Concessions

As we approach the last couple of months of the school year, my 8th Grade Honors Art students are working on a grid drawing of an assortment of candy. This project began as a photo project which began as a composition project. Since I love to weave "choice" into my lessons whenever possible, I asked students for a list of candy I should buy for this lesson. They complied. Imagine that! After I supplied all of the delectable delights Walgreens had to offer, students were instructed to choose an odd number and variety of candy, and to position the candy in a random fashion on a piece of white paper. Next students were to take a cropped photo of this assemblage. I spoke briefly to them about camera angles and lighting and showed them how to enhance the lighting on their iPhones. They then printed their photos out and, using a grid transparency, they made another copy of the photos. They could skip the last step, if they used a GRID App to take the photo in the first place. Next students lightly drew a one-inch grid on the surface of a 15 x 20-inch piece of illustration board. 

Since this wasn't the first time these students had done a grid drawing, I gave them a few tips and told them if they needed to review, they could revisit my YouTube Channel's Lesson on Drawing Using a Grid which is posted at the end of this entry. They began with a line drawing which I periodically checked for accuracy. Some of them are now at the point where they will begin shading the drawing this week, referring to the gradient scale they made back in the Fall.

After students finish shading, they will add watercolor and colored pencil to complete this realistic drawing. Yes, they will add these right on top of the graphite.

I have been working on this project along with the students; drawing and painting a little ahead, so that I can better guide them with this lesson. It also seems to be inspirational for them to see my painting develop. However, they are all working at a different pace. And this project is a perfect example of how students approach learning differently.

Some of the students who are naturally talented at sketching, or who sketch a lot, seem to veer away from the grid and use a little “artistic license” when it comes to using the photo reference. Others move slower constantly having to find their place on the grid, while still others who meticulously follow the grid are pleasantly surprised at how well their drawings are coming together. 

As a teacher, I want my students to know my expectations, but I do not want to “standardize” their outcomes. I want them to learn from this project, I want them to stretch their talents and skills, but most of all, I want them to have a positive learning experience. I know that not all of their drawings will be at the same skill level. But it is my hope that each child will find something learned from this lesson that will help them with the next, or cause them to look a little closer at a work of art in a gallery, or notice how the Friday night lights effect the Tootsie Pop they buy at the ballgame. 

Making a Mark-The Gum Wall

In October I was elected President Elect of the Tennessee Art Education Association (TAEA), so this year at the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Convention in Seattle, Washington, I attended the NAEA’s Delegates Assembly for the first time with our TAEA President, Kathy Dumlao. I didn’t quite know what all to expect in regards to this meeting. However, I did know that we would be handing out and receiving trinkets from all of the other states and provinces of our members. Kathy and I distributed gear-designed buttons that read, “Geared Up for Art in Tennessee.” We received everything from magnets to buttons, and state-themed snacks to branded highlighters. Some were elaborate, some were simple, but each and every one was a symbol of hospitality. So, when I took my seat at the table next to my election paddle and saw this pile of eclectic bounty, I viewed it as the symbol of a diverse group of people with different gifts, backgrounds, and views, but driven with one united passion—to make a difference in the lives of others through art.

After a series of welcome speeches and introductions by the leaders in Art Education, we were given the task of considering revisions of several NAEA position statements. After previewing these statements on a large screen projection, they were then posted on the back walls of our large meeting room. We were then instructed to review these statements again and, using notes provided, to write in any suggestions or comments. What occurred in this process was a meaningful exchange of ideas and viewpoints with other art educators from across the US and Canada. As some of us made observations, others encouraged us to write those comments and leave our mark on the wall. I remember the first note I wrote and the empowerment I felt, so I encouraged others to do likewise.

Later that same day, we viewed the statements collectively again. This time, our suggestions were included in RED on the document. When I saw statements included that I had witnessed being suggested earlier in the form of a little yellow Post-It note, I got a bit teary eyed. I no longer just saw it as a wordy sterile document. I was able to attach a “face” to it. I knew the person who suggested it among a few new colleagues. And then my colleague, Kathy Dumlao nudged me and said, “Look, there’s your statement!” And so, it was included--in bright red—to be carried on to the National Art Education Association Board for a vote..my suggestion!

As I walked away from this meeting and reflected on the events of the day, I realized three things; I have a voice, NAEA has an ear and policy has a face.

