Our Creative Classroom

Here's our newest project. The Kindergartners had the privilege of being the first to try it out. Most of them were fast finishers, so I let them color with the new supplies. They loved both! 

 (Our finished product - cute, huh?)

Here's our new "Art Gallery"

 (A couple of other ideas for art projects. They're both complementary colors, although they'll use purple and yellow for the weaving one. I was working on the really twisting lines and then thought that perhaps having the vertical strips wavy would be interesting too. Perhaps even both wavy? hmmm...)

 The classroom is starting to look interesting. Do you like our blue floor? There's a tarp over the carpet to keep it clean. The custodian is not loving me right now due to how messy our projects are, oops! Perhaps I should bring him a treat and have the students sign a card...

We're almost done with our ceramics unit, yeah! Tonight, I wrote up the new unit on the board and the due date for the final ceramics project:

(I'm working on a little project for the blank wall... My desk actually looks pretty good, lol! It was a lot messier a day or so ago.)

Guess What I'm Getting!?!

Tertiary and Complementary Colors

Here are a few examples of some projects that my students will be completing in the next few weeks as we wait for the ceramics projects to dry and fire. We will be working on the Elements and Principles of Art.

In this "apartment building," you see the tertiary colors yellow, green, and yellow-green:

 There are six tertiary colors on the color wheel. Tertiary colors are a mix between a secondary color and one of the primary colors that makes that color.

yellow-green (i.e. lime green)
yellow-orange
blue-green
blue-purple
red-purple
red-orange

Here is one of the three projects we will be attempting for complementary colors*:

yellow - purple
red - green
blue - orange

Peterson Art Center - Class #7

This is my last class for a while. It's kind of sad to part from the fun of wheel thrown pottery, but my debts must get paid down and some semblance of a real savings started, especially now that I have a "real" job. This last pottery class was simply trimming. The vase worked out, whew! I'm hoping it makes it through firing. The platter I made for my dad bit the dust :(   The bottom edge between the rim and the foot got too thin and cracked. It was a sad thing.

I still have a few pieces that are somewhere in the process between greenware and glazed. In about a month, I'll go back up to check on these pieces. Hopefully, they will all be ready to go to the next stage (glazing or taking them home).

November 15th - I went to retrieve my pieces this afternoon and only found ONE of the four pieces that they supposedly still had! I'm so annoyed! The pieces were no where to be found and it's one of those places that has no real organization as to where someone's items would be. The one that was available also got chipped in several places. I'm sad, but thinking that perhaps I'll break it in pieces, glaze the pieces, and then use them as mosaic tiles. The instructors at the center have been great, but the organization of where things are placed and what happens to everyone's pieces is a free for all. (The payments had gotten all messed up at one point too, but luckily that was easy enough to prove.) 

I'll be replacing my lost items by using the wheel at the school and some clay I bought awhile ago. I was really hoping to give the cupcake stand to my sister for her bday (this Sunday - don't worry, she doesn't read this blog, lol!), but I guess I'll just make another one and let her know that it's in the works. I suppose this might be even better, since she can choose the color.

Peterson Art Center - Class #6

The stars have aligned! All of the projects I attempted today worked! I also learned how to stack the kiln in order to do so with the elementary students this fall. My cupcake stand is in the kiln now for the bisque firing (second class?) and my third bowl from the first class will go in next week. Their kiln is huge! That means that it takes a long time between firings (they wait until there's enough pottery to fill it before firing). The large bowl I made two weeks ago is not dry enough to trim, so it will wait until next week.

Today's projects include a platter and a vase. The platter is about 10" wide and will have handles added to it next week. This week, the vase I've been trying to make the last three times finally worked, yeah! It's straight and quite tall, 8" range, with a 2.5" diameter. It's amazing that something so simple would be so difficult to make! Here are this weeks beauties:

As long as the trimming/glazing go well, these will be sent off to my parents as agreed upon (vase - mom; platter - dad)

*Two more classes, then I take a break for a month. This will be a good time to prep the rest of the art/music classes for this year!

