ideas. I have many lessons which I will keep, but I always try to at least try a new lesson with each grade for the year. This past year I focused on creating more clay lessons with students and I was able to integrate three new lessons and change one of the older lessons I have done with 6th grade (Cubistic Faces). I am always looking for new inspiration and often find it while talking with colleagues and anyone who is willing to listen to little old me talk about art (my husband gets to listen to my ideas the most and my dogs, although they just wag their tails and go along with anything I say!)

Lots of tables this year with the many clay projects we were able to create. 

The mummy wall! 

Zentangle Mural! 

5th Grade Keith Haring Clay Figures from the beginning of the year

5th Clay Gargoyles are a 5th grade favorite project! 

4TH Grade African Masks= messy, colorful, and fun! 

Sarcophagus Designs: The largest (literally) 6th grade project. I would be safe to say this is something everyone looks forward to seeing up in the hallways!

April Vacation Adventures! 

April Vacation was full of working out (double sessions for three days, boy was I pooped!), walking my pups, catching up on graduate school work, making some delicious scrumptious food for the hubby and I, and....most importantly, working on finding some new artistic inspiration for myself as well as my students! What more could you ask for on a windy cooler than expected vacation? Seriously?

I was lucky enough to whisk my Mom and Aunt to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. I have not been there since July, so it was way past my time to be there being inspired. We went to the quilt show that is currently on display. Honestly, I did not think it was going to be my cup of tea, but the second I walked in the gallery, WHAM! My eyes were lit with big beautiful colors and designs on this collection of quilts!

My camera does not do justice to the colors in these quilts...

Hello complementary colors! 6th grade just learned about these in their Egyptian Unit! 

My wonderful Mom and Aunt loving these    quilts. Pretty sure they were going to move into the gallery for the night. 

Ready for my favorite quilt? Drum roll please...

That is the one! My Mom mentioned it looks like it is from the era of the 60's (stuff I am always drawn towards), and it was...from the 1860's! 

The neat part about this exhibit are not only the complementary color connections that are made in these designs, but the composition of each quilt and how it was laid out. The craftsmanship was not too shabby as well. I have a new found respect for quilters everywhere and the amount of effort they place into creating these wonderful pieces of artwork that keep us warm all those cool nights in New England! 

So...this exhibit inspired me....and here is what I have been working on...

I am a bit involved with mandala like designs and bright watercolors! I could do this all day! 

Oh and here are my pups, Rigby on the left and Abby on the right. They are asking me to go for a run which we did a lot of this vacation! 

Now back to school and off for the last 7 weeks of creative energy!