The next day, my friends and I would tour Pike Place Market in Seattle, we would sip coffee in the very first Starbucks, eat amazing fresh Alaskan Salmon and some would visit the Space Needle and the Chihuly Gardens. But perhaps one of the most meaningful places we would visit would be a long alley in the heart of Pike Place that is simply known as The Gum Wall. Look it up. Here passersby have been leaving chewed gum for decades, out in the open for all to see. Here is Public Art that at first glance appears to be a colorful, non-objective abstract mosaic. It is strangely beautiful. What a perfect installation to reflect my impression of Delegates. We all leave our marks in the world in different ways, but collectively, there is power when we work together for a common goal. We could just focus on the things that divide us or worse, never become involved at all because we think no one’s listening. If we do that, we can be guaranteed to never move any further than our own opinionated, bitter selves, hiding like hardened gum under the desks at school. Let us instead focus on what unites us and move forward with the goal of making this planet a place where those we teach can make their own uniquely wonderful marks in the world. Just chew on that for a while.

Altered Books Altered Perspectives

Growing up in the 50's and 60's, it was ingrained in my soul that you just don't write in book margins..nor do you ever cut or tear pages of books..at least NOT on purpose! The idea of doing those things to a book..intentionally.. always seemed somehow..really wrong. Nevertheless I knew that some of my most esteemed art teaching colleagues had found that students really love altering books. So that's why I welcomed some discarded donations from our librarian. When snow was predicted to shut down our schools in the Memphis area for a few days in early January, I grabbed a copy of The Diary of Anne Frank before leaving my classroom from the pile of discarded library books and began a journey into the world of altered books. For the next few days, I moved my mixed media supplies close to the fireside in my living room and with snow gently falling out my window, I began searching YouTube videos for altered book techniques. I added these videos to our Middle School Art Class webpage and began trying them out with the Anne Frank book. Soon I was writing up a lesson for my 8th Grade students that would change the way we both look at books and stretch their talents and skills as they followed the list of criteria I designed to serve as a guide through these themed works of art. Upon our return to school, I asked them to select a book from the crate for altering. I handed them the list of criteria and showed them how to begin preparing their books for this process. As students, tore, cut, gessoed, painted, glued and charred the pages of their books they became more enthralled with the process. Their ideas emerged and soon they were independently researching subjects to include in their pages. Some took the books home to work on them and showed up after school to continue with their new-found obsession. What about me? Altering The Diary of Anne Frank did the same to my experience. I found myself wanting to read more about her and to reverently and authentically express visually with the pages what she so eloquently penned. Since these students were coincidentally studying The Diary of Anne Frank in English class, we had engaging discussions. Daily students would ask to see the progress of my book as I worked along side them. They gleaned ideas from one another and from me, but each book became the unique expression of a personal voice. I also saw them applying skills and techniques that they had learned from previous lessons while they experimented with materials in new ways. Although some have finished their books, some are continuing to find new things to add beyond the criteria. Making art not because they have to..not for extra credit..but because they want to. So, once again, my perspective has changed and I guess it's okay after all to distress a few pages from a book on it's way to the dumpster. Especially if in the process, students are finding themselves obsessed with art making and wanting to learn more.

photo by Melody Weintraub. Do not use without permission.

Peer Tutoring

One day last week, I reflected on the variety of processes going on in just one class period in my Middle School Art Room. Students were in various stages of finishing projects or beginning new work. All were engaged..all were learning..and all were working cooperatively. Some were finishing up some AMAZING detailed drawings for our regional Scholastic Art Contest that is approaching..I isolated them a little in the room from other students who were inking and burnishing prints as I didn't want to risk an ink splatter on the tonal drawings..while other students were in the process of gouging their print blocks they were seated with friends who were still working on glazing a previous project (themed ceramic vessels). Obviously when this kind of activity is going on, students require guidance. Years ago, I experienced the value of training a few students to help others. My kids like to be called, "experts." Who doesn't? So, with this particular lesson, I have some gouging "experts" and some printing "experts." Gouging experts help their fellow students learn how to apply a reversed print design to the block and then how to utilize the different nibs for gouging and precautions to take to prevent trips to the nurse for another bandaid....While the printing experts guide those new at printmaking in the techniques needed for a clear print. The glazing "experts" who are now working on their prints can pause to give those new at glazing a few tips.."Three coats of each color, "..."Use the gouge if you're doing sgraffito."..."Dark glaze goes over light better than light over dark." While all of this peer tutoring is going on, I'm supervising and deferring questions to the experts when possible, and enjoying every minute of it! Peer tutoring reinforces the processes and techniques to those tutoring. Peer tutoring also helps those learning better understand the instructions. Peer tutoring may also inspire a future in art educator. At the end of class, one "expert" approached me and said, "Whew! I am exhausted...Now I understand what you go through. Teaching is hard and sometimes they don't listen.." So, think I should tell that student about Differentiated Instruction?

