Days of the Dead at Lawndale Art Center

Saturday, October 7, will be the Family Day Fiesta at Lawndale Art Center. Festivities will start at noon. What more could any one want? Art, music, dance, activities and refreshments, all in one place, and it's free!

Come down and join me in celebrating. While you're there check out our students artwork along with the retablos painted by Brandy Watkins and myself. I hope to see you there!

This exhibit comes down on Monday, so see it while you can!

It's A New Year!

There have been a lot of changes around the art room.

First of all, I am no longer the Lone Art Teacher at St Stephens! Brandy Watkins has hired on and will be teaching art to the kinder and lower elementary classes. I've known Brandy for years. We've worked and traveled together. I know Brandy to be an incredibly talented art teacher. I couldn't leave the kinder and lower elementary classes in better hands. I'll be teaching art to the upper elementary and beyond. Brandy and I will be teaching classes at the same time in the afternoons, so this has also cut the amount of work space in half. Last year we could spread out throughout the entire art space. Now we are limited to the Upper School portion of the upstairs.

Second, all upper elementary students will come to art on Wednesdays for 45 minutes. Changing their art day from Monday or Friday to Wednesday will make it possible for me to see them much more regularly. Last year it seemed every holiday and special event or program meant they missed a visual art opportunity. No more! I'll see them every single week for the duration of the school year.

Third, we now have a fine arts rotation for the IMYC 7th and 8th graders and the high school freshman. This allows these students to have an opportunity to experience visual art, music, and film making before they have to choose one area for their IB fine art.

Fourth, I'm teaching Pre-IB Visual Art 1, IB Visual Art Years 1 and 2 at the same time. Pre-IB/Visual Art 1 students will come to the art room Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for 45 minutes from 2:10 to 2:55. IB Visual Arts Years 1 and 2 will have a additional hour and a half on Wednesday afternoons from 2:10 to 3:45. This extra block of time will allow the IB students to focus on their Process Portfolios, Comparative Studies and projects for their Exhibitions.

Finally, I will be teaching one class, jewelry making for the lower elementary students, in the Fine Arts Academy. This class will be held after school on Mondays from 3:45 to 5:00. The class size is limited to 6 students to allow me to give each one my full attention.

Syllabi for all of my classes are now posted on the PlusPortal. I'll be posting links, homework, grades, etc. on the portal, so make sure to check in often.

I'm looking forward to a great, art filled year!

Film and Fashion

The Film and Fashion Festival has come and gone. It was a lot of work and it took a lot of time, but it was all worth it. Everyone learned in the process. I think I may have learned more than anyone!

Dashing!

Dangerous!

Delightful!

Illuminated!

Ernie Manouse was our MC with our very own Ms Holli!

Putting it all together.

A paper skirt by Karina

Hot!

All in all, it was a great experience. I want to thank my friend Brandy for taking the photographs. I wouldn't have any photos without her.

Time to Catch Up!

Wow! It's been a little while since I've been here!

It is definitely time for an update.

Michael Zepeda is a Scholastic Art Silver Key Recipient! This was our first year to take part in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. More than 4000 students in Harris County submitted work. Congratulations, Michael! Former winners of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards include Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Zac Posen, Robert Redford and Joyce Carol Oates. The keynote speaker at the Awards Ceremony was none other than Patrick Renner, the artist who create Funnel Tunnel on the esplanade in front of the Art League of Houston. Patrick was a Gold Star Recipient in 1997.

Remember long ago, last fall, when we made monarch butterflies? I mailed them off in October. Have you wondered where they went and what they were up to? You can find out here at Journey North.

We have been focused on fiber arts since the beginning of January. We begin with tying a slip knot, a task that is often difficult for many students. Once this skill was mastered we begin finger crocheting. This led into finger knitting. Some of the students are now attempting proper knitting using improvised knitting needles. We will be using these skills as we continue on to create our ensembles and accessories for the Altered, Upcycled and Recycled Fashion Show. Working with yarn has been a means to introduce fiber, fabric and fashion.

Knitting is an integral part of the Waldorf curriculum. It also has a place in Montessori schools and is included in Friedrich Froebel's Occupations. Once mastered it aids students in calming and focusing, improves fine motor skills and allows students a sense of success and competency. 

It supplies an excellent opportunity to play with the elements of line, color, form, shape, space, and texture. As far as the elements of art and the principles of design, the yarn itself can be thought of as a line. We establish a pattern and rhythm through our repeated motions, whether manipulating the yarn with our fingers or with knitting needles. Texture, color, shape, and form all play there part as we create with fiber. 

I personally find the experience of taking a length of yarn and creating with it to contain an element of the miraculous. To go from what is effectively a piece of string manipulated with two sticks to a scarf, a sweater or something more, is extremely satisfying. In the case of finger crochet, finger knitting, or even using a knitting noddy, there is an additional challenge of forming the finished product into something more useful than a simple length of yarn. Whether this is done through the use of fantastic yarns or through coiling, stitching or weaving is a moot point. The knitter must bring imagination and creativity to their work, be it a yarn snake or a coiled beret, a sweater or an entire playground.

