Archives
All That Glitters...
All About Glitter
Fall 2023
Fun Facts . . .
1. The word glitter comes from the old Norse word, "glitra," which means to shine.
2. Historically, glitter was made of minerals, including mica and malachite.
3. Dating back to 40,000 BC, glitter was used in cave paintings and for other means by
ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.
4. In 1934, Henry Ruschman, a farmer from Bernardsville, New Jersey, created
plastic glitter due to the lack of glass available during World War ll.
5. Today, edible and food safe glitter have become a popular cake decorating item.
6. Since glitter is made from plastics, please use it sparingly!!
It does not biodegrade easily, and due to its very small size,
it is too small for treatment plants to successfully filter. You can find
eco-friendly types of glitter, but the problem of filtering the particles still exists.
Helpful tip: If you place a sheet of paper under what you are glittering,
afterwards, you can take the top off the glitter jar,
roll the paper into a cone shape with a small hole at the bottom,
and put the left over glitter back into the jar!
Now there's more left for you to use, and less out in the environment!
Learn About an Artist
Corita Kent
Fall 2023
Corita Kent was an American artist, designer, educator, activist, and former nun. She was born on November 20, 1918, as Frances Elizabeth Kent in Dodge, Iowa. At 18 years of age, she entered the Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Los Angeles, and became a nun, changing her name to Sister Mary Corita Kent. Immaculate Heart was known at the time for being very progressive and for promoting creative thinking. She received her Bachelor's Degree from Immaculate Heart College, and her Master's at the University of Southern California. Eventually, she became the head of the art department at Immaculate Heart College and taught classes there as well. She was primarily known for her screen prints, which she taught herself how to make after using a DIY silk screening kit she had purchased. Her artwork was often relating to the Pop Art style, and used familiar images of things like Wonder Bread and the General Mills logo. But her work also consisted of spiritual themes, as well as love and peace, and other social issues that were very prevalent during the 1960's. Due to constant opposition to her work from the cardinal of the Catholic Church at the time, Kent left the order and returned to secular life, moving to the east coast to work independently. She produced many varied forms of art in her later life, including a large rainbow swash on a storage tank in Boston, to a version of the Love Stamp for the US Postal Service. She continued to pursue her causes and create her artwork until her death on September 18, 1986. Her work can be found in many major museums, such as, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. The Corita Art Center in Los Angeles, CA, is a gallery and archive dedicated to promoting the work and spirit of Corita Kent.
If you would like to learn more about this artist, below is a list of some great books to read, as well as virtual or nearby places where you can view the artists' artwork.
Books:
Make Meatballs Sing: The Life and Art of Corita Kent, by Matthew Burgess
Sister Corita's Words and Shapes, by Jeanette Winter
Come Alive! The Spirited Art of Sister Corita, by Julie Ault
Nearby Museums or Virtual Websites:
Whitney Museum of American Art
How-to-Art Projects
Fall 2023
Leaves . . .
With all kinds of leaves just laying around, 'tis the season for making crafts with them. Try these super easy and fun leaf people!
Click here for directions.
Leaves . . .
While you are out collecting all those leaves
on the ground, try your "hand" with these leaf puppets!
Click here for directions.
And More Leaves!
If you still have lots of leftover leaves in your backyard, give this colorful leaf painting craft a try!
Click here for directions.
Acorn Crafts
While you are picking up the leaves, you might come across a few acorns too. Here are some crafts to try if you find some acorns that the squirrels haven't gotten yet!
Click here for kids ideas, and here for adults.
100 Fall Crafts for Kids
If you are still looking for more fall crafts to try, check out this huge assortment of ideas! You surely will find something to suit your fancy.
Click here to check out some of the ideas.
100 Fall Crafts for Adults
Of course, there are some of you out there who might want a bit more grown up options for fall crafting--so check these out!
Click here for ideas.
Make No Mistake About It!
All About Erasers
Summer 2023
Fun Facts . . .
1. One of the earliest forms of an eraser was to use bread crumbs.
2. Erasers were once known as "lead eaters."
3. The common pink color in erasers is a result of the type of
pumice used to create them.
4. Erasers actually work chemically, not mechanically. They contain
sticky polymers that act like tiny magnets, which bind the
graphite particles from the pencil, and then detach them from the paper.
5. April 15 is National Rubber Eraser Day.
6. There are many different types of erasers available, like a pencil eraser,
a knead-able eraser, a rubber eraser, a gum eraser, a magic eraser,
and a whiteboard eraser--just to name a few.