Writing on Wednesdays

Students writing about Roy Lichtenstein's, "M-Maybe" (1965) Photo by Melody Weintraub

There is a new "tradition" with artists in my Middle School Art Classes. It is known as "Writing on Wednesdays." They know that on Wednesdays they have the green light to bring their laptops to explore a new painting specifically chosen for it's era or style. Sixth Grade (since I only have them for 9 weeks) is exploring the Impressionist Period. Since I have Seventh and Eighth Grade Students every day all year, Seventh Grade is working it's way through Post-Impressionism through Pop-Art and Eighth Grade is looking at Pop-Art through Contemporary Art. The writing formats vary from a formal critique (A.K.A. Art Investigation) to prompts in which students might write a letter to a friend describing a painting, write a short story based on a painting, or even write Haiku based on experiencing a painting using their five senses. If students are in the middle of an art process mid week and unable to pause, we might choose to have Writing on Wednesdays on...a Friday or Monday. Last Wednesday, I was not prepared for what transpired during my Sixth Grade Art Class! I put students in Investigating Teams. Using a handout which I created, students were to observe the "evidence" of Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party and collect their data. What ensued was a very passionate argument regarding the content of the painting. It was wonderful. I tried hard not to smile too much. I don't think I'll ever have to remind them again who painted it or what it looks like. As students were leaving one student turned to me and said, "I love Writing on Wednesdays, Mrs. Weintraub! It's so much fun!" What's fun for me  is seeing these future Artists, Lawyers, Teachers, and Doctors connecting to Art in a whole new way. So, one day, maybe 20 years from now, when they are walking through the Art Institute of Chicago they just might take a second look at certain Renoir.

Teaching Students to Care

"World Peace." Photo by Melody Weintraub

I've taught Middle School Art for many years. I've seen my teaching evolve from just teaching students how to make or draw things into why to make and draw things. In order to teach them "why" sometimes I must help them look at issues that they face and how those issues are connected to issues facing our world. For many of these students, this is the first time they have considered that their art could be used to communicate something that they are passionate about. I feel a responsibility to teach them the skills necessary to communicate this message. I believe that craftsmanship in art is as important as good writing and delivery is in a powerful speech. It needs to be consistent with the message and not distract from it. Showing them examples of art speaking they can see the variety of ways that other artists have communicated; Picasso's "Guernica," Ringgold's, "For The Women's House," Goya's "The Third of May 1808", for example. While exploring issues, I write down these themes on the board. This way students also learn the importance of conversation. I have seen them then begin to use this tool of collaborative exploration in constructing their own art. Sometimes they will even ask other students to help them develop ideas. I am always amazed at the results. Recently a student decided to explore the theme of "addiction," in creating his self-portrait. The result was a tonal portrait of himself chained inside a doorway but reaching to the outside where in the reflection of his glasses we see the colors of a beautiful day. One of the chains is broken. It is about gaining freedom from his addiction to video games, and wanting to play outside with his friends. What a transparent and powerful message from an 8th Grade student! But then so is the simplest of designs like the one carved on a ceramic cylinder--"World Peace." Theodore Roosevelt once said that, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Perhaps the best way we can teach students to care is by starting conversations and listening to them. 