Over the past couple of decades there have been several fine artists and crafts people working in fiber arts and, more particularly, knitting and crocheting. Kaffe Fassett's knitting designs focus on a symphony of color. Katherine Cobey is known for her sculptural works and knitting with unusual materials including recycled plastic and wire. Debbie New creates works in freeform knitting. Her works run the gamut from garments to a knitted coracle. Valentina Devine creates works from the traditional to large scale sculptural pieces. Japanese fiber artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam has crocheted entire playgrounds. And, of course, I can't leave out the work of Magda Sayeg and the group Knitta, Please, (originally formed here in Houston) whether you call it yarn bombing, yarn storming or yarn graffiti. Currently knitting and crocheting have been making the news as the boundaries between mathematics, science and art blur in projects like the Crochet Coral Reef project and knitting fractals.

Getting back to the the art classes at St Stephens, each class from kindergarten through sixth grade has a theme based on one of the branches of the arts taught in the Fine Arts Academy. The kindergarten classes are focusing on Music. Ms Ralene's class theme is Visual Arts. Ms Liz is covering Theatre. Ms Megan's class theme is Photography while Ms Jillian's class theme is Film. The Upper El is able to overlap and interact between the two classes due to the relationship between their themes. In the Middle School students are creating in collaborative teams while working under the umbrella of the Big Idea. The Lower School classes are creating at least one ensemble per class. Finally, the High School students are creating individual fashion statements based on their personal visions. Neither the Middle School nor the High School were afforded the opportunity to work with knitting. The fashions that are created will be featured in the Film and Fashion Show at Discovery Green on May 1.

The Upper El and above have looked at art, fashion and the fascinating area where they overlap in the work of designer Alexander McQueen, Salvador Dali and Nick Caves and his Sound Suits.

Classes from third grade through high school have had the opportunity to work with René Garza. Grassroots Art in Action accepted my proposal and generously provided St Stephens with Mr Garza for a short residency limited to 24 hours. I requested Mr Garza for a residency based on both his art work and his experience with fashion. He has been working alongside me with our students since February 17.

I am still asking for donations of recycled materials for us to use in the students' fashions. We are upcycling anything and everything from plastic bags to t-shirts to artificial flowers. At this point we have gone through nearly all the yarn donated by both myself and parents. I replenished the supply somewhat last week with a shopping trip to Michael's. I stopped by Texas Art Asylum and bought up all of the cameras I could find along with old movie tins. I would really like to locate as many film canisters as possible for the Upper El to use. If you have any materials to spare of any sort, please send them our way. We are using anything and everything in our creations.

It's that time of year again!

It's been a busy couple of weeks! The high school and middle school students took a field trip to Lawndale Art Center to view the Day of the Dead Show on Wednesday last week. That show came down this last Monday, but I was glad for the opportunity to take a photo of several of the student artists and their work during the field trip.

Artists and their work at Lawndale, November 5th

I spent last weekend, November 6 -9, at the Texas Art Education Association conference in San Antonio. I attended some excellent presentations. My attendance at the conference was aimed at acquiring new ideas and keeping up to date with the forefront of art education to better serve St Stephens Episcopal School and its students. Several of the presentations were directed towards AP/IB programs in addition to TAB (Teaching Artistic Behavior).

"Make Something Awesome" was presented by two young IB teachers, Audrey Cisneros and Stacy Rodriguez. They made me glad that I had stayed until the last as they repeated their presentation on Sunday morning. They gave several other workshops including Imaginary Spaces, Making Mini Books and Local Letterboxing.

Olivia Gude was one of the speakers. She is a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I've heard her speak before and definitely enjoyed hearing her again in San Antonio. I attended her workshop, "Seeing Into Through Artmaking: Surrealist Bureau of Educational Research". There is a video on Vimeo of a previous workshop to give you some idea of the content. You can click on the link above to watch it.

My artwork from Olivia Gude's workshop.

Unfortunately I had to miss the St Stephens Episcopal School-Houston Book Fair. I was able to complete the banner and mat some student work to exhibit there on a couple of late nights earlier in the week. Although I couldn't attend the Book Fair I sent my wish list along anyway. I would like to thank the person or persons who bought the David Macauley books for the art room. They will be put to good use.

Now, for local art events and activities coming up in the next week or two:

This Saturday there will be a family art activity at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston from 1 to 4. This is for members at the Family level and above. The activity will be inspired by the exhibit "Monet and the Seine". On Sunday, November 16, from 1 to 4 they are offering a Family Zone + Studio inspired by Treasures from Korea.

The Center for Hearing and Speech will have their annual Via Colori: Street Painting Festival on November 22nd and 23rd. This event is free to the public. If you look closely enough you may even find me at Via Colori! I'll be down on my hands and knees in the street using pastels on Square Number 18 at the corner of Bagby and McKinney at the very end.

The next Hands On Houston at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft will be December 6th from 11-3. No details yet on the activity, but it's always good and a nice free stop for families and kids.

