Sweet Strawberries

I threw a short strawberry study into this weeks line-up of classes to break up our three week journey into Giacometti inspired sculptures. I love them! I encouraged my kids to really look at the shadows and the small details. These pieces are from my wonderful Wednesday morning class.

(Strawberries from top to bottom, Cat, Annie, Hady, Cecilia at work, Cecilia, Amelia, Ilana, then Nelson.)

I can't wait to post the sculptures the kids have been pouring their hearts into! Next week I'll photograph them all!

By the time Nelson arrived on Friday, all of the strawberries had been used for our project (then eaten by the artists) so we went next door and picked a lemon to use for our study. Lovely lemon!

Viva Mexico!

We celebrated Cinco de Mayo in the studio this week by creating Amate Bark Paintings.

Amate bark paper goes back as far as the Aztec Empire and has remained in the Puebla and northern Veracruz states until current times.

I prepped our "bark" paper (grocery bags) by spraying them with coffee and drying them in the sun.

The kids tore the edges of their "bark" and planned their pieces by looking at traditional paintings.

We used tempra paints then dried them back in the hot sun.

We discussed repetition, symbolism and using what is around you to make art.

The last thing we did was take a Sharpie, adding details and accentuating the positive.

About a Bunny

Being that it is almost Easter, I created a lesson around the rabbit below so that we could explore gouche, some wet-on-wet techniques and refining our brush strokes! I love how opaque the gouche is, and how it leaves a slightly chalky feeling on the paper when it's dried.

Welcome Back Spring

We've been busy little bunnies in the studio these days. These beautiful Spring diorama's were multi-step, multi media and mega fun. Each one turned out differently and I think I may be converting some of these kids into "little world" artisans. Because of the complexity and support each student needed, out of the twenty or so kids who did this project, these are the only pictures I took!

Picasso Inspired

It doesn't do these pieces justice to post them at this size. (Click on them to see it bigger.) These works are big, colorful and wonderful. This project was a leap of faith for most of the kids. Letting go of capturing a "realistic" face and instead, show multiple perspectives and interpretive shadowing and details didn't come that easily.

Until they got into it!

You can (hopefully) see how engrossed were while they worked in the photo above. You may also notice how wonderful and spacious the studio is for each artist to spread out while at work.

A Dream Come True!

It is amazing how much things can change in just two short weeks! My studio has grown to more than double it's size with the removal of a few walls, closets and a hallway. New lighting, hardwood floors, custom shelving, tables and storage have been added, plus an already enjoyed snack corner. (See Clara, Asher and Alabama above, after they slurped all up the orange slices. Sorry Caliope!)

I left some original details, like the old built-in cabinet, above.

Added these new honey + amber glow oak floors...

And there was so much more room for all my artist friends this week!

I know how much I like to spread out when I work in the studio. Three cheers for more elbow room!

Just look at the light! Balanced and bright.

Annie went straight from her bed to the studio this morning. A My Little Pony accessory making session is still going strong over here.

I love the new custom shelves with a suspention rod support system designed and built by my brother, Master Builder T. Kern. He guided me through this whole renovation process and it has been wonderful working with him.

I'll post more pictures after I spend this weekend playing in my new studio!

A special thank you to
Annie Louise O'Farrell Hinz
William Hinz
LaLa Pat Sieler
Grandma Bettie
Thomas Kern
Nieters Family

and all my wonderful artist friends and their families!

And The Wall Came Tumblin' Down

What a natural demolition worker!
(Except she wanted to keep all the scraps)

It was amazing how fast it all came down! Thos methodically reversed his building skills and undid the work of the past. It really takes brawn and an understanding of how structures are engineered.

A huge part of demolition is clean-up, and that is what I did, take many, many loads of rubbish and recyclables to the driveway. You can see Robert above taking a load.

Thanks Thos, Bill, Annie, Robert and Kevin the hauling guy!