Every Artist Tells a Story

Last weekend we held our Tennessee Art Education Fall Conference at Memphis College of Art (MCA). We were so excited about returning to this venue for our conference. Large spacious rooms, inspiring student work adorning the hallways, high open natural light studios and located on the grounds of the most beautiful park in Memphis that is just now beginning to show signs of autumn foliage. So many of our members have connections to this lovely school and this lovely place, but then again, so do most Memphians. However, for those of us with those connections, this event was bittersweet as we all learned on the first day of the conference, that due to financial issues and lower enrollment, Memphis College of Art will be closing it's doors for good by 2020. It is somewhat ironic that the theme of our conference was, "Every Artist Tells a Story." Indeed we all do have a story and our story is worth telling..Art Schools, like MCA are excellent at bringing forth those stories and validating them through the vehicle of visual art. Meaningful art making is all about the story. Recently in my 8th Grade Art Classroom, we spent two days exploring universal themes in preparation for their self-portraits. Students were to select the theme that they could most identify with in order to select the way they executed their portraits. Students stories ranged from being bullied and facing pressures to being ignored. Some students expressed overcoming gossip and adversity while others chose to demonstrate finding light in the midst of darkness. My concerns about spending two complete class periods in exploration of these universal concepts soon vanished when I saw the strength and power of the art that resulted. Personal voice heard loud and clear! Some executed more of a accurate likeness, but even those students who wandered a bit from the gridded photo still found a way for skillful expression..because they had a story to tell..A story that was welcomed..a story that found a place among the walls of my art room. Hopefully those students who will not complete their story at MCA, will find a way to continue to speak through their art. That is indeed the best way to keep their story alive and the memory of that iconic school in the heart of our city.

"Can You See Them?" by 8th Grade Artist (Photo by Melody Weintraub-Do Not Use Without Permission)

The Clockworks

I recently taught a workshop at the Tennessee Arts Academy at Belmont University in Nashville on embellishing safety goggles. My example was done in Steampunk style. Steampunk is a design which visits the past Victorian/Steam Age and mixes it with a Fantasy/Science Fiction age. Think of the gears and gadgets seen in Back to the Future III or The Wild Wild West movie and TV series. Since I love working with found objects, gears, wires, hardware and such, Steampunk is right down my time tunnel. So one day, I wandered into a clock shop and asked the owner if he had any old broken clock parts that he would like to donate. At first he made a joke about not fixing any clocks that didn't already work. Then he said that he had a box full that he would bring in the following week. When I returned, I was amazed at the "treasure trove" in that box.

Collection of Clockparts sorted. Photo by Melody Weintraub (2017)

As I sorted this box of gears, chains, and oddly shaped metal pieces, I began thinking of what the parts as a whole represented. Time. I imagined those who once gazed at only the face of the clock waiting..for a baby to arrive..for a train..for a prom date to bring flowers..for an anniversary..for a son or daughter to return home..for the stroke of midnight to bring in a new and better year. Then things change..babies grow up..prom dates become weddings..and soon the ticking of the clock echoes in an empty house waiting for new arrivals, all the while these beautiful parts are working away in perfect synchronization going unnoticed and unappreciated until for some unforeseen reason they simply stopped working. I am glad that I am an artist and that I can give these parts a new "life" by creating objects with them that will transcend their other existence. The parts will once again be assembled but this time for the sake of art. Meet the first character to emerge, "The Reader." This character is posed in front of a 1928 edition of Code for Classifiers - Principles governing the consistent placing of books in a system of classification. This character rewriting her own history is in a "classification" all her own. The gear placement behind her head shows her enlightenment as she reads. So engaged in this novel, she is oblivious to Time. Three embellishments that hem her garment represent Past, Present and Future.

"The Reader." (4" x 2") Metal clockworks and adhesive. (2017) by Melody Weintraub

Summer Plans?

So now that the art room is packed up and the totes full of planning books are stuffed next to your favorite chair at home, what's the plan for your summer break? Many of us have good intentions about making time to think about getting some ideas together, but then it's all too easy to flit away these balmy summer months with no plans at all..uh..and we all know how that works for us in the art classroom...NOT! It's true that we all need a "break" and there's nothing wrong with taking one. There is also nothing wrong with "scheduling" a break either, so that we maximize the time off and make the best use of these days. Or all too soon, we will look back and see they were swept away by Candy Crush, Facebook, Netflix and...nothing.

Setting Goals

Setting personal goals for the summer is a good place to start. Just make sure when you are setting them that they are reachable, or you will wind up being frustrated that you weren't able to accomplish anything. Want to paint more? Visit a museum? Volunteer at a Community Center? Write? Submit? Read? Draw? Make? Learn? Plan? Travel? Make a list. Keep it simple and reachable. What is reachable for some might not be reachable for others. Don't stress over it. We are all wired differently. Also, don't get goals confused with desires. Our desires are what should drive our goals. "Writing" is a goal. "Getting Published" is a desire. 

