What's in a Name?

One of my frustrations is artwork without a name. To cut down on the number of anonymous artists turning in work, I've started to try something new.

When doing something wet or messy, I now require my students to put their name (first and last names for grades 2 and up) on their paper BEFORE they get the tray of good 'stuff'. Table helpers have to check for names and the class code on each person's work at their table (about 3 or 4 students at each table) before getting the supply tray.

This not only ensures that we won't have to turn a painting over when wet to add a name - it also slows down the rush to hurry up and slop something on their paper to claim the title "I started FIRST!!"

What do you do to make certain that names go on your student work at the start?

AAEA '11 Conference: Tribute to Andy Goldsworthy

All the cabins at Art Camp participated in a nature installation inspired by Andy Goldsworthy. Here are the results...

Cedar cabin:

Pinon cabin:

Juniper cabin:

and Ponderosa cabin:

AAEA '11 Conference: Mask Making

The first workshop I attended last Friday was Mask Making Across the Continents. We created 2 masks - both of which were brand new to me!

The first was an Incan mask using a disposable foil baking/roasting pan, small tagboard templates for add ons & mask shape, along with Sharpie markers (gold & yellow). These are the pieces I traced & cut out of the pan...

Tools used included paper punch, various paper crimpers, Unruly Rulers, paper clips, scissors, stylus (used-up ball point pens) and plastic texture sheets. Color was added to the pieces before texturizing.

I'd never seen or used Unruly Rulers before (seen on lower left hand corner of pix below) - they were very useful in adding embossed shapes for eyebrows or any of the other small details...

Paper punches were used to make holes for earrings and any other dangling shapes you wanted. The pieces were attached with paper clips...

The eyes, nose, mouth and other non-dangly stuff was attached by with a stapler. Here are some of the other finished results:

Lesson plans will be posted on our http://www.azaea.org/lesson-plans/2011-pinetop-rocks soon. I'll blog about the other mask in a day or so...

Papermaking Workshop @ AAEA '11 conference

My last workshop of the conference was papermaking. This isn't the first time I've dabbled in it but I learned a great new tip this time.

Setup was ziploc bags of pulp prepared ahead of time...

Large foil pans were filled with about 2" of water with a handful of pulp added.

There were a variety of molds for us to try...

The BEST new technique was the tip to use plastic mesh - the stuff I used to use for needlework. So much easier to get & use than the wire screen mesh in the wooden frames... We just swished the mesh in the pulp pans, flipped it over onto newspaper and used sponges to press on the back of the mesh to soak up the extra water.

Here are some of the results of the workshop...

This workshop will also have lesson plans posted on the AAEA website - hopefully soon!

Dubuffet Workshop @ '11 AAEA Conference

I think I've caught up on my sleep after Art camp - slept for 12 hours last night! All that hiking up & down the paths in camp, the usual uncomfortable bunk mattress, sleeping in one large room (our bunk house) w/16 + art teachers with one light switch and numerous sleep preferences took their toll. Gotta love Art Camp!!!

My workshop was a small group but we had a great time.

Couldn't resist posting the final self-portrait results - I'm so proud of my artists!

Complete lesson plans will be posted on the AAEA website soon.

AAEA state conference

Heading up north today to Pinetop, AZ for our state conference. While the desert may get up to the triple digits -AGAIN- this weekend, we should be having much more fall-like weather in the tall pines.

I'll be presenting a hands-on workshop demonstrating Dubuffet-style self-portraits. I just finished putting up a bulletin board of my 3rd graders latest efforts in our District office board room:

The lesson plan along w/ a PowerPoint and accompanying docs will be posted on the AAEA website soon, along with other lesson plans featured at the conference. I'm going to set aside hard copies of everything I use at the workshop - including a set of vocabulary cards for one of my blog visitors. If you're interested, leave a comment. I'll choose a winner from those who post between now and a week from now...