7. Here is a cool video you can watch about how an eraser is made.
Learn About an Artist
Helen Frankenthaler
Summer 2023
Helen Frankenthaler was an American Abstract Expressionist painter. Her artwork has been exhibited for over six decades--from the 1950's until recent times. She was born in New York on December 12, 1928. Her dad was a New York State Supreme Court judge, her mom emigrated from Germany as a very young child, and she also had two sisters. She studied at the Dalton School and also at Bennington College. Her first solo exhibition took place in 1951 at the Tibor de Nagy Gallery in New York. Her work consisted of mostly large scale, abstract paintings, in which she developed a style she coined as the "soak stain" technique, where she used oil paints heavily diluted with turpentine. This would make the paint much thinner, allowing the colors to then soak directly into the canvas to create a watercolor effect. She eventually started experimenting with printmaking techniques and woodcuts as well. She established the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation which is dedicated to promoting greater public interest and awareness in the arts. In 2001, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts. She died on December 27, 2011 at the age of 83. Her artworks can be seen in many major museums such as, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Can't get enough about Helen? Check these links out:
Helen Frankenthaler Foundation
Art History For Kids-Helen Frankenthaler
If you would like to learn more about this artist, below is a list of some great books to read, as well as some nearly places to visit where you can view the artists' real artwork.
Books:
Dancing Through Fields of Color: The Story of Helen Frankenthaler, by Elizabeth Brown and Aimee Sicuro
Frankenthaler: Works on Paper, by Karen Wilkin
Nearby Museums:
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Il.
Live COLORFULLY!
All About Color
Winter 2022
Fun Facts . . .
1. The most popular color in the world is blue. But be aware, it is also the color that
mosquitoes are especially attracted too!
2. Red is the first color that a baby sees.
3. Eigengrau, or "brain gray," is the term for the dark gray color that you see
immediately when you turn off a light.
4. The most common color of highlighter markers is yellow, because it does not leave
a shadow on the page when photocopied.
5. Sir Isaac Newton invented the color wheel.
6. The color of skin on a polar bear is actually black!
7. Colors that do not appear in ordinary visual function are called impossible colors.
How-to-Art Projects
Winter 2022
Let it Snow. . .
Well, "the weather outside might be frightful"--that is if you don't love the snow and cold. A great way to celebrate winter is by making all kinds of snowflakes! A nostalgic memory from childhood for most of us is creating a folded paper snowflake. If you've never made one, you must try it! And, if you are in a more techy mood, try making a snowflake online.
Easy level--click here for paper snowflake directions.
Let it Snow. . .
If you're looking for a unique snowflake craft, this beaded version is great, and is actually easy to do. I made these every year with 2nd grade students as ornaments! You don't have to add the center ring, and the patterns and beads can vary greatly, which easily makes no two exactly alike--just like real snowflakes!
Medium level--click here for directions.
Let it Snow!!
If you are looking for a bit more of a challenge in your snowflake making this winter season, you might want to give these beautifully awesome, 3-D versions a try. This project definitely takes the art of making paper snowflakes to the next level!
Advanced level: Click here to view directions.
Encore, Encore!!
You can never make enough snowflakes, right? And, you can even make them and recycle at the same time! Use magazine pages, or scraps of wrapping paper, fold the same as the "easy level" snowflake directions above, and wallah! Also, a great family read while doing all things snowflakes, is the beautifully illustrated book, Snowflake Bentley, by Jacqueline Briggs Martin.
Upcycle that Christmas tree trunk!
Did you know that instead of just putting your Christmas tree on the curb after the holiday season is over, you can "upcycle" it instead? Upcycling by definition is, the process of transforming unwanted items or materials into new products perceived to be of greater quality, such as having an artistic value.
Click here to check out some cool ideas!
Winter Crafts Galore . . .
If you are still looking for some more winter craft projects that you can create, there are lots of fun and easy choices to pick from to help celebrate the season! Take a look at these, or come up with some of your own!
Click here for ideas.
Learn About an Artist
Grandma Moses
Winter 2022
Anna Mary Robertson, know as "Grandma Moses," was an American folk artist, who lived from 1860-1961. She grew up on a farm in upstate New York, and as a child(if she had any extra time while not doing chores), she occasionally would paint and used lemon and grape juice to make the colors for her landscapes. At the age of 20, she married and moved to a farm in Virginia. There she worked very hard as a farm wife and mother, but also helped support her family by selling various homemade foods. Her art career did not start until many years later, when at the age of 78, she developed arthritis in her hands that made it hard for her to do embroidery, which was her preferred craft. So, with no formal training, she took up painting instead. Her paintings depicted memories of growing up on a farm and other scenes of rural life. In 1939, a collector saw her paintings for sale in the local pharmacy window, and bought them all for a few dollars each. Soon after this, her work started to become well known, and was exhibited at various places and museums. Eventually, examples of her artwork were even merchandised onto greeting cards, puzzles, and postage stamps. By the time she died at the age of 101, she had painted more than 1500 images and artworks. And you know those simple, folksy paintings that once sold for a few dollars a piece in the pharmacy window? Well, in 2006, one of her works, Sugaring Off (pictured above, bottom right), sold for 1.2 million dollars! Just goes to show, you are never too old to find the artist within yourself.