Peterson Art Center - Class #5

Well, that little bud vase? It bit the dust. The trimming didn't go well and it ended up being tilted, which doesn't work well for a bud vase. I'm realizing that I'd be very talented at making Dr. Seuss type creations, lol! The good news is that the third bowl I threw from the first class was found and I was able to glaze it. It will be a pretty dusty blue, although the wet glaze appears as a chalky color. I'm always amazed by the difference of the before glaze firing and the after glaze firing in the appearance of the glaze. Perhaps someday I'll learn more about the chemistry of glazes. (This said after being convinced that high school chemistry wasn't needed, hmm. Oh well!) The other two bowls from the first class turned out pretty well, although the glaze on the porcelain bowl is not my favorite (left). I love the shape though!

This class I made a large bowl (large according to how big I've thrown in the past that is). The measurements are 3.5" high with an approximate diameter of 10". I'm hoping it will turn out well. I plan to use it as a salad bowl. I also attempted to make a tall, thin vase again and was much closer to succeeding, however, I will need to try again next time! I'm finding that the most difficult process in throwing ceramics is not the throwing itself, but the wedging of the clay! This is a skill with which I will need to be more diligent.

Peterson Art Center - Class # 3 & 4

In pottery class number three, I made a mushroom-like cake stand, then proceeded to trim the top of this stand during class number four. however, my trimming was too aggressive and the top detached from the base (the base is the bowl shape on the left and the circle is the top):

I trimmed the other cake stand as well and managed to nick the edge, so it's rather thin and not as even as it once once. Kind of sad, but still OK for a first try so I kept it. It is now waiting to be bisque fired. Then I will glaze it. Perhaps this yellow/brown color (the bottom bowl - I also dipped my stoneware bowl in this yellow!):

While waiting for the wax (keeps the glaze from sticking to the bottom) to dry on the feet of my bisque-fired bowls from week one (we could only find two of them - hopefully the other one will be found next time), I made this cute little bud vase (below). I was attempting to make a taller one, but needed more clay than I used. Next time, I want to make a large bowl (salad size), another cupcake stand, and a tall vase (8" - 10"). It's quite ambitious, but will be lots of fun too!

Once the little vase was as good as it was going to get (it was getting temperamental due to a lot of water), I dipped (glazed) my two bowls. In the top picture, you can see the two bowls. The right one is going to be the yellowish/brown color as previously mentioned and the left one will have a celadon green rim with a white base. More of the celadon got on it than I originally wanted. Hopefully it will still be pretty when it comes out. The bottom picture shows the area where the glazed-items-waiting-to-be-fired and the already-glazed-items are placed.

At the end, I took a few more pictures of the glazing, shelving, and firing areas. These areas are in one long rectangular room. As soon as you walk into the room, the shelves for all of the pottery are right in front of you (third picture). The shelves to the left are for the glazed items and the shelves to the right are for the greenware and bisque fired items. To the far left, is the kiln room. The kiln is HUGE (first picture)! Furthest right is where all the glazing takes place (last picture).

That was an exhausting post, so I will be done for now!

Peterson Art Center - Class #2

Somehow, I thought that my class was at noon until I got up there! Oops! It was actually good since I needed to eat some lunch. I also took a picture of the art center:

I also remembered to take some pics of my projects:

Below are the three bowls I made from last class. Today, I trimmed the bottoms and added the foot (the little lip around the bottom. They are waiting on the greenware self waiting to be fired this next week! Then they will be bisque, which also means I'll need to figure out what glaze or finishing technique to use...

The front two are porcelain and the back one is stoneware:

The teacher asked if there was anything I wanted him to throw so I can learn how. Hmmm...well, I'd really like to learn how to make a cupcake stand after the last one didn't work out as I had hoped! Bill showed me one of the techniques he uses to make cake stands (just a smaller version for a cupcake). Once I finished trimming the bowls, I made a cupcake stand as well:

It's thrown upside down. The clay ball is flattened out, then a ridge is made about an inch or so from the edge. From the ridge to the edge becomes the top of the cupcake stand. The middle is then made into a cylinder and flared out at the top (eventual bottom). Viola! An amazing cupcake stand!!

