In the Art Room: Art Teacher Interview with Eric Gibbons, AKA Box Artist

Hey, y'all! As apart of my lil Art Teacher Interview series (of which you can read more interviews here, here and here), I have the pleasure of introducing you to Eric Gibbons, aka Box Artist! I'm so thrilled that Eric has allowed me to interview him as his work as an artist, gallery owner, educator and author are so inspiring. And I know for certain y'all will love what he has to say about his journey. So without further ado, take it away, Eric! 

Just who are you, anyway? And where do you teach? And how long you been doin' it? 

I have been teaching since 1991. First in Wildwood NJ, then Egypt of all places, and now in central New Jersey. I did some teaching in Japan, but that was teaching English conversation while still in college to help pay bills when I was living there on a student exchange. As you can surmise, I love to travel and have been to Korea, Paris, London, Canada, Mexico, Israel, Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey.

I have taught all levels from pre-k through the community college level but am currently teaching in a high school, and teach privately at my gallery in the summers. [Eric's gallery called Firehouse Gallery is seen above. More details can be found here.] My 21st art camp will be this summer. I like being my own boss. I hope to retire as early as I can to publish and teach privately through my sunset years.

And you're an artist AND a published author to boot? Okay, tell us your magical ways. Start with your journey as an artist. Go on, we're listening...

So art has always been in my family. As I sit and type I am looking at 2 watercolors by my great grandmother. She painted till she was 102. Her daughter, my grandmother was an accomplished artist as is her sister Anita Gish. Her work is in the National Portrait Gallery. She too is an art teacher. My mother studied art but went on to become a nurse and therapist, but she stays creative. My brother can draw very well and my sister works for a company that produces books for museums and galleries, so she has the art bug too. It was never discouraged so it was a natural transition for me. I can do many things well, and jump from one media to another with ease. Stained glass to oils. Ceramics to watercolors. Origami to pastels. That versatility definitely helps in the classroom for a broad approach.

My own work, closest to my heart are blind drawing like Matisse, and figure painting like Jacque Louis David, or Michelangelo. I am kinda' known for my figures and still lives in boxes, hence my pseudonym on social media.

I am passionate about my approach to art education. I push a multi-disciplinary approach connecting math, history, language, literature, science, and biology to art. Art teachers know, when we grid, measure, and draw—we use geometry. When we make sculptures—we use engineering. When we mix colors—we reveal information about physics. When we create illustrations for stories—we learn about literature. When we review the styles of art from da Vinci to Bansky—we teach history. When we write about art—we strengthen these skills. When we create works of art, we solve complex visual problems in creative ways.

So is your art form of choice illustration? If so, has it always been? 

I don't think of myself as an illustrator, but if the need arises I can be. For the newest project, "If Picasso Had a Christmas Tree," I put on my illustrator hat and created about 12 Christmas trees in the styles of Picasso, Mondrian, Rothko, Haring, etc... Some took a few minutes like the Cy Twombly piece, and others took weeks, like Picasso and Tamara de Lempicka paintings. It's fun to emulate and create. I am not much for copying, but I like emulation.

Can you talk a lil bit about getting published? How does one even set out on that journey?

So publishing is a surprise for me. I was a terrible speller growing up. Ridiculed for it actually. I had great ideas but no one could get past the spelling. Thank god for spell check or I'd be jobless. My spelling is still poor, but I rely on help from technology and friends, particularly English Teachers!

My first book was call "Christian Voodoo." It started at a collection of stories for my own amusement about old superstitions that persist today. Burying a St. Joseph statue up-side-down in the yard to sell a house. Putting a rosary on a bush outside your home to stop the rain for a wedding, and many others. Some friends wanted copies of my little collection, and it grew. I sold copies on Ebay long ago, and thought to approach a publisher. Schiffer Publishing took it on and though it never really sold great it does bring in a few bucks every year and still sells.

After doing a couple more through them and others, I decided to try it myself through Createspace.com, owned by Amazon. Once your book is done and saved as a PDF, you upload it, and it is for sale on Amazon. I made books and collections of my lesson plans, tests, and other professional stuff and they sell well. I did some other art related books and they too did ok. We're not talking enough to quit my job, but all these little projects do add up to about a mortgage payment every month.

