I think I need a third website.

I'm going to make a third website. One for my mural business. In positivity and belief that one day, it will get off the ground. I'm going to call it "Duchess of Brushes," as my Mom just thought up that one today! LOL!

I WON A STINKING CONTEST! Get this! Michaels (the craft store) sent an email to send in 30 second videos about your crafting skills. I made one in literally  - 10 minutes, in my PJ's, no makeup, whatever, and sent it in in a flash. Figured my chances were better if I got it in quick. I was one of the contestants they chose for this episode! I couldn't believe it! I go on Friday for NINE hours of videotaping, against two other contestants, in events that include speed shopping and competitive crafting. I am in my GLORY! Freaking out. When on EARTH does a grown woman ever get the opportunity to spend the day playing a fun game like this, not to mention the opportunity to win a $500 gift card! Good gracious! I am seriously just nuts with anticipation. Can. NOT. Wait!

They asked me for info about my life. Below is what I sent. Wanted 5 pics about my art habits. Also below. More info later, Finn is crying and I have to get to him. Anyway - exciting times!!!!

My darling husband Andy and I have two spunky and beautiful children, Tessa who is 3 and Finn who is 6 months. When I was pregnant with Tessa, I painted every wall of her nursery in the last trimeseter. Did the same thing with Finnegan. Both times I was scaling ladders with my enormous belly, it was pretty funny! Being in this competition is likely much like my regular life – I wash baby bottles at night like I’m in a competition, actually – sometimes I try and race the clock and make a new PR. My life is incredibly busy and every bit of the work is absolutely worth its reward.

I have been teaching for five years and studied Art Therapy before coming to Art Education. After finishing my undergraduate degree, I was awarded a Marcus Fellowship. I now hold a Master’s degree from the University of North Texas, in Art Museum Education. I did my internship at the Dallas Museum of Art and loved working there. My final paper was about Art Education in television and I made contact with Judith Rubin who was the “art lady” on Mister Rogers Neighborhood back when it was black and white (she is also one of the “founding mothers” of Art Therapy). I’m so excited to get to be in this taping because I have a serious interest and passion for art education on film. I dream sometimes of having an art educational program for children! During my Master’s work I made a pilgrimage to the educational offices of Sesame Street and was able to talk to some people there about what they do.

When I was finishing my Master’s degree, my daughter was really little. She had some health issues at the time and I was weaning her, and working full time- it was just a really crazy time for me. My final project was to build a nine-foot dollhouse that featured my family as the dolls. It was a meditation on our wish to someday own our first home, which we purchased this summer in the weeks before my son’s birth. I built this thing in our tiny apartment garage using my Dad’s tools. He was there helping me until all hours of the night with hot glue dripping on his face and burning him! Everything I do in life, I owe something of it to my family, they are incredibly giving souls.

I have been running a business of mural work and commissioned paintings for about the last 8 years. Another one of my big dreams is to really get my mural business to the next level and eventually make it a serious form of employment. I have painted really large scale murals in churches, preschools, nurseries, playrooms, libraries and schools. I am really happiest when I am painting and my Mom calls me the “Duchess of Brushes!”

I kind of don’t know what to do with children if it’s not making art. Our home always has play doh and glitter and paint stuck on it somewhere. Every piece of furniture has a sticker on it  or a bead in its cushion.

Love of my family is my biggest inspiration in all things. Life is such an incredible gift and treasure and joy and everything I make - from oatmeal cookies to giant dollhouses expresses my desire to savor the sweet moments of a very blessed life.

Pinterest.com board

This is my Pinterest board for Art ideas. I am quickly getting to that place where I can't imagine teaching before Pinterest.

http://pinterest.com/hucklepie/art/

A good day begins with a 4 foot hamburger.

Multiple bits of good news. First of all I figured out how to add pictures.

Second of all, today was a great day at ye olde Elementary. Presented on Claes Oldenburg to our "Friday Flex" group (100 kids at a time in the gym). Prepped the foot-wide pickle slice during the geography bee. Cut the paper during the choir practice. 5th Grade helped me assemble the paper pieces for the giant burger. Made its way down to the gym for the little ones to glue pieces of lettuce to the bun. A great time was had by all. And I was even able to find my old power point about Claes. I desperately need to organize my electronic files. OH they are in such mayhem.

Anyway - it was fun sharing about this artist with the kids. I might come back and add a few more pictures after I get the kids to sleep.

 

Making it work.

TO GEOVANNE, my student teacher:
In spite of how crammed for time I am, there is often a moment where I step back with satisfaction and take great pleasure in how the artwork comes out for the kiddos. I think we all really know our own strengths and weaknesses. As a good teacher, I think there is a fine balance between being realistic about what you can make happen in a day and still maintain a life outside your job, as well as not making excuses for poor practice. That said, I go home every day with some guilt for thigns I didn't make happen and then some joy for what has worked out.
When I figure out how to get pictures on this blog, I'll show you some of the successes of the week!
Even though I've only met you for a few hours, I want to already commend you on having the MOST important traits of a great teacher. You popped into my classroom and immediately sat down at the tables with the kids and got intimate with them, talked to them about life and got to know them. I can't tell you how taken back I was by you doing that! All the strategic planning and all the great art historical knowledge and great-cute lessons in the world will never amount to how important it is to just love and care for the personhood of the children. SO GO YOU! I am learning from you already, which is one of the reasons why I love to host student teachers!
:)

PS

And nevermind that this blog looks like it's more about strippage than art teaching.

