Linoleum Block Printing Assignment

My kids most recent assignment was to do relief printing.
I basically let them do what they wanted for their subject. But they had to each print on 5 different surfaces (ranging from clothes to wax paper to napkins--their choice)
1 of the 5 prints had to be turned into a collage. I was stoked on the results. For those interested in this, transparencies work really well for block printing.


Transparency print over a tissue paper print.


One of the collage pieces, a broken heart attempting be mended by band aids and yarn and tape, etc.

Collage-print on magazine image

Pics from canoe trip

she was from a tour that was checking out the same tree
they were all checking out a water snake
big mama, over 1000 years old, largest tree in Virginia
i swear I see a woman at the top of this tree, do you see it? kinda squatting?

to see different ones, go to my flickr pictures

canoe trip

big mama tree....1000 years old. largest tree in virginia

friday

beautiful bike ride to yummy italian dinner outside, nice conversation, long walk through ghent, laughter on a hill in a park, ice cream on a bench, walk to bikes........and a flat tire. we had to walk home with our bikes. kind of a bummer but exercise and always good conversation

a beautiful friday evening in the park

watercolor painting

this is from a photo i took from our trip to seattle, wa last year. it was a great trip and beautiful scenery. i am experiment with new watercolor techniques...

Dedication to figure drawing

We're doing figure drawing for our warm-ups. Sometimes you gotta do something crazy to get the kids excited. The kids modeled after me and got very creative.
Another day at the office.

Happy 1st Birthday Colin

My sister-in-law Lila, my mom, me and my sister-in-law Lisa. I don't get to see them often, so it was nice to all be together. Lila's baby is the cute one below.

Colin really clicked with Uncle Templeton! Future skateboarder we say!
First piece of cake!
The theme of his party was ducks, so Grandma got him this wooden push toy of a duckie!



Peek-a-boo...it was a great time!

schooley's mtn. nj

hiking w/ my buddy carrie of 23 years, her dog indy and temp

Peru here we come.

So Templeton and I bought our tickets for Peru this past weekend and we're so excited. Our travel agent in Lima sent us our itinerary and it seems amazing. Here are some clips from it:



•After arrival, Day 3, June 19: Sacred Valley B, L
Full-day excursion in group to Urubamba, the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Visit the village of Pisac, founded during Colonial times. On Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays the Indians barter their products, and artisans from all over the area sell their woven alpaca wool blankets and ponchos, engraved gourds, antique reproductions and jewelry.

•Day 4, June 20: Machu Picchu B
After breakfast transfer to the train station in Ollantaytambo for your Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes. We take the bus up to the Sanctuary where you will have a guided visit in group of the most spectacular ancient city in the world. This fabulous city contains houses, temples, warehouses, a large central square; and all connected by narrow roads and steps that are surrounded by terraces cut into the mountain side. After the tour, free time to enjoy this spiritual wonder.

•Day 7, June 23: Cuzco – Tambopata Jungle B,L,D
Reception at the airport and transfer by canoe to the jungle lodge. Travelling through virgin rain forest, you will eventually reach the jungle Lodge. In the afternoon we go to the Canopy tower. A twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas leads to the 30 meter scaffolding canopy tower. A bannistered staircase running through the middle provides safe access to the platforms above.

•Day 8, June 24: Tambopata Jungle B,L,D
Today we go to Tres Chimbadas, thirty minutes by boat and forty five minutes hiking from Posada Amazonas. Once there you will paddle around the lake in a catamaran, searching for the resident family of nine giant river otters (seen by 60% of our lake visitors) and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers.
Later we go to see the Parrot clay lick, only a twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas.
After dinner in the evening you will have the option of hiking out at night, when most of the mammals are active. Much easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories

This is just a portion of our 10-day itinerary. I can't wait!!!

and the traditional charlie's easter breakfast

happy easter!

traditional easter baskets that we make each year for each other

Finished clay projects

This octopus went in the Student Gallery Art Show.
Andy Goldsworthy inspired: multiples into one art piece.
The poor bear in the background's arm was broke off, but man, that turtle is looking crazy!
Elephant face turned into a giant soup bowl.
She loves the beach.