 If you told the 12 year old me, nearly failing English, that I would have nearly 100 books to my credit... I'd have called you crazy, but I do, though many are not under my own name, some hardly sell at all, but enough do that it's worth it and fun.

The newest book, "If Picasso Had a Christmas Tree," is really taking off though. It's for sale in museum stores, and next year will be even bigger. (It was late for this year's holiday season.) That is exciting, and scary. With Createspace I don't have to keep any books here, it's all automatic, I just get a royalty. This new book though, because it did so well, I went the traditional route by ordering 3000 copies. Putting out a huge chunk of cash. But we have recouped our investment and are now earning money on the book. Next year, If I had to guess, we'll need to order about 10,000 copies, maybe more.

So you teach, you create, you keep up a super fab blog and your write books. Talk a little bit about what your ideal average day of teaching/creating might look like. 

The blog, www.ArtEdGuru.com is really a place for me to store my ideas, web links, and resources so I can access them from anywhere, especially school. BUT I realized it would be helpful for many others so I added the blog portion and opened it up to others. As something cool comes up, I add it to the appropriate pages, and I hope it helps other teachers. The video links page is AWESOME if class finishes too early and you need something to keep the kids occupied. I have done that a few time already this year.

So as for my day, I am up by 6am, out to school by 7am, teaching from 7:30 am to about3pm. (I work just 7 miles from my home) I use all my prep time and "free" periods to write lesson plans, grade, etc. My daily goal is to take nothing home, because home is more work. I really use every minute of my day. If I know I will be busy, I come early to work.

At home I have to answer email, take and write orders. Wednesdays I teach private classes. My partner ships and organizes the books. I have to find time to write, communicate with the 30 teachers in the book so we are all on the same page. I'm active on the Facebook art teacher's page with advice and opinions, and I only "plug" a book if it truly answers a question posed, but I have tons of free stuff and advice for my fellow teachers, and am happy to share that. It's really NOT about the money for me.

Sometimes I visit the college to talk with wanna-be art teachers, crush their dreams with reality, and those that continue on are either fools like me, or awesome like you!  ;-) I joke of course, but I do enlighten them that teaching art is not for everyone, it's very hard, and schools often do not appreciate what you do. I urge them to advocate for art education, because no one else will. I sincerely believe art is THE most important subject taught in school, and I have evidence to back that up!

For fun, I carve out time to go to 3D movies, visit a museum or gallery, go to a monthly potluck and share my famous cream puffs, or watch Antiques Roadshow.

Many folks give up their personal art when they begin teaching. What have you gained from continuing to pursue your art? Where do you think you'd be without this outlet?

I have come to understand that art is a necessity in my life. When I am not creative I get very depressed. It is my medicine. I am not joking on this point. I get in a very dark place when I am not allowing myself a creative outlet. Some people do it just for fun or to pass the time. That's fine, but I have come to realize I NEED art in my life as much as I need air, water, and cream puffs from time to time.

Creating art and writing books helps me escape my isolation. I could easily become a hermit or hobbit if I let myself. But books and art are ways that I connect with others and share what I have learned. It's my way of giving back to the world, and maintaining my sanity.  

To see my own art, please visit www.firehousegallery.com my books are atwww.firehousepublications.com

What the Art Teacher Wore #125

 Christmas Red Monday: I scored this lovely vintage number during out California Adventure. I was so excited to wear it on Monday to kick off my (self-imposed) 15 Days of Holiday Dress until a group of fourth grade kids told me it was "not as crazy as the usual Mrs. Stephens." Humph. What do they know, anyway? (well, they know me too well is the prob!). vintage dress: Buffalo Exchange; bow belt: Pin Up Girl Clothing; Disneyland pin: um, Disneyland; fishnets and red tights: Target; shoes: thrifted

Okay, lemme tell you about something that happened to me that NEVERRR happens: My week went by so super fast that all day long on Friday, I was convinced it was Thursday. I seriously said, "eh, I'll take care of that ("that" being the mini-mountains of messes I managed to create all week long) tomorrow" only at the end of the day when everyone was wishing each other a happy weekend did I realize that it was Friday. Like, whhhuuuuut?! Needless to say, I left those mini-mountains until Monday at which point I will curse my laziness. But, that's like every Monday, what am I even saying.