Setting Priorities

Now that you have made a concise list, number it in order of priorities. What is at #1? #2? #3?This will help you as you schedule your time devoted to each. Your goals do not need to have equal time. Some are more important to you, your career and your well-being than others and that's just okay.

Setting Schedules

Once you have prioritized your goals, decide how much time you will devote to each. For instance, if my #1 goal is to write, I might set aside at least one hour every morning to spend writing. Painting might be a secondary goal, but it may devote more time because of it's process, so I might set a painting goal to twice a week at 3 hours a pop. Setting these goals into your calendar helps tremendously when planning other life events of the summer. For instance, knowing that you plan to write each day from 8:00-9:00, helps you plan other events starting at 10:00. Or it might mean rising a little earlier if something else is planned.

Setting your Mind

A wise administrator once told a group of teachers that the most important thing I can do for students is to be interested in something other than teaching. That's a hard call for me, since I am so passionate about teaching, but think about it. If we are interested in something, it ignites our energy. When we bring that energy into the classroom, it sparkles. Use the summer break to pursue an interest, even if it's #5 on your list and see how it energizes everything else. You will find more time to do the things you love and love the things you do. 

Be Present

Summertime for me is a wonderful time to spend with my family. Nothing can be more frustrating to others than to visit with someone who is hypnotized by their mobile devices. Setting goals and scheduling helps us to enjoy the real world. The world we truly live for. If we are preoccupied by thinking of "more constructive" things to be doing, we just might miss a golden moment along the journey that will not return. The Bible says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) No matter how ambitious, we present for those we love. One of my favorite quotes is attributed to Patricia Clifford, “The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won’t wait while you finish the work.” 

Exiting Ticket, Please?

Well, it's that time of year again, when we scrape the last paint from the jars, try a new squeeze on the Elmer's, and run by Dollar Tree on our own nickel for pencils, in hopes of finding just enough to finish out the year in Art. We all know that we must begin the summer packing a little sooner than most, since we have more stuff than most that needs packing away before the summer elves arrive to wax our floors and paint our walls. So while we are dismantling our visual displays, bulletin boards and posters like every year, we hopelessly never seem to learn that what goes up in August, must come down in May. In any event, during these days of sorting and purging, packing and tossing, we don't want to forget that we are still in the business of sowing visions and building dreams in the lives of those young people who walk into our classrooms every day. True, we'd really like for them to finish that painting..shade that drawing and glaze that pinch pot..but we also have an assignment to finish well. What will we give them to stash in their backpack of memories about Art? What will our students take with them beyond the canvas and portfolio of art? What kind of "exiting ticket" will we give them in these last days of school? What can we prompt them to think about over the summer or over their journey of life? What kind of positive praise can we share with them? We truly may not have the time to write a personal message to each student, but we could give them each a word on a piece of paper that best describes them in a positive way. I researched a list of positive traits and found one at http://ideonomy.mit.edu/essays/traits.html . Although there are some traits on this list of over 200 words that we should refrain from using with students, this list might help us get started in the right direction. Or maybe we could share Howard Gardner's list of multiple intelligences with the class and help students in the quest to discover their gifts http://multipleintelligencesoasis.org/about/the-components-of-mi/. Maya Angelou said it best, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” How will we make them feel as they exit the art room for summer break?
    

Chasing That Color

7th Grade Student working on Zinnias. Photo by Melody Weintraub

As an artist, I love mixing colors to find just the right contrast, tone or hue. Do you? I tell my students that I sometimes feel that I can almost "taste" the color I'm trying to mix..like remembering the word that is "on the tip of your tongue" or finding the seasoning that your grandmother must have used in her chicken soup. I hope that I transfer that passion for mixing colors to my students. I love to see them chasing after colors in the condiment cups I distribute. When they finally mix THE color, I love to see them "stash" it in a nook of my art room for safekeeping..like a pot of gold. We use black to shade colors sparingly in my classroom. Unless we are going for a "grungy" effect. We do, however, return to the color wheel to see if the compliment can be added to create a darker shade first. I tell my students to look for the warmer tones..go red..make it deeper with a little blue and then go to green. They know what I mean. I also tell them to return to the reference photo and study the color..over-emphasize it. The results sometimes take my breath away..like the beginning of this zinnia painting by a 7th Grade student. I'm not sure that he realizes the magic that he is creating, but it is inspiring this art teacher to pick up some watercolors tonight and chase a little color myself. How about you?

