Full moon

Artists create a full moon painting using one hue plus white and black. Step by step creating value rings around the moon.


Tree/branch to be added later.

Spider Spider

2 part lesson drawing a web crayon resist, add a collage spider.
Web is drawn first using crayon, after several pencil practices. Line direction and direct drawing.
Watercolor wash added over crayon and salt added for texture.



part II tracing circular shapes to create the 2 parts of the spiders body legs added and spider attached to the web.







Dynamic and Dramatic sky

Looking at images of how artists create and share their vision of the sky. Drawing details with crayon and painting over with watercolor last element to the wet paper is sea salt.

Looking at works by Turner and VanGogh.


My Mona

Fun independent coloring page My Mona Lisa

Frankin Picasso

Inspired by the work of Spanish artist Pablo Picasso on day project

My Dream Hand

Inspired by Aboriginal dream painting students created an imaginary hand portrait on black paper. Details with construction paper crayon, color pencils and metallic sharpies.





Kinder color blending

Using sponges and tempera paint colors-red and yellow, students created orange

Drawing on Black paper

Day of the Dead Sugar Skull project drawing on black paper with gel pens, metallic pens/color pencil and neon. Boarders and backgrounds work to make the main image pop.



10 art pieces all Kinders should know

Mona Lisa
Starry Night
American Gothic
Sunflowers

Kinder Selfie

Self portrait, this is me...meet the Mona Lisa








Dramatic Realistic Tree

Direct Drawing practice creating a dramatic tree in a landscape.
Drawing with pastels on pastel paper create your landscape add a sky of importance. Look at the work of Turner and Van Gogh for inspiration.











Day of the Dead 1/2 face

Using a 1/2 face photograph measure and create the other half (symmetrical drawing) of the face in a Sugar Skull inspired design.

Part II use color pencils and gel markers to complete the transformation

Folk Art Landscape with a bit of Klimt

Students spent 3 sessions creating a highly patterned country landscape with 3 trees and 3-5 hills. What is the weather, season, time of day?








Drawing in pencil then black sharpie they built layers and developed more complex patterns. Last they used metallic marker and gel pens to embellish and connect to the work the work of Gustav Klimt.






Gel pens added that extra sparkle!





Imagine and Observe Mr. Bones part one

What does a human skeleton look like...imagine and draw.

We will complete this project in the spring by observation and direct drawing

First Grade Little Red Hen Part I

"I will then" said the little Red Hen. Connecting to classroom curriculum this project will be completed in the spring when we add a nest and an egg. The students traced a pattern and added colorful designs and patterns inspired by art from Mexico.

Kinder Pasta Art Day

What a fun way to learn about lines, cooked and uncooked pasta, make some art and eat some art.

Welcome to our New Year 2015-16

Welcome our theme for the New School Year in Art is...

"It's a small world, looking at art through the lens of cultural diversity"

I have several new projects to introduce and some classics to reinvent.
Can't wait to get started.

End of year overview 2014-15

Just a few  more highlights from our first year together!

Open House

May Art Walk

Student art show.


5th grade dramatic tree in a landscape 

2nd grade Picasso inspired portraits 

4th grade Day of the Dead foil skulls and 6th grade Day of the Dead Big Sugar Skulls.

1st grade hand flowers, Kinder color wheel flower and 4th grade wild sunflower quilts 

A view of the set up  using the cafeteria tables as display panels 

3rd grade Matisse inspired still life 3-D 

Kinder direct drawing Penguins in chalk and pastels 

1st grade cherry blossoms 

1st grade spiders, 3rd grade hearts and patterned landscapes 

3rd grade pattern landscapes and Matisse still life, 6th grade sugar skulls 

5th grade lively sky and city 


kinder color wheel flowers with name leaves 

1st grade Hand flowers 

Kinder color wheel flowers, 4th grade wild sunflower class quilt 

Another view of the show 

Kinder Color Wheel Flowers

This project took 3 sessions to complete. One for drawing, one for painting and one for cutting. In the end these became a beautiful class wall hanging like a vertical Monet!

Roman Paper Mosaics

3-D sculpture from a drawing

This project was worked on all year.

Picasso Inspire Portraits

Introduction to a master artist...

Spring Cherry Blossoms

Classic...watercolor background, use a Starbucks gift card to create the black "ink" lines with tempera paint. Model how to double load a brush and blend to get a blossom like light pink.