Fun Facts:
1. An original painting by Grandma Moses, Going From the Mill (largest photo pictured above), is located at the Chazen Art Museum in Madison, WI, if you live close by!
2. Grandma Moses and Norman Rockwell, another very famous American artist were close friends. So much so, that she is painted into one of his paintings, Christmas Homecoming. She appears on the far left edge in a black dress.
3. If you would like to watch a recently animated version of, The Grandma Moses Night Before Christmas, click here.
If you would like to learn more about this artist, below is a list of some great books to read, as well as some nearly places to visit where you can view the artists' real artwork.
Books:
The Year with Grandma Moses, by W. Nikola-Lisa
Grandma Moses, by William C. Ketchum, Jr.
The Grandma Moses Night Before Christmas, poem by Clement C. Moore
Grandma Moses, by Mike Venezia
Nearby Museums:
Chazen Art Museum, Madison, WI
Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
My Recent Artwork
Winter 2022
Painted Palette Knife Collage
These collage paintings are created using recycled magazine covers. They are usually inspired by a word or phrase that appears on the cover, and then I paint over all the "not wanted" parts of the page. These particular pieces here have been created using a traditional artists palette knife, which has recently become a popular and trendy technique for painting. I often incorporate other words, phrases, or lettering from the inside magazine pages, and sometimes use textural embellishments, like stitching, to create the final collage.
Recycled Magazine Collage-Twilight and Daybreak series
These collages are inspired from the moments of light that are present just before the sun rises and just after the sun sets. They are created by recycling many beautifully colored magazine pages. After I have read the magazine, instead of just getting rid of it, I take it all apart and keep and sort the different colors so that I can use them for future artwork. I also keep the pages that have words and lettering on them as well. The artwork is then created and glued to a pre-stretched canvas frame.
Graffiti Mini-Word Collage
As in the previous art collages, these mini word artworks are also created using recycled magazine pages. With these pieces, it is the lettering on the pages that inspire the artwork, as whatever letters are available pretty much dictates what the word or phrase can become. Here, letters of miscellaneous fonts, styles, and colors were used to create a more random graffiti look. These are also assembled and glued to miniature canvas frames.
New Mexico Colors series
Several years ago, my family took a trip to visit Georgia O'Keeffe's ranch in Obiqui, New Mexico. While in New Mexico, I fell in love with the very unique climate, and the earthy hues and colors of the rocks and cliffs everywhere. Here, the sky seemed to be bluer, and the sun seemed to shine brighter--almost golden like. These particular magazine collage pieces were inspired and pay homage to all the beautiful colors of this very special place.
You "knead" to read this!
All About Play-Doh
Spring 2022
Fun Facts . . .
In 1933, brothers Cleo and Noah McVicker, who worked at Kutol Products, a soap company in Ohio, invented a doughy cleaner that could be used to clean wallpaper. In 1954, McVicker’s sister-in-law Kay Zufall, who was a teacher, read an article that suggested you could use this Kutol wallpaper cleaner as modeling clay with children. So, she let her students play with it, and invited her brother to watch the children playing with his product. Realizing that his invention doubled as a soft, reusable modeling compound for children, McVicker renamed his company Rainbow Crafts and together with his uncle, made up a new, nontoxic batch with a pleasant scent. Eventually, the name was changed to “Play-Doh,” and was marketed as a children’s toy, rather than a wallpaper cleaner. The rest, as they say, is history.
1. Play-Doh was first sold in 1956.
2. Since 1956, more than 3 BILLION cans have been sold!.
3. Play-Doh originally came in only just one color: off-white.
4. The boy that used to be featured on the cans of Play-Doh was known as Play-Doh Pete. The image was retired in 2003, and is not used on the product anymore.
5. Play-Doh was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998.
6. National Play-Doh Day is on September 16th.
7. Nowadays, with state-of-the-art technology, you can take Play-Doh to the next level! In 2016, Hasbro launched, Play-Doh TOUCH, an app that allows kids to turn their Play-Doh creations into animated characters.