For six days in December, beginning December 8th, Tibetan monks will be creating a sand mandala in the foyer of the Menil Collection. The opening and closing ceremonies of this event will be well worth seeing. Although the museum is closed on Monday and Tuesday special arrangements have been made for viewing the sand mandala. Why not make a day of it? While taking in the sand mandala's creation check out my favorite gallery in the Menil, the Surrealist exhibit and Witnesses to a Surrealist Vision, wander down to the Rothko Chapel, the Cy Twombley Gallery and over to the Dan Flavin Installation. Stop in to the Menil Bookstore for reading material and cards. They have some wonderful and unique small gift items. You might even want to get a bite to eat at the Bistro Menil. The food is excellent. Reservations are recommended.

Oh to be a teenager again!

Before I tell you more, I want to share what's coming up at the Asia Society Texas Center tonight, October 24 from 6-9. They're celebrating their fall exhibition with a Night Market. It's free! They're offering (and I quote): "A festive, family-friendly night of food, crafts and more inspired by Japan." I plan on being there this evening.

On Saturday, October 25 at 11 AM there will be a members' brunch with Bidou Yamaguchi, the sculptor whose work is showing at the Asia Society Texas. Finally at 3 PM there will be an artist talk by the artist.

And if that's not enough Monet and the Seine opens at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston on Sunday, October 26th!

It's going to be a full weekend again!

Look at what the Museum of Fine Arts Houston has coming up for teens!
This is almost too good to be true!

The MFAH is for Teens! Check out our fall programs for teens at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston! "What Does It Mean to Make?" Art Making Workshop Saturday, November 15, 1-3 p.m. "Tactile Textures" Saturday, December 6, 1-3 p.m. "Breaking down the Canvas" Explore new materials and ways of making art while developing tools and methods that you can use in your own artistic process. All teens ages 13-18 are welcome. No previous art experience is needed! Museum admission is included in the program fee of $10. Participants explore a different topic each week and can sign up for one session or join for the entire series. Register now. Sketching on Second Saturdays for Teens November 8, 2-3 p.m. Fangs, Feathers, and Fins: Sacred Creatures in Ancient American Art December 13, 2-3 p.m. Treasures from Korea: Arts and Culture of the Joseon Dynasty, 1392-1910 Experiment with different drawing approaches as you sketch from original works of art in the Museum's galleries with the guidance of an artist-instructor. This program is free with Museum admission. Each month, explore works from the permanent collection or an exhibition. Meet in KFEC. Materials provided. Limited to 10 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more. Open Studio: hang@MFAH Sunday, November 2, 2-4 p.m. This is an opportunity for teens to get involved in a workshop designed just for them, where they can mess around with technology and art supplies, hang out with friends, and make new ones. Projects are drawn from the exhibition Treasures from Korea: Arts and Culture of the Joseon Dynasty, 1392-1910. This program is free with general admission! Secure your spot in advance today. Register now. Questions? All teens ages 13-18 are welcome. Preregistration is required for most teen programs, but no previous art experience is needed. You can find more information and register for workshops at mfah.org/hang. HANG@MFAH receives generous support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Special funds have been provided by a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Texas Commission on the Arts and Air Liquide USA LLC. All education programs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, receive endowment income from funds provided by Caroline Wiess Law; The National Endowment for the Humanities; the William Randolph Hearst Foundation; the Fondren Foundation; BMC Software, Inc.; the Wallace Foundation; the Louise Jarrett Moran Bequest; the Neal Myers and Ken Black Children's Art Fund; the Favrot Fund; and Gifts in honor of Beth Schneider.

If the Museum of Fine Arts Houston doesn't get your attention, try across the street at the Glassell Junior School Still haven't seen anything that interests you? Check out the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston's Teen Council. Applications will be available in the spring.

Lots of Great Things Going On!

I just want to give you all a heads up, there are a lot of things going on in the neighborhood!

Saturday, November 8 at 4 PM the Museum of Fine Arts Houston's annual Naomi Turner True Lecture at the Glassell School of Arts is presented by artist John Alexander. His lecture is entitled Observations of the World through Drawing. This talk would be excellent for middle and high school students and their parents. The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception to meet the speaker follows.

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft has its monthly Hands On Houston November 1st. They'll be making beaded ornaments. If you missed the last Hands On Houston you missed an extraordinary experience. Glass paperweights, sun catchers, and so much more. Don't miss this next round!

Lawndale Art Center, just across the street from the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, has its annual Day of the Dead exhibit. November 1st from 12 to 4 will be the Family Fiesta. There will be lots of fun and entertainment. Come check it out. Art, sugar skulls, Ballet Folklorica, pan de muerto and more, what more could you want?

I'll be out and about for these events. Maybe I'll see you there!

Mariposas Monarcas, Calaveras and IB

This last week has been incredibly full!

On Friday our Symbolic Monarchs went on their way to Angangueo, Mexico, a little town in the middle of the monarch sanctuaries. If you want to keep track of the Monarch migration and other information pertinent to the Monarch's check in occasionally with the Symbolic Migration 2014-2015

On Saturday I spent the afternoon hanging the high school students work at Lawndale Art Center for the 27th Annual Días de los Muertos celebration. It takes place from October 20 to November 8th.

I followed that up with Visual Arts IB training on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

I don't know why I don't remember having a weekend!