A delicious treat to read

Apple pie! How much more festive can it be? Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall is a wonderful read for little ones to teach them about the change of seasons. The best part is at the end where there is a recipe for apple pie! It seemed like a perfect book for the holiday week. I read it to my son and then we brought out the bowls and wooden spoons and made multiple apple pies! Big pies, little pies and later some pretend pies out of play dough.
There is something about mixing bowls and a bit of a mess that can not only be fun on rainy cold days but it can also inspire some imaginative thinking. After we made the pies we made play dough (recipe below) and it turned from a floury mess into forms that were tunnels for little cars, food for elephants at the pretend zoo, and space ships to land on the play dough moon.
It was a deliciously messy and fun afternoon!

Colored Play dough

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
• Food coloring
• Saucepan
• 1 cup flour

Directions

1. Combine water, oil, salt, cream of tartar, and food coloring in a saucepan and heat until warm.
2. Remove from heat and add flour.
3. Stir, then knead until smooth. The cream of tartar makes this dough last 6 months or longer, so resist the temptation to omit this ingredient if you don't have it on hand.
4. Store this dough in an airtight container or a Ziploc freezer bag.

Winter Wonderland

This week we began a transformation of the hallway to a winter wonderland (secretly wishing for lots of snow). I read the book Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert for a little bird inspiration. Then students worked with scissors, glue and oil pastels to create "snow birds". Some are even fashionably dressed with scarves and hats! Just like snowflakes, each bird is very different from the next. They are charming and very colorful little birds to take note of. Be sure to take a look and ask your child which one they created!

Write on the wall?!

I am always looking for ways to make art supplies more accessible to my oldest child (almost 3) as well as ways to bring bright bold color into the house especially during the winter months. A wise creative friend of mine recently turned me on to this paint site hudsonpaint.com.
They have an amazing color palette of chalkboard paint to choose from (shown above). Gone are the days of plain old black or grungy green! Now there is mystic wisdom, star supernova, superboy blue, sweet tangerine, bon bonbon and more! They have great examples of how to use their product on their site. I think there is a room makeover in my little guys future! He'll be able to draw railroad tracks and rocket ships to his heart's content!

Warm and Cool Colors

This week we began class by looking at two pieces of work to discuss warm and cool colors: Flower Beds in the Dresden Gardens by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner for warm colors and Artist in Greenland by Rockwell Kent for cool colors. We discussed how it might feel and what we would wear if we were in the painting. We also discussed the term horizon line and how some artists use this in their work.

Students were given two long pieces of paper to complete their abstract paintings. They began first by drawing a horizon line with their pencil and then working on one painting at a time. They also completed an abstract warm color painting and a cool color painting. After the paintings dried they were mounted together onto a single black sheet to display the beautiful contrasts of the dual paintings.

Miro and Kandinsky Inspired Monsters

In the spirit of Halloween, this week was all about monsters! I read the book There Was An Old Monster by Rebecca Emberley. Next we looked at and discussed Kandinsky's White Figure and Miro's Figur Gegen Rote Sonne II. Working with black oil pastel, students first drew their monsters. As the students began to draw, we talked about how they could effect the friendly or scary look by changing the monsters' eyebrows, eyes and teeth. We also discussed how to achieve texture in their drawings to show fur or scales. Everyone took their time creating the head, body and limbs. When it came time to add facial features, the room got louder with conversation while they watched their drawings come to life! Students then used watercolors to paint their monsters, and they experimented with brush work and color on their own. I love how each monster has a personality of its own when I look across the table!

Haunted Houses for Loaves and Fishes

This week the upper level class completed haunted house center pieces for the tables at Loaves and Fishes. We're always looking for ways to recycle, so we used cereal boxes and shoe boxes that students brought in. We used newspaper to tear and glue to the boxes covering them up to turn them into the beginnings of haunted houses. Then the Halloween artists made the doors and windows by cutting and tearing scraps of paper and then added texture to the roof with oil pastels. Each house was very unique when it was finished!

Doodle Boards

In the little nook off to the right as you enter the school we have put up "doodle boards." I cut framed doodle paper for students to draw whatever inspires them at the moment. This will be a evolving exhibit. Be sure to frequently check the doodle gallery to see what's on their minds.