Sunday Sketches

FINALLY, I was motivated to actually paint! First, I sketched out a plan on the canvas, then I sat on the back deck to do some painting. I sat down with it, again, when the first layer was dry. Finally, I added some detail with markers.

 It's a poor photo, with the videocamera, but you get the drift! It was relaxing, and used a different part of my brain.

SUNDAY SKETCHES

 

Sunday Sketches

I was inspired by a large painting at a client's house. He tells me it is a real farm near Guelph. He explained which details the artist had fudged to make it more interesting. I fudged it even more! The original was a winter scene, but I've had enough of snow for now.

Funnily enough, I began in black and white, then added a bright red roof, and some greenish grass. I toyed with the idea of keeping it black and white, but I knew that it wouldn't scan well enough.

Then, going to hubby's scanner, I accidentally scanned it in black and white!

That was only because the last thing I scanned was a document. sigh.

Serendipity. It scanned pretty well.

For more Sunday Sketches

Sunday Sketches

Finally, on a quiet afternoon, I did some sketching. These two angels have significance for me. The doll we've had in our family since I was a child. She has to be 55+ years old. A brown-haired angel, she bows her head in prayer. I always think of my mom.

The other angel is stained glass. I bought it for my late mother just days before she died (May, 2006). It makes me think of her, as well! It has a cranberry tealight candle in it.

Welcome to Sunday Sketches !

Sunday Sketches: old barn

I was inspired by a barn. I'd begun reproducing one I'd seen on my travels. The poor old thing, falling apart. I found the missing boards and the crooked lines too difficult! It's awfully sad the barns that are falling apart. You wonder at the animals they sheltered, the hay bales they housed.

Buster snuggled on my lap, and I had to reward that. (Better than chasing one of his sisters!) So I grabbed my sketchpad and went to it. A warm, calm cat on my lap.

Things have calmed down at our house. Buster, specifically. I think it's the Feliway. Wish we'd tried it sooner. He chased Daisy, but she's on her own. She chased Annie. (SIGH) Dorah is still wary, and spends most of her time in our bedroom. This is OK. She's safe, ventures out for food and litter box visitations. Everytime I walk by I brush her.

I thought of tree stumps, and other mental images. I am horrible with horses, and most other animals...

I had to include my little alien, as my late client always looked for them when I did drawings at his house. My contribution to Sunday Sketches! I travel virtually amongst REAL artists! They are inspiring!

Sunday Sketches!

Sunday Sketches, MADD, and some music

by Ed Emberley

I told my faithful readers about the thumbprint kit we bought for one of our granddaughters at the new Lee Valley store in Almonte: New store in Almonte: L.G. Lee and Sons. I love Mr. Lee. This isn't an ad. He's just a wonderful employer!
 I couldn't tell you about it, since it was a 'Close Eyes' for Josee! It reminded me of the art lessons I'd done with my students.

It's a nice kit,
with teeny stamp pads of primary colours!

It began, as it usually does, with a book that inspired me. I don't know where my original book is, I must have left it in my last classroom in 2006. I had to quit, what with my depression issues.

Josee's art inspired me to do a drawing. Finally! I could only find black, blue and red ink pads in town –we scoured the town. I thought I would supplement my colours by using thumb-shaped ovals and see where it took me!

Sketch club

I shall have to send it to the grandkids!

Art

I taught grades JK to 8, and loved teaching all of the subjects. My favourite was MADD: Music, Art, Dance and Drama. In talking to my granddaughter, we found she isn't getting ANY music lessons in grades 2 or 3 at her school. I was shocked. Someone needs to speak to the principal!  If I lived closer, I'd go volunteer in the school...

When I took my B.A. in ECE at Ryerson, one requisite was to learn a new instrument. I learned the autoharp.Other student teachers learned the recorder or my best friend, the kids' Aunt Betty, learned the ukulele. It really made music fun. 

We used to write songs in the class. It was so much fun!