Here it is waiting and curing until next week when I will take it off the bat (the wooden circle). Then it will dry some more, get fired, get glazed (what color...), get fired, and hmmm... Then what will I do with it?

This is the moist room. The cupcake stand is covered with the red plastic, third shelf down from the top of the furthest shelves with my "cookie" on it (a little piece of dry clay with my initials on it).

Peterson Art Center - Class #1

This place was so much smaller (shorter - only two stories) than I thought it would be, but the directions worked well, even though I got a bit mixed up (took the wrong exit and then realized that the paper I thought had the directions, didn't). Good thing I kind of knew how to find the main road and then called my sister to get the exact address! What did I do before cell phones and the internet?

There are only two students right now in the class. The teacher, Bill, reminds me of the librarian at the high school, how odd/funny is that? I think you'd probably have to know the hs librarian to understand, he's quite the interesting character! The other student is brand-new to throwing, but I must say, she picked it all up very quickly! After getting there, the teacher had us both watch him throw a bowl even though I had said I'd had two months of pottery classes. There were so many little techniques and tips that Bill taught us that I had perfect outcomes on all three bowls that I created today! Each one was centered easily (enough) and the tops were quite level without touching up until I went too fast on the third one. But even having to fix it and using the new tips/techniques, everything was perfect in the end!

At the beginning of the class we used a course, stoneware clay. It was stiffer than what I'm used to and a bit more difficult to throw, but all went well. Then he had us try the porcelain, which I've always wanted to try, but thought was difficult to work with. I LOVE porcelain!! It's is so soft, and silky. It just glides through your fingers! It still takes work to get it into the preferred shape, but so buttery that it's worth it! (And who doesn't like butter?) The glazes are also smoother when applied to porcelain. It's so elegant! I can just imagine a beautiful porcelain vase with a bunch of gorgeous tulips, amazing!! Plus, another attempt at the cupcake stand??? Definitely! Bill asked me what I wanted to learn to do and this is what I should've mentioned. I must remember that for next week!

Once we had decided which clay we preferred, we all headed down to the store room where boxes and boxes of 25 lb bags of clay were stacked two by two. Then we carried our new prized possessions (one 25 lb bag of porcelain each!) back up to the studio and used our own clay to throw the next bowl (my third and last of the day). I'm glad that I waited to see how the place worked instead of bringing my own. Our class is also the only one on Saturdays. There's an open lab, complete with instructor, for an extra 1.5 hours after class!

I'm so glad I chose to do this!!!

Perhaps there will be pictures next time!

Art for Sale: Buy One, Get One Free

(click on the picture to learn more!)

As you are already aware, I LOVE ART! I keep thinking about what to do with this love, how to apply it, etc. Well, I found the perfect place to study some more in an atmosphere which will greatly help me in getting the most education for a reasonable cost and in a fairly convenient location! There are several types of classes and knowledgeable teachers to assist in getting the most out of these experiences. The best part of finding this now is that there's a buy one class (four weeks) and get a second class (four weeks) free! The classes are Saturday afternoons and registration is open to start whenever, as long as there is space available! How fabulous is that? I'm signing up for a pottery class (July 31 - September 31) to start with, but I'm also interested in the drawing and painting classes. I am going to have soooo much fun!!!

If you live in the SLC, UT area, check this place out and join me for some Art!

Fifth Pottery Class 2010 Final Project

During my fourth and fifth pottery class, I attempted to create a cupcake stand. Here are the final views of my first attempt at a cupcake stand:



The color didn't work out as I had hoped, but it'll do for a first.

A New Name

(I made this in paint and Lectora)

I think that I've finally found a name that I really like!

