TOLERANCE is the word of the day!  
In Social Studies we are developing ideas about community and how we all fit in.   My assignment was to find a picture explaining what I believe TOLERANCE to mean.  This picture summed it up.  TOLERANCE is disagreeing but accepting the differences within our community. As the poster to the left says, "We are not the same, but we are all equals."  I understand TOLERANCE as agreeing to disagree and respecting our differences.  We are not all the same, we are of different race, gender, and heritage.  We do not look like cookie cutter molds of each other on the outside, however we are all made up of the same things on the inside. America is a country built from a variety of religions, morals and ideals; who am I to tell anyone else that what they have been raised to believe in is wrong?  If more people had TOLERANCE the world would be a much happier place.  Where do we begin?  With our children!  Children are NOT born intolerant, we pass our views on to them as they grow.  If we expect the world to become more tolerant then we must practice TOLERANCE in our homes and schools.  The world will not change overnight, but in order for it to begin we must start with the person in the mirror.

For more information on how to teach children the importance of TOLERANCE visit
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/tolerance.html

My Visual Art Project Reflection

1.              Looking at all four of my art projects I can say that I actually do have a little bit of artistic ability.  I never considered myself an artist, but I see that I can draw and paint.  I also found out that I can take items found in my pantry and with a little creativity make a piece of art that looks fun!

2.              My favorite part of the art process was the watercolor painting.  It was fun and relaxing.  I liked taking the colors and blending them together.  My least favorite was the salt art.  My picture came out ok but trying to paint the salt was time consuming and it kept getting stuck on my brush, irritating me.

3.              Choosing art projects from a list of what was available forced me to try a variety of things I would not have tackled on my own.  This process narrowed down my choices and enabled me to pull out my inner artist.

4.              I have learned that when teaching visual arts everyone does not have to try or do the same thing.  Offering many options gives students the opportunity to choose something they are comfortable with or something completely outside their comfort level.  Some students don’t work well outside their comfort level and others like to be challenged.  I also learned that visual arts are different for everyone.  Many of us did the same project, but created something completely different.  Visual arts are seen differently, not everyone will agree on what they see.

5.              My favorite picture is the Georgia O’Keefe inspired watercolor painting.  I had an idea of what I wanted to do and with the help of a step-by-step how to draw a calla lily I was able to complete it.  I had my sister in mind when I choose this picture and will feel a sense of pride every time I see it in her house just knowing that I did that!   My least favorite is the textured painting with the popcorn.  I am proud of what I did, but he cardboard curved as it dried and it isn’t one that I made for anyone in particular unlike the others.

6.              Family! 

I choose the word family because in some way each piece represents someone in my family.

·      Movie Night reminds me of movies with my girls.

·      Lady Bug is for my niece Bella.

·      Calla Lily because they are one of my sisters favorites.

·      Handprints because these are the people that matter to most to me!


After I thought about my art pieces and how I was able to try new things I started to see the importance of integrating art into lessons.  With art integration, students can show understanding, develop a greater understanding, and express themselves.  Art is also relaxing, especially when students are given different options to use.  What works for one won't always work for everyone.  Art needs to offer differentiation just like the lessons we teach our children.
Listed below are some links to find out more about integrating art into the classroom:

• http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/collection/strategies-arts-integration
• http://www.edutopia.org/blog/core-practices-arts-integration-susan-riley
• https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2013/05/17/arts-integration/

Art project number 4, abstract art...how hard can it be?  Yeah right!  

When I originally choose the abstract art I thought that I could just through some paint on a canvas and swirl it or combined it and that it would come out awesome.  I view abstract art as something but nothing.  The something relates to the fact that the artist made a specific piece of art with a vision they had.  The nothing is where another person looking at the piece of art sees it as just a bunch of colors randomly painted, dropped, swirled, blended, etc on a canvas with no rhyme or reason.

So here I go!  My vision was a spectacular piece of art that had a 3-D vision to it.  The artist used several layers of colors that circled from the center and out.  OK...so I picked out the colors and the canvas and was ready to go.

Step 1:  Paint canvas black

Step 2:  Choose a color 
I choose purple, then yellow.  I thought that I could just drip it over the canvas and make a swirl pattern, but the paint came out too think so I painted it into the swirl.  Not too bad right now.  Enough messing with the painting.  Time to let it dry!

Step 3:  Add more colors
Red...and this is where it went bad.  The red took over!  I wasn't really interested in painting right then but wanted to get the project done so that I could put everything away.  I tried to wipe off some of the red; no luck.  Once again I let it dry.
With my canvas all red I didn't like it and didn't know what to do.  I almost tossed it in the garbage and started over.  Then I changed my mind.  Abstract to me is something but nothing, so what can I do with what I have?  Looking at my girls sitting at the table painting, it hit me.  This painting will be all about my family.  I decided at that moment that I wanted to have everyone choose a color and put handprints on the canvas; me, Jeff, Eryn, Ashley and Riley.  I wanted my prints to be last.  Ashley (silver) was first, then Riley (yellow), next Eryn (gold), Jeff (green) and finally me (blue).  I wanted to be last because I had the idea of making a heart, the best I could, with my hand.  