If you would like to try to make some of your very own "homemade" play dough, here are some links to different recipes:
https://artfulparent.com/3-awesome-homemade-playdough-recipes/
https://www.verywellfamily.com/playdoh-recipes-4164126
https://www.familyeducation.com/activities-crafts/the-best-tried-and-tested-playdough-recipes
How-to-Art Projects
Spring 2022
"Egg-cellent" Decorating Ideas #1
Here are some fun and easy ways to upcycle all those plastic eggs you might have lying around your house! Most require very little supplies and just a bit of adult help, so they are great for younger children. Check them out!
Easy level--click here for directions.
"Egg-cellent" Decorating Ideas #2
Guess what? These egg crafts are all about NO DYE NEEDED!!!! If you're looking for less mess and dye-free egg decorating creations, here are some great ideas. Many are easy to make with kids, and there are some for the grown ups too!
"Egg-cellent Decorating Ideas #3
Here's the fancy-dancy stuff! These crafts are for those of you looking for some beautiful springtime decorations for your home, or maybe just a bit more of a crafty challenge for yourself. These projects definitely take the art of egg decorating to the next level!
Advanced level: Click here for directions, and here(if you just can't get enough of Ms. Martha Stewart).
Learn About an Artist
Charley Harper
Spring 2022
Charlie Harper was an American artist best known for his very stylized wildlife prints and illustrations. He was born on August 4, 1922 in Frenchton, West Virginia. As a child, he grew up on his family farm, influencing his future artwork which was mostly about animals and wildlife. As a young adult, he went to study art at the Art Academy of Cincinnati in Ohio. He met his wife, fellow artist Edie McKee at the Academy, and they were married shortly after graduation in 1947. Eventually, they had one child, a son who they named Brett. Charley Harper also taught at the Academy for many years. During his career, he illustrated numerous books and magazines as well as created many prints, posters, and other works--including some for the National Park Service and the Cincinnati Zoo. His artwork was bold, colorful, and often whimsical portrayals of birds, wildlife, insects, and many other types of animals--from the ocean to the safari! He often referred to his artwork as a style he called, "minimal realism," meaning it captured just the essence of the subject in the fewest possible visual elements. Sometimes he used just simple shapes, like rectangles, circles, or triangles and eliminated all the other complicated details. He once described his method by saying, "When I look at a wildlife or nature subject, I don't see the feathers in the wings; I just count the wings." Charlie Harper passed away in Cincinnati on June 10, 2007. For over 60 years of his life, he created beautiful paintings and prints of the natural world around him--and in doing so, become a steward of this world through his art.
If you would like to learn more about this artist, below is a list of some great books to read, as well as virtual or nearby places where you can view the artists' real artwork.
Books:
Charley Harper Animal Alphabet, by Zoe Burke
Charley Harper Count the Birds, by Zoe Burke
Charley Harper Book of Colors, by Zoe Burke
123's, by Charley Harper
Count the Wings, by Michelle Houts
Beguiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper, by Charley Harper
Nearby Museums or Virtual Websites:
My Recent Artwork
Spring 2022
Painted Pages Collage
These collage paintings are created using recycled magazine covers. They are usually inspired by a word or phrase that appears on the cover, and then I paint over all the "not wanted" parts of the page. I often incorporate other words, phrases, or lettering from the inside magazine pages, and sometimes use textural embellishments, like stitching, to create the final collage.
Hand Colored Photographs
These images are created by first taking the photograph, either on my phone or with my digital camera--whichever I have handy. After I have downloaded the photo onto my computer, I print it either on plain cardstock, or sometimes on high quality Arches paper. The last step is to then hand color the printed photo with pastels, watercolors, or other types of various art media.
Mini-word collage
As in the previous art collages, these mini word artworks are also created using recycled magazine pages. With these pieces, it is the lettering on the pages that inspire the artwork, as whatever letters are available pretty much dictates what the word or phrase can become. These are also assembled and glued to miniature canvas frames.
How-to-Art Projects
Summer 2023
ROCK ON!
Go on a rock hunt in your backyard, the park, or at the beach, and then get creative and decorate them! Here are some ways to make those plain rocks you find into something special. Pick an idea, and then get rockin!
Click here for directions.
Adults can ROCK TOO!
If you're looking for a few more advanced level projects to try with some of the rocks that you find, check out these ideas!
Click here for directions.
Don't BUG me!!
Insects are an important part of our environment and they need a safe place to live, just like us! Here is an really easy way to make a "bug house" with just a plastic bottle. You can also look online for other types of bug houses you can make!
Click here directions.