Seven is my favorite number for multiple reasons but mostly because it is a perfect number (3 - the Godhead and 4 - the four gospels, 4 seasons, 4 cardinal directions, etc). This dates back to the Medieval time period.

graceful means characterized by beauty of movement, style, or form (http://thesaurus.com/browse/graceful) What a perfect way to describe trees!

I Love Trees!! They are beautiful in all their varying shapes, sizes, temperaments, etc. They clean the air, provide shade and food. They are amazing!

Fifth and a Half Pottery Class 2010

Last night I picked up six of my finished pieces and glazed the tree cupcake stand. Last session I ended up with two keepers, this time eight (if you count the top and bottom of the cake stand as two pieces even though they'll be fused together once they get fired)!! I think that is awesome! I'm definitely progressing. Hopefully I'll end up having enough money in the bank to buy a pottery wheel at the end of the summer!







I went to visit my sister and her two boys before class last night. Usually I visit on Fridays, but they're going out of town to Legoland in CA this weekend! My five-year old nephew is really interested in learning, but I wonder if he understands about the mess involved (he doesn't like to get messy). He had seen an episode on Playhouse Disney about wheel-thrown pottery where the pottery literally went flying out the gate. After I told my sister and the boys that I would show them the pieces after class (I needed to glaze the cupcake stand), my nephew requested that I bring a pottery wheel back with me! I told him that perhaps I could look into finding a kid size that he can play with instead.

Everyone has enjoyed seeing the pieces that worked out this time. My nephews and my sister really liked the little bud-vase like piece. I think it looks like a shell. My sister put it on the shelf in their front room.





The art teacher I work with really liked my skiwampus one that I almost discarded! I decided to give it to him.



After all, he gave me a beautiful certified print from the cruise which he and his family just got back! (Practice II, 2009; Hua Chen; 9 5/8 x 7"; Seriolithograph in color on archival paper, signed in the plate - this is a print of the actual Seriolithograph).

Fifth Pottery Class 2010

(This is the pottery studio! Thanks to my mom for taking the picture since I keep forgetting!)

Last night was my final pottery class for this session. However, I actually still need to glaze my last project (the tree cupcake stand). I'm guessing that that will happen next week when I pick up the other pieces that were finished being glazed last night. I'm excited to see what they are going to look like! Two of the glazes look a lot alike right now, but will look completely different once they're fired. It's so interesting that the glaze looks one way prior to firing and completely different afterward. I suppose that's one good reason to study chemistry! Here are some pictures I took last night:

Fourth Pottery Class 2010

Last night was my fourth pottery class. One of the girls that hangs out during the class while working on her own projects (she teaches a couple of children's classes), remarked that I'm an artist. She stated this after watching the continued progress of my tree cupcake stand. Last week she said something like I'm just a little bit of awesomeness. I'd love to be an artist, I do fully admit that I have creative bones! (I actually forgot my camera again, oops!)

Third Pottery Class 2010

I brought my camera, but then forgot to use it, oops! Anyway, I ended up making two items tonight, a tree trunk base for the cupcake stand and a plate for the cupcake stand, or I may make another plate next week, we'll see... Next week, we're learning hand forming. The plan is to make the leaves for the "tree top" (the edge of the plate) and a little apple to place at the base of the trunk. I also managed to crack two piece, one was salvaged by our instructor, and the other one I chiseled a bit more to make it look purposeful. The pieces from the first week and this week are being fired and will be glazed this week. Now I need to think of colors!

Pictures next time!

I Did It!

When I first decided what I was going to be when I grew up, I chose Fashion Design. I had also decided that I wanted to live in California. Taking both of these things into consideration, I chose the American Intercontinental University (previously known as the American College for the Applied Arts) in Los Angeles, CA. However, I changed my mind again and again and again over the next many years, until I now hold an AS in Psych, a BA in Art History, and a MAED/TED in Elementary Education. The main problem with this is that I constantly gave up the producing of my own art! Partly this was due to fear of failure, or some such nonsense...