As I reflect on this project, I am a little disappointed that I couldn't get the art the way I wanted, however, I am pleased with the outcome.  The final project may look like nothing to you, but it is something to me!  This is my love, life and family.  On the back of the canvas listed is everyone's color and age along with the date.  This will be a piece of art that will be happily hung in the family room.  This represents the people in my life that I love the most!

Week 3....I choose a salt painting.  It sounded interesting and I was excited to give it a try.  I started doing some browsing on the Internet and found this beautiful picture and thought it really couldn't be that hard.  Also, noticed that a lot of the salt paintings were done in schools by younger children.  Once again, I thought I could make some really cool art for my sister who recently upsized and needs some art to fill the walls!

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=166759084845169994#editor/target=post;postID=7211269612129748632

The above picture is what I had envisioned, however after a little experimentation at home I realized that this wasn't working out the way I had intended.   Then in class, a peer shared her salt picture; something she was making for her daughter.   Once again, I started thinking about what I could draw and who I wanted the picture to be for.  Then it hit me...how hard could it be to draw a lady bug?  My sister-in-law has called my 9 month old niece, Bella, her little lady bug since before she was born.  We have been discussing her upcoming 1st birthday (going to be celebrated a little early due to being a military family) and she brought up lady bugs again.  That is when I knew what to do!

I started the salt painting with an outline.  I drew the outline, topped with glue, poured salt (I used kosher salt), let dry and then painted it black.  I used black water color paints and just dabbed it along.  I expected the wet paint to spread to other areas so I waited until the black outline was dry before continuing.

After the outline dried, I poured glue in the center and in the face.  Next I used a small paint brush to spread the glue around then topped with more salt.  The black outline is raised and the interior is more flat.  I did this on purpose, hoping the colors would not run together.

The watercolor red did not seem to have enough color so I mixed in a little orange.  The color was looking like a bright red as I painted, however it dried more of a red-orange color.  I wish it would have been more red, but lady bugs are orange too.  After the color was added I used a small brush to make the spots and the lady bug's cute face.  I would have to say the legs and  the face are my favorite parts.

Finally, I painted the background a bright yellow with water colors and added Bella's name in a rainbow glitter.  I thought I was finished, but shopping at Micael's this weekend reminded me that this one of a kind needed a frame.

I found the salt painting fun and relaxing.  One thing I might change is to combine the salt with the paint and then apply the salty paint to a picture.  I think that mixing it ahead of time will help the colors from bleeding together.  

After experimenting with salt paintings I would definitely use it in my classroom.  There are many different ways that you can paint with salt.

Other websites to visit for ideas:

http://www.oneperfectdayblog.net/2012/04/27/kids-art-raised-salt-painting/

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/watercolor-painting-technique-creating-texture-wit.html

       Week 2:  This art project is a watercolor painting based on Georgia O'Keefe's style.  After researching O'Keefe's style of painting I found that most of her paintings were of flowers.  I found myself to overwhelmed by the beauty and delicacy of her paintings.  I wondered how I would be able to draw and paint a picture that would be a quarter as good as hers.  Upon further time searching the Internet, I found a large sloppy flower with a black outline and random colors of paint.  Finally, I thought "now here is something I can do" and set my sight on that. 

       The next step was to choose my supplies.  I wasn't sure if watercolors would work on a canvas or if I had to use watercolor paper.  I really wanted to use canvas because I had my art envisioned for a Christmas present.  My advisor recommended that I take the canvas and see what happens.  So off I went home.

      Finally, the time came to draw something.  I passed on the big sloppy flower and decided to give my drawing a full-hearted try.  Of course I needed some help, so I looked online for drawing help.  I found a page that showed step-by-step how to draw a calla lily and I began!  I started with my pencil and canvas and slowly started to draw and erase and draw and erase and finally I had a decent looking calla lily.  Keeping the person who this will be for in mind I choose to paint the background in blues and purples.  Little-by-little I started blending, a little water, little paint, and brush, brush, brush.   My final step was to outline the flower in a black bold line to make it stand out.   

     From this project I learned that I can draw and I can paint!  I would of never thought of making a project as this with out the assignment.  As my children watched me draw and paint they wanted to join in and because of that I purchased several 18X24 blank canvases and told them that their cousin Chelsea said she would like some art for her new apartment walls...wah-la! another set of Christmas presents in the making!

To learn and see more about Gegorgia O'Keefe visit the following link:
http://www.georgiaokeeffe.net