The grade 3 curriculum, for example, is clear. It says:

Using the critical analysis process will enable students to: 
 • respond knowledgeably and sensitively to their own and others’ dance, drama, music, and visual art works;
 • make connections between their own experiences and works in the arts, between different art forms, and between art works and the lives of people and communities around the world
 • perceive and interpret how the elements of each art form contribute to meaning in dance, drama, music, and visual art works;
 • develop, share, and justify an informed personal point of view about works in the arts;
 • demonstrate awareness of and appreciation for the importance of dance, drama, music, and visual arts in society;
 • demonstrate appreciation appropriately as audience members in formal and informal settings (e.g., peer performances in the classroom; excursions to arts institutions, galleries, concert halls, theatres).

I wrote a music review guide for the kids. My core French teacher, a good buddy, put it into French for me.

PDF file

en francais!

My principals always demanded I submit a first term overarching lesson plan, which highlighted which topics we were uncovering. I ensured that my year-long plan included all strands of all of the teaching subjects: MADD, Language Arts, Mathematics, Health and Physical Education, Science, History and Geography and Social Studies, like Election Units. I actually taught Social Studies to student teachers at uOttawa in 2003 or so. It was a challenge, let me tell you!

That, and the day book, kept me organized.

Here is the class song we wrote, practiced and performed. I taught the kids how to use the videocamera and how to make an iMovie. 

Justice, one of my handsome kids in the class, a shy underachiever whom a couple of entitled white girls exploited, wrote this on the xylophone during a Music workshop with a pro. Then there was Masi, a child who fled civil war in his country to come to Canada. He was a wonderful boy, despite his difficult past.

One of my favourite students wrote this!

We had fabulous instruments
and had a grand time!

We also created a video on cooperative learning: "I disagree with that answer!" I tried to have the kids learn how to do a video at the same time we were teaching how to 'disagree agreeably'. The students had so much fun, I appointed another student to play me.
I once put up these pieces on a US-based site, to sell them. It didn't go well. Everyone wants a cheap, Word document, despite it taking me hours to create it!

More teaching ideas: thankyourteachers.blogspot.com

Another summery day: Sunday Sketches

That was a lovely afternoon. I decided to go out and sit and do a sketch. I haven't done one since my client passed away in the summer. This is sort of a composition of things in my front yard.

Sunday Sketches.

Hubby suggested we go for a drive, which we did.

We did some shopping in Westport, then ate at The Cove.


On the way home, we were 2.5 km away Gillian GPS told me, and we spotted a black cat on a fence. All woods, only a few houses. 'Surely that can't be Buster,' said hubby...
It was. He was near where I'd seen a doe and fawn a few years ago.

I got out of the car, coaxed him back over the fence (15 min.), while cars roared up and down the road. I was nearly at the car, clutching him tightly when two cars came along from either direction. I kept hanging on and then he scratched both my hands, 3 deep cuts, and took off back over the fence. Little beggar.

We arrived home and I washed thoroughly, hubby bandaged me up. I phoned my client, to check that we were on tomorrow, Monday. No answer. I called her niece and found she had died this afternoon. About the time I was doing my sketch.

Buster is still AWOL, even though I went across the highway into the woods and called some more. He was on a mission somewhere.

Sunday Sketches

Hubby's new (upgraded) MiniMac works with the scanner. Yippee!

Doodley-doo

Hubby was watching curling, whilst various cats snuggled. I decided now was the time to relax and sketch.  See more, better and inspiring works, :  Sunday Sketches .

Sunday Sketches: it's all about the bass

I managed a drawing this week. My scanner's app still doesn't work! Hence, a photo of my art work!
I combined a couple of ads in the magazine I was going through, with a how-to-sketch illustration of a princess in my kid's drawing book. I watched the AMAs, had a grand time watching and listening to the music the kids are listening to. Good to stay up on these things. For Christmas, I want the CD to the 2014 AMAs! Lots of strong, bold women, some even wearing real clothes while they are dancing and singing!
 Welcome to Sunday Sketches #29 !

It's all about the bass!

Sunday sketches: fish, squirrels, rabbit

Isabelle (age 3)  decided she wanted to colour my fish!
First, purple lips, turquoise cheek, then redish eye, all
within the lines. Finally, she started colouring it all black.

 I have another client. We watched the women's Olympic hockey game together, while I sketched. I find it relaxing.

Our girls visited yesterday, Josephine loves my How to draw books!

For more Sunday Sketches...

Josephine was drawing like mad! (age 6)