When I was in high school, I took a test that was supposed to narrow down what you should be when you grow up. This test said absolutely nothing about art; however, several questions asked about how stable I wanted my life, and since I said stable, I think it kicked art out of the picture. Of course this is just a theory, but it makes sense to me, especially knowing how much I love being creative! Anyway, my life has been anything but stable anyway, so now I need to just be myself and live up to my potential - now that I know what that means.* I'm excited for the opportunity to really go for it! This morning I applied for a BFA degree with an emphasis in ceramics through the University of Utah. I should know what's happening in about 2-3 weeks. I made the deadline by one week!

*My sixth grade teacher once pulled me aside and told me I wasn't living up to my potential, but I had no idea what that actually meant! Now I realize that I could've been an A student instead of the slacker that I was. Hint: if you want someone to "live up to their potential," tell them what you believe "potential" means!

Spring!

Yeah for a new background! This is the third one I tried in an attempt at a "springy" background. Did you know that Spring starts on Saturday? I hope that means that I'll have good luck taking the GRE (Graduate Record Examination)! I'm not feeling ready yet, but hopefully I will by Saturday! Once I pass, then I can finish applying for grad school (Library Science). I'm applying for the January semester in an attempt to balance my life and recover from the last master's degree!

Also, I'm getting a pottery wheel sooner than I had anticipated!!!! I'll be rearranging my kitchen and spare room in order to accommodate it. The stuff in the kitchen corner will be placed in the spare room, and the the pottery wheel will go in the kitchen. I'm soooo excited!!!

Second Pottery Class 2010

This week my plate worked! except it got a bit bumped putting it on the shelf :( I'm definitely making progress, yeah! And, I may be getting a pottery wheel of my very own sooner than I thought... Also, I remembered my camera this week, so you get pictures! (I posted pictures to the first pottery class 2010 post as well, yeah!) I still really, really want to try making the cupcake stand!


How's this one? A tree with four main branches, hold a bowl shaped "nest," which is the cupcake stand! lol, I really like this idea! Another approach is to make it more angular and "modern" by making the branches stiffer and placing a square plate on top. Hmmm...I'll see what I can do! Or, the trunk can be pretty plain, perhaps some texture, and the plate has the branches coming off of it! I LOVE it!!

See a Penny, Pick It Up, And All Day Long, You'll Have Good Luck!

A few weeks ago, while helping my sister make Sam's quilt, Gabe asked if I could make a giant penny pillow. I figured, why not, so I began the process of acquiring the supplies: went to JoAnn Fabrics with a penny and held it out until I found a material close to the color. The sales people were quite confused when I told them what I was making. They'd never heard of making a giant penny! That's because "he made it up," I said, lol! This afternoon, while hanging out with my sister and nephews, I finally made the giant penny (he drew the pictures - himself instead of Lincoln, lol! and the date on it and I wrote the rest of the words, especially "one cent" - he told me not to forget!). It's about eight inches in diameter and he held onto it the rest of the afternoon, so cute!

(Pictures soon!)

First Pottery Class 2010

I went to my first pottery class last night since last year! There are four of us in class so far. I wonder if anyone else will end up coming... Everyone seemed to catch on pretty quickly. It was a wobbly beginning for me as I worked to remember how it all works and tried some really complicated ideas that I'll try again. By the end, I had three mostly successes! The first one was too thin and collapsed a bit on one side, but it still looks interesting. The second one is a tiny version of the first one I made last year. It's a bit wobbly too, but fun. The third one was a plate until I went to move it to the board, then it fell on one side. Now it's rather sculptural. I was going to take my camera, but forgot it at home. Next week, I will be sure to take it with me! (I remembered it, yeah!)

Book Arts Program

I've been thinking a lot about books and book binding, the actual physicality of books, so I did a little search and found the Book Arts Program at University of Utah! The Book Arts Program offers Free lectures, free classes for educators, and non-credit and credit classes in the multi-faceted processes of book making! I think I'll have to wait until October to participate though...

Book Arts Program

The covers of a book enclose worlds constructed of text and image. To open a book is to expose the intimate details of story, experience and idea.

Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library since 1995, the Book Arts Program champions wide-ranging explorations of the book. In our fully equipped studio, bookbinders, printers, and book artists utilize type, letterpress, photo engravings and bookbinding equipment as they combine traditional techniques with modern aesthetics and technology.

The Book Arts Program facilitates involvement with the art of the book by providing:

• Full-semester classes exploring letterpress printing, bookmaking and artists’ books offered to University students and community members.
• Short weekend workshops and four day summer intensives with specialized instruction on ever-expanding topics.
• Community outreach, encouraging appreciation for the tradition and art of books.
• K–12 programs such as the Treasure Chest of Rare Books and educator workshops.
• Residency and independent studio options.
  

Will I win this time?

hmmm...I sure hope so!

Check out Mummysam's art HERE and HERE!

It's been great finding such fun and innovative artists as of late! After graduating with a BA in Art History and now creating the Art History curriculum at a high school, I seemed to have forgotten somehow that Art is still alive and well and everywhere around us if we're just willing to take a look. This came to mind while creating the newest Art History packet and realizing that a lot of the artists I've been including are still alive and well!

The verification word to post this comment on her blog was: "derserv," which is close to deserve, don't you think? :)

Art History Project: Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein

I asked one of my artistic coworkers to create a sample art project for the American Art:1900-the early 21st Century packet. This project (one of 10 options - the students choose 5) is especially challenging:

combine the art styles of Andy Warhol:

(Picture she found)

and Roy Lichtenstein:

(Other picture she found)

The artwork needs to be 1 cell or more of a comic strip about 2 or more everyday objects using personification. It also needs to be done on an 11" x 17" piece of paper, in color, using benday dots for the shading.

What do you think?

Chalk One Up for Creativity

What pun that was! OK, I'll stop now...

Here is my latest and greatest project:

Step 1: watch a movie where one of the characters has a chalkboard wall ("500 days of Summer").

Step 2: become obsessed with owning a giant chalkboard.

Step 3: get the idea to build a giant chalkboard.

Step 4: go to Lowe's to find a giant piece of wood, primer, chalkboard paint, and a roller.

Step 5: realize that your car is too small for the giant piece of wood that will become the chalkboard.

Step 6: go back into the store to see if they will give you string to tie it to the top of your car.

Step 7: wait for help.

Step 8: meet your neighbor's husband who happens to work at Lowe's and who offers to cut the giant piece of wood in half *gasp* or take it home in his vehicle.

Step 9: wait for the neighbor's husband and send the giant piece of wood off with him.

Step 10: lead the giant piece of wood home.

Step 11: take the giant piece of wood inside and lean it up against the wall; realize that it's just the right size (you were thinking double this size to begin with).

Step 12: find a cookie sheet and a screwdriver because you were too cheap to buy the "real" tools.

Step 13: Place the giant piece of wood in the bathtub.

Step 14: Prime the giant piece of wood with the grey-tinted primer they made for you at Lowe's.

Step 15: Let it dry (kind of) then prime again.

Step 16: let it completely dry.

Step 17: Take it out to use the shower.



Step 18: put the giant piece of wood back in the bathtub.

Step 19: paint the giant piece of wood with black chalkboard paint (I really wanted navy blue, oh well).

Step 20: let the chalkboard paint dry.

Step 21: Put a second & third coats of chalkboard paint on.

Step 22: Let the chalkboard paint dry.



Step 23: Clean up the bathroom.



Step 24: take down the pictures that are currently on the living room wall and hang them in the other room at some point.

Step 25: figure out how to hang the giant chalkboard on the wall.

Step 26: chalk it up.



Step 27: start coloring!!



Step 28: put your signature on it. Can you see it?


(While the last layer of paint was drying, I pressed my left hand onto the bottom right corner!)

Those are most of the steps. The giant piece of wood/chalkboard is 4' x 4' and .25" thick. I can hardly wait to start playing with it!

P.S. This is my 200th post!! I'd celebrate with a give-a-way, but I don't have anything to give away...perhaps on my one year blogiversary instead!