I bought an 18" x 24" linoleum slab back last summer. SUMMER. I've been sketching a lot of ideas for my new body of art work to put in my portfolio. It's going to be a collection of prints of portraits- all of my friends. And each portrait will have character and personality that represents something based on that person's nature. I've carved on lots of linoleum slabs but none as big as 18 x 24". And to be honest I have been a little intimidated by it. It's so massive I've been afraid of messing it up- not to mention it was EXPENSIVE.
BUT I got up enough guts to sketch on it last night. So I did. Then I outlined it with a sharpie and colored in which layers would be where and get this. I CARVED IT. I'm no longer afraid of my slab of linoleum! It will take me several days to carve it out and start printing but it feels so wonderful to be in the process of making SOMETHING. Knowing that I am being productive and there is a peice of art work that is on its way to becoming accomplished. GO ME!
As far as the world of teaching goes....
I don't know what it is about this new group I got, but I have been extremely impressed with their art. When I say impressed I REALLY mean impressed. They are sooo creative and are all a bunch of risk takers. They're not afraid to stretch out and think of something different and go beyond what the basic requirements of their projects are. It's such a great thing to see... I love my students from last semester but I felt like they were intimidated real easily. I had to constantly encourage and motivate them to get started. With this group they just dive on in! I don't know if it is the new way I am managing my classroom or the students are just more artistically interested... whatever it is I am enjoying GREATLY.
We are finishing up our About Me collages, I can't wait to post them they are looking fantastic.
Also: I finished the website for my classroom. Go by and see what we're up to:
http://msrogers.yolasite.com
Pictures coming soon!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
R.I.P Jack :(
One of my dogs at my parents' house had to be put down this last week.
His name was Jack and he was a mut. Mom and I found Jack on the side of the road when he was just a puppy. He looked like he was beaten up badly and had been abused. So being the saps of strays we were, we took him in. He had a variety of health problems. He had the mange disease along with a bad digestive system because he ate everything in sight. It got to where he was just in costant pain. So they put him to sleep. I cried for hours when Mom called and told me. I wanted to make it home in time to say goodbye to him but I was a day late.
He was such a happy and wonderful dog and he was 10 years old when he passed. We gave him such a great home while he was alive and had we not found him when he was a pup he would have had an even shorter life.
Love you, Jack!
His name was Jack and he was a mut. Mom and I found Jack on the side of the road when he was just a puppy. He looked like he was beaten up badly and had been abused. So being the saps of strays we were, we took him in. He had a variety of health problems. He had the mange disease along with a bad digestive system because he ate everything in sight. It got to where he was just in costant pain. So they put him to sleep. I cried for hours when Mom called and told me. I wanted to make it home in time to say goodbye to him but I was a day late.
He was such a happy and wonderful dog and he was 10 years old when he passed. We gave him such a great home while he was alive and had we not found him when he was a pup he would have had an even shorter life.
Love you, Jack!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Back from the dead: Snow days and an updated semester
I'm sitting here in good Martin, TNI never thought it would be possible to get as many snow days in Tennessee as we have been getting these last two months. I've missed over 13 days of school due to snowy weather (the district only allows us 8 so we are going to have to make up the rest of them) and can I not say how much I LOVE snow???!!! :) I have a lot of fun pictures to share afterwards.
I've been doing my classroom completely differently this semester and so far it has been going wonderful! I'm planning on sharing with you all of the methods I do to make my life as a teacher a little easier. Who would have thought that me, someone who has only been teaching for several months, give advice to OTHER teachers on how to make their teaching more successful? I've reflected long and hard on last semester and what I realized what was wrong was a simple statement of fact.
There was no structure.
I wanted my classroom to be more like a college studio class, where we focus mostly on creating art ourselves than actually learning about other artists, movements, time periods, etc. I didn't want to be one of those teacher who assigned book work over the weekends and papers constantly. Let's face it, art is a little hard to lecture about and to give homework over. However...... I've learned that you have to do a little bit of everything. I don't assign homework over the weekends just yet, but I do assign writing assignments such as essays over comparing and contrasting art works. I also do drawing activities that only take up to 15 to 20 minutes every day for each student to do. We've finished our first project, which is a landscape done in the stippling technique. It absolutely blew my mind how WONDERFUL they were. I can't wait to post pictures soon. I hate to say it, no offense first semester classes but... I think my second semester landscape projects have you beat. All because of all the many many drawing activities they had to do during class to improve their skills. :)
I've decided to stay at Perry County for three years, at least till I get married. Let's face it. It's a perfect place to grow and learn as a future educator. No, there's nothing there to do in the small town out in the middle of nowhere. But I'm saving money because my rent is cheap, the apartment I live in I absolutely adore, and I'm content with my finances and my budget. Do you even KNOW how much it would cost to live in an apartment I do now in a bigger city like Nashville or even Jackson? Too much than I am wanting to spend right now. I'm pretty much liking this decision of mine though. I will get to see my sophomores, the class I am sponsoring, graduate which will be wonderful to see. I don't think I am just ready to say good-bye yet.
Enough with the teacher stuff. Enjoy my snow pictures with my boyfriend Matt and my good friend Barry :)
I was soooooooo HAPPY :)
Their apartment after the 8 inches.
Tackle!!!
YAY!
I've been doing my classroom completely differently this semester and so far it has been going wonderful! I'm planning on sharing with you all of the methods I do to make my life as a teacher a little easier. Who would have thought that me, someone who has only been teaching for several months, give advice to OTHER teachers on how to make their teaching more successful? I've reflected long and hard on last semester and what I realized what was wrong was a simple statement of fact.
There was no structure.
I wanted my classroom to be more like a college studio class, where we focus mostly on creating art ourselves than actually learning about other artists, movements, time periods, etc. I didn't want to be one of those teacher who assigned book work over the weekends and papers constantly. Let's face it, art is a little hard to lecture about and to give homework over. However...... I've learned that you have to do a little bit of everything. I don't assign homework over the weekends just yet, but I do assign writing assignments such as essays over comparing and contrasting art works. I also do drawing activities that only take up to 15 to 20 minutes every day for each student to do. We've finished our first project, which is a landscape done in the stippling technique. It absolutely blew my mind how WONDERFUL they were. I can't wait to post pictures soon. I hate to say it, no offense first semester classes but... I think my second semester landscape projects have you beat. All because of all the many many drawing activities they had to do during class to improve their skills. :)
I've decided to stay at Perry County for three years, at least till I get married. Let's face it. It's a perfect place to grow and learn as a future educator. No, there's nothing there to do in the small town out in the middle of nowhere. But I'm saving money because my rent is cheap, the apartment I live in I absolutely adore, and I'm content with my finances and my budget. Do you even KNOW how much it would cost to live in an apartment I do now in a bigger city like Nashville or even Jackson? Too much than I am wanting to spend right now. I'm pretty much liking this decision of mine though. I will get to see my sophomores, the class I am sponsoring, graduate which will be wonderful to see. I don't think I am just ready to say good-bye yet.
Enough with the teacher stuff. Enjoy my snow pictures with my boyfriend Matt and my good friend Barry :)
I was soooooooo HAPPY :)
Their apartment after the 8 inches.
Tackle!!!
YAY!
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