Master Work by Lukas, age 8

And the best part about it is that it's a gift to me!
Thanks Lukas, I'll treasure it!
(click to enlarge)

Ecstatic!

I think this picture shows the great energy and community flowing from StudioTime today!
From left to right Maggie, Sofia (who just joined us today and what a great addition to our resident artists!), myself, Ajna, and my Annie.
Have I mentioned how ecstatic I am with Alameda StudioTime and all of these vibrant artists?

Swimming with Friends

Amelia is back (her work below) and I'm always tickled by her approach and vibrancy.

Summer vacation was wonderful, but no where close to how wonderful it was to welcome my artists, new and returning, back to the studio. I'm still abuzz with all of the energy, excitement and creativity that came through the door the last two days!

Welcome to the studio Kassi!

Welcome back Iesha (her work is above) and Ilana and Annie (below).

This project was in celebration of the fun, pleasure and mystery of swimming. So many of us filled our days with swimming this Summer, that this project was a natural way to start back to StudioTime after our break.

Johnny's back! Yay! (His Were Shark above)

Welcome Ellie! Can't wait to see more of her work. Wow!

Cool Cat is back! (Her piece above)

A big hello and welcome to Haley, above! What a love!

Each student easily connected to their joy of swimming and each approached this project from a different perspective.

A warm welcome to Faith! And a big welcome back to Hady! (Pictured above)

Art class wouldn't be the same without Aoife and her sense of style! (Above)

Cat (pictured above) with her framed finished piece!

Kiah, above, is a welcomed addition to Tuesday afternoon class!

Another incredible piece done by Kevin, returning for his second year. Amazing, huh?

Lukas is back and I'm sooo happy! His work, his strong sense of style and story-telling, his kindness!

The piece above was done by Maggie, who in fact, inspired the whole project with her enthusiasm for, and pure joy of swimming. So glad to have you in class Maggie!
(Maggie pictured below with her dad Mark.)

So Proud!

After the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the kids in the studio each created a Japanese inspired watercolor that we turned into beautiful bookmarks. Each child sold their creations and together we raised $360.00. We found a terrific agency that we donated the money to called JEARS.
I feel so proud that we could contribute.

Ten Little Monkey's

I'll miss my little monkey's this summer! Nothing can top the energy, beauty and creativity of these young artists in my studio each week. This project was a perfect for this week. So fun!

Today's Starry Starry Night

What a satisfying way to end for Summer break, talking about our hopes and dreams for Summer and reflecting on Van Gogh's Starry Night.

The mood was quiet, reflective and light as the kids built up layers of color and texture, interpreting this iconic painting in their own way.

We used a heavy watercolor paper, blue, black, and white tempra to start.

We talked about Van Gogh, his isolation, his prolific output, the role religion played on his life, and how he spent a lot of time outdoors at night during the summer painting, relaxing and pondering life and the stars.

We also talked about "copying" great works and how doing so can allow you to walk in the shoes of an artist you enjoy.

As we all worked together today I realized that I never imagined I would have an art studio like Alameda StudioTime, and now that I do have a place to share and create with others, it really is a dream-come-true for me! Thank you to all of my artists, and all you parents who value creating, dreaming and making. It's been a great, great year!

Jen+Johnny+Ajna+Zahrinah+Iesha+
+Annie+Juni+Nini+Treyvon+Lucas+
Aoife+Caleb+Liam+Ilana+Cat+
+Hady+Amelia+Cecilia+Nelson+
Clara+Asher+Alabama+Caliope

See How Far They've Come?

The amazing Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti (pronounced Jacko-metti) was the inspiration for the wonderful "bronzes" that came out of the studio today.

My StudioTime artists expressed emotion, movement and an new understanding of materials with these successful sculptures! I am so proud of everyone for going along on this three week journey, with confidence and curiosity.

We began the project with quick charcoal sketches, then moved onto "drawing" with wire, and creating a "skeleton." Engineering each piece was different because of weight distribution and the amount of points fixed to the base.

We did two layers of paper mache using paper towels... texturally much better than the standard newsprint. Then we finished up with a layer of tempra paint (a mix of black and brown), then a light coat of bronze, feathered on top of the black and brown, for a aged metal affect.

Click each one to see them bigger, and to see the name of each artist.

I loved every step of this project and was brimming with pride and excitement over how confident each artist has become as this "school" year comes to a close.

I can't end this post without mentioning Serena. Projects went more smoothly because of her, and the kids all enjoy having her here. (See picture above.) She supported the kids as they worked and got plenty dirty in the process. Thank you Serena!!!