inkblot butterfly love

 nothing says summer like a butterfly!

the art clubbers finished the year out 

by creating some beautiful bugs.

first we just sloshed (art term #1) paint on the background,

drew crayon marks,

and sketched a simple butterfly...

so very hard for them to loosen up and just make a mess.

then I instructed them to paint one side only with lots of gooey paint.

then we folded and smooshed (art term #2)

and opened it up to see what we would find.

some were not happy...

but we turned that frown upside down

by adding lots of oil pastel outlines

and splotches (art term #3) of color

and our masterpieces emerged from their cocoons!
this really is the final art club post.

Giverny through kids' eyes

we had fun creating 3D Giverny ponds

in art club

using paper, oil pastels and imagination.

you have to notice the berets on this little girl and her french dog

as they dangle their legs off Monet's famous bridge

and over the swimming koi.

here's another student's

and another.

last student art until September

so check out 

'Create with Me' -

in book stores now

for more summer art projects!

...and visit my friend's art blog

for more kid friendly ideas too -

got the original idea for Monet from her - thanks Susie!

a little birdie told me...

don't you wish

 that we would stop and listen

 when something important

 is whispered in our ear?

my newest 'plaster on burlap' piece...

I do believe she whispered in my ear 

that she will stay and live with me.

making friends on the summer solstice...

ahh the summer solstice came and went

and I wanted to capture the excitement in a painting

so I mixed up some plaster of paris

and placed it here.

I am taking a wonderful on-line plaster class

from two very talented artists -

Judy Wise

(also took encaustic from her at artfest)

and Stephanie Lee

(bought my wonderful earrings from her at artfest).  

I am learning so many new ideas and loving mixing up

plaster and carving and just experimenting.

so here we go -

texture and layers emerge...

and then plaster flowers, stars and tennis balls were added...

and a little glitter and words

 and mica flakes and of course crows

and you gotta have some tennis balls for fetching.

 don't you just love the yummy texture...

 and colors?

well my son did 

so it is now his painting

which only seems right because it is his dog too.

so now back to the studio...

to work on the next 10 I have started.
Happy summer solstice to you!

chicken wire... who knew?

who knew chicken wire

could be woven

into beautiful sculptures

that bring to life

the spirit inside...
Ivan Lovatt knew it.

please come and "Create with Me"

some good reading arrived in the mail last week...

so Zoe even needed to take a break from fetching to see

what was written on pages 82-85.

"Yowzers my mom wrote this"

she declared with gusto...

then the blinders were lifted and she realized,
"No wonder she hasn't had time to throw me the ball!"


For any of you moms out there 
who love your kids but are feeling a tad panicked
(I have been there - it's OK to admit it)
with kids home from school who are already jumping on the beds,
and you are searching your brain and asking
 "what art projects can I create with them?"
then look no further -
your ship (well, really your magazine) has arrived.

 Stampington's new magazine
Create With Me
should be at bookstores in early July.
so set your timers, mark your calendars and hold your breath -
no not really...

 and if you flip to page 82-5 you should find 
one heck of a good article by me...

 and my art clubbers,

four of which are goofing around here

and putting the finishing touches on our collaborative book...

before we sent it off to Stampington

in hopes it would be published.

 I copied and sewed smaller books for each student to take home.
You can see the original post  here.


Stampington has put together the premier issue of
 Create with Me 
which is filled with fun, doable projects
to keep your brood happy all summer long.
enjoy and create and make memories with art this summer!
next week I will share the last two art projects from the year - 
3D Monet's garden for olders 
and butterfly blots for youngers.
happy summer creating!