Popping Off the Page

Photo of student work. Use only with permission.

Recently I posted a photo of a 6th Grade student painting a rose. Several comments mentioned that the rose looked like it was "popping off the page." In the post, I mentioned that this is the first serious painting that this student has done. She is excellent at drawing, but has never applied paint in this way. I simply told her that painting is just like drawing..only with color. This relaxed her and she began to enjoy the process. This reminded me why I love teaching art and watching a student's love and talent for art blossom like the petals on this young, budding artist's rose. Not all students who discover the magic of art arrive with a backpack of talent. Some are searching for a way to express how they feel about the world around them. They are not as concerned with technique as they are with content. For those students, I will present a way for them to develop just enough skills to communicate their message. If their interest continues..skills will follow and so will their individualistic style. Some students come with a love for experimentation. For those students, I introduce a variety of alternative surfaces and new materials. However, sadly, it is just as easy to uproot a student's love for art by fencing that student into a place where only perfectionistic realism reigns. As art educators, we must celebrate a diversity of individualistic styles and differentiate our instruction to meet the needs of students at all levels. The art room of all places must be the oasis..the safe place..where the student can think, plan, design, express, connect, reflect and emerge into a confident, empowered young visionary.

Happy Spring

"Purple Pansies" Watercolor by Melody Weintraub

It's that lovely time of year when flowers and trees begin to show us what they have been hiding all winter long. It's also the time when the pollen starts to remind us that winter also has it's own secrets. As these flowers start to bloom and show off across our social media world, maybe we should take a moment away from our newsfeeds to stop and smell the roses blooming outside of our own non-virtual windows. This world we live in is still pretty amazing in reality. Realizing this is perhaps the greatest thing we can do to revive our outlook and infuse in our art classrooms. It might just inspire us to brush the dust off of our portable watercolor palettes, find a notecard and capture the beauty of a budding cherry blossom, fleeting wildflower, potted pansy or purple iris. We don't need a large block of time, fancy studio or isolation to make this kind of art. We don't have to have a purpose in mind for these watercolor cards, except self expression. However, I have found that these cards usually find their own way into the hands of someone who really needs them, so I wait and listen for a moment to cheer, express love or thankfulness. After all, isn't what this time of year does for us? Happy Spring.

"Watercolor Cards of Nature" by Melody Weintraub

Art is Essential

Art is essential. It is not just the icing on the cake, nor the cake. It is the meal. Art is what nourishes the soul. It is not just the design of the flag, nor the colors in the flag. It is the flag. Art is the fiber of existence. Evidence of a culture that flourished. It is not just the nice picture in the museum, nor the technique used on the canvas. Art is the story behind the canvas and the voice that must be not be silenced. Art is not just the crunched up paper held with a magnet on your refrigerator, nor the after school program where the picture was made. Art is what made the child want to go to school in the first place. Art is not just the mural on the public building, nor transformation of the area. Art is what happened while it was being painted--the people who came together to make something important.

Art gives meaning. Art connects children to ideas, to diversity, to higher-order thinking, creative problem-solving, to the practical application of math, science, history, social studies and languages.

Art is not an extra or a specialty. It is not expendable. You don’t have to understand, agree with or like all art. But if you take art away because of a misunderstanding that it doesn’t really matter that much, you are not cutting a budget, you are severing a lifeline. Not just for some, but for all.

Holding On

Photo "Hands on the Wheel." by Melody Weintraub. Do not use without permission.

So, the last day before Spring Break, I decided to introduce my 6th Grade Art Class to the Pottery Wheel. Yes, the class was low in numbers that day and no, it wasn't in the scope and sequence. It was however, a teachable forty minutes..not just for the students, but also for their teacher.

STARTING SMALL- I decided to start them off with a small amount of clay, knowing this was their first experience on the wheel, a larger amount might have been too much for them to handle. LIFE LESSON: Maybe we shouldn't complain if we are given less responsibilities/position than others but instead shine with what we have been given.

SIMPLE DESIGN - No, elaborate designs here and kept trimming to a minimum. Basically the goal was to learn to center the clay, see how it worked and to get over the muddy hands. LIFE LESSON: Sometimes in order to make something remarkable or experience something extraordinary, we might have to step outside of our comfort zone. 