I think it was because this week was just so busy. It's that time of year when there are exactly one million things happening and trying to stay on top of it all is Mission Impossibleness. My solution is to live one day at a time and write everything on my hand and up my arm. In Sharpie. Although with all the hand washing I'm doing due to the fact that the kids are in a constant state of coughing/sneezing/upchucking, I might just have to start Sharpin' my notes onto my face. At least when I look in the mirror, I'll be all, "oh, right! I need to knab eht ot og...wait, it's backwards, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!" Hmm, okay, so that won't work. 

In other news, I'm super excited to announce THE WINNER OF THE WHALE RING GIVEAWAY is...cue drum roll...Jaclyn! Congrats, girl! And thank you to all that are now following Mary Beth on instagram and have discovered (and purchased from) her incredible shop. Big thanks to Mary Beth also for being so generous to give away one of her super fab pieces! 

I hope you guys have a wonderful upcoming week! Here's a peak at what the kids have been up to along with what I deemed appropriate to wear for 15 Days of Holiday Dress. What you wearin in your art room this week? I'd love to see, feel free to share your awesome art room attire here. Later, kids! 

 My second grade students created these 6" X 6" metal tooled poinsettia still-lives (still-lifes?) this week. I promise to share the entire process complete with detailed steps and process photos but for now, I'll just give you the short version in case you wanna give it a go. We had a ton of left over yarn scraps from weaving projects. Instead of trashing them, I've been hoarding them waiting for an idea to come to mind. And it finally did. I have the kids 6" X 6" matte board that was pre-sprayed with spray adhesive. Then they used the yarn to "draw" onto their super sticky board. Once complete, they brought the board back to me where I sprayed it again and slapped a piece of thin gauge tin foil on top. They used their fingertips (no nails!) to "massage" the foil and reveal their design. After class, I spray painted them black with that super junky $1 black spray paint from Home Depot (you want the crap stuff, trust me). The following day, the kids used 000 steel wool to burnish off the spray paint. Sharpies were added for color and decoration. Next up: painting the frame. So excited how these are turning out! 

 Oh, That's Better Tuesday: I was informed by said fourth grade kids, that this outfit was back up to my "normal crazy outfits." Good to know, youngins. sweater and dotted blouse: thrifted; bow brooch: gift; skirt: etsy; crinoline: Amazon; tights: Target; shoes: old. Fluevog. So comfy!

 My third graders have been working hard on printing their snowflake designs on fabric (I wish I had a photo...report back next week, por favor). Their job now is to work together and stitch their printed fabric pieces to create their snowflake banner. I was a little concerned about them using the machines but after super clear directions (along with super clear "your sewing days will be over if  DON'T follow my super clear directions"), they were extremely careful with the machines. Not to mention, they loved using them! 

Feeling Dotty Wednesday: Lemme tell you, waking up a lil late and grabbing whatever clothes you lay your hands on often results in the making of an outfit like this. I ain't braggin. Just sayin. sweater: Old Navy, last year; dress: thrifted; boots: DIY-dotted boots here

 Kindergarten finished off these winter collages this week. I don't usually repeat lessons but this kindergarten one I've done for a couple of years now. You can read all about is in this here blog post. 

Looking Like a Christmas Tree Ornament Thursday: You know, cuz, why not? sweater and skirt: thrifted; bow top: J.Crew; belt: Amazon; tights: Target; shoes: Dolls by Nina

 My fourth graders are working hard on these relief designs this week. We chatted a great deal about papel picado and created our own version in the form of a snowflake. Now, if you wanna know how to make a REAL snowflake, get yourself over to Phyl's blog because she's the expert! We created ours out of very thin copy paper and followed the same steps as the second grade did for their yarn creations: attached to a piece of matte board/covered in foil/spray painted black and burnished. Again, I'll share with y'all a full blog post soon but for now, here's you a sneak peak. 