This fish also went into the Student Gallery Art Show.

The project was to simply take something originally from nature and abstract from it. I am amazed of all the different results we got out of it. If there were any that you wanted to see finished, I can post those too. Next-relief printing.

eerie beauty

If you have a cat, you understand....

Before I lay me down to sleep....

I took a couple of minutes and shared with Templeton how grateful I am for my life:

•I have got a great home that I love
•I have got a job that I look forward to
•I have got a happy and growing family
•I have got a car that I still don't want to trade in!!
•I am in good health (besides the recent bronchitis-wink wink)
•I have got good friends that I love to play games and laugh with
•I have got a cat that I adore
•and a husband that makes me smile everyday and that is my best friend

Ok, so this is all cheesy. But too many people complain about what they don't have, and I think it's more important to recognize what we do have!

happy 6th anniversary to us!

sirena's restaurant

More kids work

I need to kill time between kids building clay and firing the clay so I came up with this little project. Students studied artists Georges Seurat, Gustav Klimt, and Vincent Van Gogh. They were to pick their favorite artist, and make a 5x5 painting using their style-subject matter was their choice. This was to get them thinking of what technique they will use to paint their clay projects, and to really think about texture. I was impressed with the results:Obviously, Seurat was a favorite. Click the image to see a close-up of each.

v-day coupon: 1 free donut

my first trip to krispy kreme

Kids Clay Projects

I am very proud of my students-yet again. I wanted to share their clay projects before they have been fired in the kiln. This is them just air-dried. They will go in a kiln for 24 hours at about 2000 degrees, and then the kids will paint them. The project was entitled: Abstract nature sculptures. Students had to pick something natural and abstract from it. If not in form, but color when they paint.



This is a giraffe, was the most difficult one to make, she could not get this to stand upright!



To the left, a new student, little bear with butterfly on his head. Then this other dude made this bust of his dog...I love it!
This is a blowfish, definitely good enough to go in a show. As long as she paints it well, she's good to go!
Surfer dude made that wave on the left, in the middle are cherries, and elephant to the right.
Crazy tree there, great textures for sure! First project this kid has done ALL YEAR! Bear next to him, pretty simple.
Cool fish!

Drawing Montage by the Elliott's

Templeton and I like to do these drawings where one person draws something random, and we take turns adding to the picture. It seems we always have an alien and some sort of battle. I think Sal makes an appearance in every picture too.

This one started with the tree to the left! It's not about the skill in drawing, more about the storytelling.

how cute-i mean really

Have you done your taxes yet?

For those of you that always look for a deal like me and Temp, I found a good one! If you have any relationship with State Farm (ie car insurance, renters/homeowners insurance, etc), you can do your taxes online for free! It's the Turbo Tax program. Click here for more info

things to do when you're sick...

so yesterday i went home sick. headache, sore throat, tired and dizzy...sometimes nausea. these are things i am doing to get by:

*watch People's Court, man, it's entertaining and educational!
*take a nap...try to sleep away those germs
*oh, take another nap...see above
*drink tea, with honey and sugar...yum
*watch TMZ at 4:30, celebrity gossip at it's finest
*play the Never Ending Level Game...it's so addicting, especially if you have a buddy to do with it (thanks Sal....j/k, templeton)
*read OK magazine
*cuddle with cat, it's very therapeutic
*hope and pray you wake up the next day feeling well

me and sarah-bored

new teacher conference-mid lecture

goat art

I decided to find an animal photo I took at the zoo and see if I could make a cartoon out of it. I am pretty excited about the result. This goat had so much character to him, so it was a lot of fun!

i had store credit for bed bath & beyond from xmas...i saw a slickdeal for $39.99 ipod dockstation...went to store and got it-org. $99.99. then saw the little speaker to plug into ipod on clearance for $4.99 (plus steel lamp for $14.99) had to spread the word on the big sale!

side note: reviews for the dockstation were really good...it's an alarm and radio as well-with remote. the sound quality is really good. the little speaker thing to make your ipod portable on a picnic or something, comes with 50 free downloads of music! I really feel I won today! go get yourself one!

norview pride

date to b-ball game