NO PROMISES - I also told them ahead of time that I didn't promise that I would fire what they made. The goal of this activity was not the product, but to let them experience the clay. It actually relaxed them to know that their first attempt did not need to be successful. LIFE LESSON: Enjoy the moment.

DEMONSTRATION - I demonstrated the process for them beforehand. I was careful to point out the position of my hands and arms and how important it was to maintain symmetry. I am in no sense of the word, a "master" potter. However, I know enough to teach them the basics of throwing a pot on the wheel. That's why their response took me by surprise as they practically squealed with excitement seeing this ordinary art teacher turn an ordinary pot. LIFE LESSON: Never underestimate the awesomeness of what you teach.

GUIDED PRACTICE - Now it was the students' turn at the wheel and as the first three potters began centering their clay, the other students watching and waiting began cheering them on, reminding them of the procedure they had just witnessed together. And when the second group sat at the wheels, the first group coached them and then something extraordinary happened. A student who was having difficulty centering her clay was assisted by the hands of her "coach." I watched in amazement as their hands collaboratively began to control the clay. LIFE LESSON: If life ever feels out of control, hold on and never resist the help of your friends.

My People

Okay, I'm at the National Art Education Association Convention in New York right now and I am energized. I am energized by the passion these 7000 happy art educators have for teaching and for art! There are no strangers here. As my sweet mom used to say, "A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet." Well, Mom, today I am among friends. Just ask someone where the name tags are and you find yourself deep in a conversation..sharing funny stories..and it's mostly about our profession. No fish out of water here..No matter if you're from Memphis or Montreal..New York or Nebraska..you are among friends. So many, "take aways" from this..I can't even begin to count them. I do know one thing..come Monday afternoon in the Middle School Art Room...I am ready to rock some socks off of some artists! So what's the picture of the hot fudge Sunday all about? See that cherry on top? Well, that's what this conference is to my teaching..and this is just the first day.

One Student at a Time

Colton focused student on left.

As an art teacher, some days are really long. Sometimes classes are overcrowded. Sometimes we stay a couple of hours after everyone else has left, just to clean up and prepare supplies for the next day. Sometimes we feel ignored and our efforts overlooked. We think about that as we scrape pallets and struggle with missing marker caps. Sometimes others don't share our passion for the value of teaching the arts. Sometimes we wonder if we are really making a difference at all. Then that student walks into our classroom. He's a little taller than the rest at an age when everyone is just trying to blend in and find a niche. Maybe we are teaching clay that week and wondering how on earth we can possibly show twenty-four middle school students how to throw on the wheel. We decide to start with that one student after school one day when he comes in to hang out before guitar lessons. That student wraps his oversized hands around that clay over and over again until he gets it centered. Then he throws that small bowl over and over again. Wedging it between throwing like he'd been working with clay for years. He is patient and methodical until he gets it right. You decide you have found help teaching the twenty-four. You knight him as the "Clay Expert" and he begins coaching his peers on the wheel the next day. You go to his wrestling tournaments. You cheer him on. Later he takes art in high school, he decides Art College is his best route. He comes back from time to time to visit. You go to his MFA show and continue to cheer him on. Then one day, his mother sends you a link to a feature article about his work in Memphis Magazine. You weep when you read the second paragraph as you remember that lanky 6th Grade future sculptor: 

What was your first attempt at art and how did your passion develop?
"I actually didn't until middle school. In 6th grade I had to choose between choir and art, and I had no desire to sing. Mrs. Weintraub, my teacher through middle school really is the reason I am an artist today. She would let me stay after school and throw on the pottery wheel, give me the specific artists to look up for techniques, and get me to help her with props for the school plays. More than anything, she pushed me and made sure that I never settled for one medium and always tried new materials."  http://memphismagazine.com/the-memo/a-onversation-with-sculptor-colton-berretta/

Don't ever feel you are not making a difference. You are making a difference with one student at a time. #Thanksgiving