How it works.

So let me tell you how it works in my world. It is Sunday night and I am online, poking around on Pinterest.com, trying to come up with a plan for tomorrow. I simultaneously have my lesson planner open and a sticky note and I'm praying my infant doesn't wake up while I try and work. Husband just got home with pizza (I'd say 9 nights out of 10 we do actually cook) . . . the  clock is ticking! I am finishing one lesson with 5th grade and all the rest are open slots. I have no idea what I am doing. And there is no manual to guide me, which is wonderful and horrible at the same time. The sky is the limit!
When I first started teaching, my lesson plans were pretty much just like you'd do in your college classes every time. Every year they seem to deteriorate a little bit, leaving out some content here and there. I have found that the BEST lessons are planned well, have lots of support material and are really thought-through and planned the way you are taught to do them in college. That is the reality! The unfortunate thing is that most of the time, there is just not enough time to plan that way. It was not until this year that I EVER EVER EVER dared to type 3 word plans into our online planner, even though I've been told by our admin that we don't have to be quite so detailed in our plans.
A great lesson has a reason to be taught. The districts will give you a variety of jumping-off points, I always return to critical thinking. The kids should be tackling a question or a problem. They should be exploring something new. A great lesson has some history in it. A great lesson allows kids an opportunity for a thoughtful opinion. A great lesson looks as such that a kid feels really proud of it and a kid sees herself in it. I was trained in DBAE - so I always want to include history, criticism, aesthetics and production. Now, do I ALWAYS do that? No. And I tend to believe that those points can be hit over the course of weeks as a lesson meets completion. I know that there have come to pass a lot of different theoretical frameworks and that "DBAE" is kind of "old school" now. You have to kind of decide what you want to go with. I know that I am not a teacher who can handle choice-based instruction on a longterm or pervasive basis. We do choice here and there, but I will not have an open studio for my classroom. I also know that I am not going to go with a classroom that is hinged intensely on "material culture." As much as I do earnestly believe that we should have classes that are relevant and meaningful and connected to what goes on in the world, I think that opening it up to "material culture" so widely kind of waters down the special thing that is an art room and an art class. And all of that is my opinion and you are free to disagree passionately and I will think that is GREAT!
So anyway. This is all to say that I don't know what I am teaching tomorrow and I'm panicking, and that is kind of how I roll. I do not plan 3 weeks ahead, maybe you will! I love that in my room I have the freedom and flexibility to make choices last minute, on the spot, and even to change my mind mid-stream if something isn't working out. But that is all not to say that I don't hold myself to a certain level of integrity. I have really high standards for myself as an art teacher, and I almost never meet them, even on my best days. So let's see what we come up with as I try to juggle all my roles! Teaching is super hard for me as a mom. I want to be so great at everything, and the fact of the matter is, you can't be fabulous at it all. So on different days, different areas will suffer. We do our best, right?!
:)

About the "glitter pumps" . . .

Geovanne came to visit my classroom on a day just before Christmas break. Just so happened, she came on "tacky sweater day" at our school. I was wearing gold metallic sparkly tights, rainbow glittered high-heel pumps and a miscellaneous assortment of indubitably tacky Christmas Elementary Ed. regalia (?) . . . "NICE to meet you!" Lol . . .
We say outwardly that we do it for the kids, but in truth, I got up that day and put it all together and in a way that only art teachers can fully understand, quietly thought, "AWESOOOME!"
I always thought that I would be a kind of sophisticated educator in my content and just how I presented it all to the kids, with a dignity for the subject, among other things. Indeed, the glitter gets under your fingernails really quickly. They say that glitter is the herpes of the art room -

A new Frame.

I've long wanted to start a blog about teaching Art. Couldn't quite find the right way to frame it, it needed a thesis, I guess. Well, now I have it.
With my 3rd student teacher about to start in my classroom, I'm getting a little hot under the collar thinking about how I want to serve her with excellence but have certain time constraints as Mom of a new baby. Having just written something a few moments ago about how even good excuses are still excuses, I'm making this attempt at being proactive and finding a way to make this work with her and make it work well.
So, Geovanne - this is for you! But don't let that be deceiving. This is for me, really. It's a place for me to reflect on my own practice, which is one of the best motivators for me in having a student teacher. I love to share ideas. I always get so energized from talking with other art teachers who understand our pursuit. We travel in a different world teaching Art. It's not the same as the classroom of course, and we have unique victories and challenges. So, I'm excited to share these things with you!
Here's to a wonderful experience for all of us - the kids, you, me and anyone else who might be touched by Art Education. It's a fantastic place to wind up, so glad we are all here!