Texture Boards

I have long thought of making a set of texture boards for rubbings and/or printmaking.

Today I got around to starting the project. I cut up some foam core board and started rummaging around for stuff to add texture to them.

Strips of cut file folders

Staples

After making 5 or 6, I got to thinking about the wisdom of this approach. Why should I be the one thinking about texture and repetition instead of the kids. So, Plan B is to pre-cut the foam core boards, assemble a collection of stuff that I have at school (staples, string, yarn, glue, etc.) and have each student make one texture board that will become a part of a class set to be used in their classroom. I'll have a small set of extras on my art cart. YIKES!! There, I said it again. I really will be teaching art from an old audio visual cart in the regular classrooms this year.

After the texture boards are done students will use them for the background of a collage that emphasizes repetition, value, contour lines and the use of text in art.

 While each texture board represents repetition in some way, I would also like students to think of repetition (of texture, line, color, etc) in their overall composition, too.

 When the background is completed, kids will collage text and pictures as well as adding detail with pen. The example below also has some shaded crayon drawings to cut and glue on. I'd like to have that element to help focus on value.

An added step might be to cut out the entire piece and glue it on a dark background board to frame it.

Art Teacher in the Summer

Summer can be such a luxury of rest and relaxation. I LOVE just meandering through a day (or week) doing whatever comes to mind as fun. Reading is always a big part of my life and last week it was these two books:

Sundance, by David Fuller, continues the story of the Sundance Kid after we left him in South America in the movie. Apparently, it is unclear what actually happened to Butch Cassidy and "The Kid" in real life. Perhaps they died in South America, perhaps not. This historical novel follows the premise that Harry (the Kid) returns to the United States, is caught and imprisoned for train robbery, and once released goes to New York in search of Etta, his wife. It is an engaging read, steeped in the flavor of New York in the early 1900s, that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. 

Still Life with Bread Crumbs explores the life of a sixty year old photographer who moves from New York City to the country for financial reasons and builds a new life for herself in a small town. I always enjoy reading Quindlen and summer is the perfect time for this novel.

I always make time in the summer to make jam from the Blenheim apricots that are only available at our Farmer's Market for 3 weeks of the year. Some friends joined me one morning for the project. We all now have our supply of jam to last us until next July! I am thinking about having kids use oil pastels to draw apricots from some of my photos. The colors are just luscious.

Happy 4th!!

A little cake. . .

A little icing (vanilla/almond cream cheese and mocha)

And a hand-fashioned headdress (only because it is a requirement for attending the party I'm going to:))

HOPE EVERYONE IS ENJOYING THE 4TH!!