One Grid Section at a Time

There was a country hit back in the 1970's, "One Day at a Time," that was co-written by Kris Kristofferson and Marijohn Wilkin. Then there was the popular sitcom by the same name starring, Bonnie Franklin and Valerie Bertinelli. It's a nice phrase for us to remember when we get overwhelmed by the whole of life's pressures..Deuteronomy 33:25 puts it this way, "..As thy days, so shall thy strength be." My Granny Owens, who raised 10 children, had still another phrase, "Don't borrow trouble from tomorrow." Lately I've thought a lot about how this life lesson can apply to an art lesson on drawing with a grid. When a complicated image is looked at as a whole, it can also be overwhelming for students, but when that image is broken down by a grid overlay and the student learns to concentrate on one square at a time, it is much more manageable. Each square becomes a picture in itself and all that needs to be focused on are the lines, tones, shapes and spaces (positive and negative) in that one section. As the drawing matures,  one can look back as see the whole complicated image emerge and make more sense. Life is somewhat like that too. If we are in a season of life that has us feeling overwhelmed, it might help us as well, to focus on the day at hand..the art class lesson at hand..the student at hand..the moment at hand. If we don't, we might miss something that will effect the way the whole image emerges..and that something might also be a powerful work of art in and of itself. To view my instructional video on, "How to Draw Using a Grid," click this link: https://youtu.be/ucFWEGmhKjI

Seeds and Such

Photo by Melody Weintraub

While shopping at Whole Foods the other day, I came across a package of mustard seeds. It made me recall a devotional my mother once gave, where she handed everyone in the small group a tiny mustard seed at the beginning of her lecture on Faith. I teach in a religious school and this week being "spiritual emphasis week," I thought it might be a good time to pick up a pack of mustard seeds. Monday morning, I gave each student in the class a mustard seed and asked them to read, Matthew 17:20 from the Bible (the verse about moving mountains with faith as small as a mustard seed). I encouraged them to hold onto the mustard seed for one week. Most of them took the "assignment" very seriously. One student lost the seed about 30 seconds after I handed it to him and the others around him tried desperately to help him find it again. I used this as an example of how we should all help one another when our faith wanes. Some students taped their seeds to their sketchbooks, some kept them inside their billfolds, others taped them to their laptops, some asked if they could go to their lockers and tape it inside. So on Friday, I asked them how it was going with holding onto the mustard seed. About a three fourths of the class not only still had them, but showed them to me. We then discussed what common factors helped those students to hold onto their seeds. It seems that those students placed them in places that were valuable to them. Several said, maybe it would have been a good idea to plant them and watch them grow. I also thought about how this also applies to teaching. How's your mustard seed? You know, the one you started with when you were going to change the world by teaching? Moved any mountains lately? Where did you keep it? What kind of seed is it? Is it a seed of knowledge? Is it a seed of a positive art experience? Is it a seed of motivation? Is it hidden under a pile of papers? Did you forget about it while searching for other things? Did you lose it in the clutter of life and disappointment? By any chance, did you share it with your students? Perhaps they can help you find it again. This time maybe it should be planted and nourished so you can watch it grow. 

Art Family

It's Sunday. My birthday was yesterday and yes, of course I wore my birthday crown all day. Why wouldn't I? I spent my birthday surrounded by my art family at the Tennessee Art Education Association Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. So, today I am feeling inspired, refreshed and blessed by the amazing things I learned, experienced and made at the conference. Tomorrow, I will enter my classroom with my Art Bag packed full of new ideas, skills and renewed passion for teaching...and I also managed to pick up some "freebies" for my students who will ask me if I brought them something from my trip. I also presented a workshop on Narrative and Folk Art. I shared Faith Ringgold's Narrative Quilt, "Tar Beach." I spoke about Faith and how she has inspired me. I also shared the work of Louisiana Folk Artist Clementine Hunter and compared it with my Aunt Sibyl's folk art--both equally wonderful art story-tellers. I also shared my own narrative work..a triptych music box that I made in honor of my mother and artist Aminah Robinson. I showed those who came to my workshop story blocks that my students had made. Then they made art blocks with their own stories painted on them. It was a moving experience for some of them as they began to remember their stories and consider them as art. It moved me to hear their stories and to see their art. It needed to be revisited...it needed to be expressed. Art has that power. I hope that if you teach art and if you are reading this that you belong to your state art organization. If you join the National Art Education Association, you already are a member, but you need to connect. Go to your conference. Meet your art family. They need you..and even if you don't realize it, you need them. If you're not an art teacher, and you still have a story that needs to be expressed, grab a scrap of anything and begin to make marks that expresses how you feel about that memory. Hopefully it will be a pleasant reunion..like the reunion I experienced yesterday on my birthday.