 Candy Cane Shoes Friday!: I know, me in pants, so cray! But I did it for the sake of the shoes. I had to wear 'em...but they just don't look very good with dresses. Mostly because my feet are HUGE and I kinda look like I'm wearing clown shoes. And clown shoes don't look so great with dresses either. sweater: DIY, go here; dotted shirt: DIY, here; dotted pants: Target; candy cane converse: Marshall's years ago

 Friday night ended on a high note (or should I say a rainbow...?) with this sweet Christmas present from my baby bro. What better way to end the week, amirite?!

In the Art Room: 10 Totes Amazing Field Trip Tips

Do y'all take your students on field trips? I remember my very first year teaching (some 17 years ago, ahem) when I was informed that taking kids on a field trip was apart of my curriculum (which reminds me, New Teachers: Don't confuse your curriculum with a Bible. Ya don't hafta live or die by the thing. Think of it more as a suggestion. More than likely from someone who hasn't been in an art room for a handful of years. Possibly because they couldn't handle the scandal [oh, now, curriculum writers, don't get your artsy pants in a wad. You know it's kinda true.] Now, if you'll please help me down from this here soapbox, I'll return to the post at hand. Thank you). And I just about freaked out. I mean, here I was, in my first couple months teaching, just trying to wrap my absurdly small brain round the fact that the art education of 400 students was in my constantly-paint-covered hands and now I also had to take 'em field trippin? Are you kitten me? Cat's crazy!

But I did. I took 100 first grade kids to see some Impressionist exhibit.

And, what? You want me to tell you it went off without a hitch? That the whole thing was a magical experience? Well, it wasn't, y'all. I made many a mistake (One being I paid for 100 first graders to wear headphones for the exhibit. You know, like a Walkman, y'all [17 years ago, remember?] As you can imagine, that ended badly). After that first experience, you'd have thought I'd never give it another go. But afterward, the kids talked about our field trip for weeks (and so did their classroom teachers, unfortunately. Ahem). They loved the art, they loved the bus ride, they even loved those ridiculous Walkmans. And it made me realize that the kids just loved getting out and experiencing the world. Which immediately made me thing of The Most Famous Field Tripper in the Universe...

That's right. Ferris Bueller. 

Because our Word of the Week had been "gratitude", some of my second grade students wrote thank you notes to the Frist Center for Visual Arts. I shipped 'em out just yesterday.

I mean, you've gotta take 'em out to see the world so they won't miss it, right?

Since that first year, I've taken my students on field trips to the local art museum or botanical gardens nearly every year. Now, I don't take 'em all (I'm not that crazy) but the grade level where it most pertains to what we are studying. Or, if I'm being really honest, to the grade level that is the least likely to run amuck and act a fool. Which changes every year, as y'all know.

 Now over the years, I've learned a thing or three and I thought I'd share 'em here with you. To ease your field trip anxiety (which never actually goes away. I suffer from Field Trip Night Terrors before each and every outing.) I thought I'd share with y'all my 10 Totes Amazing Field Trip Tips. Are ya ready? 

1. Preview the exhibit before planning a trip. So, the art museum has a great exhibit on Pablo Picasso? Sweet! Just be sure to check it first to be certain it's not Picasso's lots-of-boobs-and-naked-chics period, emrkay? Seriously, be certain it's kid-friendly and interesting. Don't no (under 10) kid care about Picasso's philosophy on Cubism.

2. Get the lay of the land. Before you take kids, you really outta know just where the bus will drop the kids, what door you'll enter, what time the art museum actually opens (last year I got us there about 10 minutes before the museum opened. It was freezing outside! I seriously ran from one locked door to the next, banging on the door,  looking for a way in. I felt like Dustin Hoffman in the final wedding scene of The Graduate). It's also super important to know just where the bathrooms are. I mean, do you really wanna be known as the art teacher whose student peed in the middle of a Picasso exhibit? "Clean up in the Rose Period!" Me thinks not. 

3. Talk to your teachers and get 'em on board (i.e., have them do your dirty work). The teachers at my school are super supportive and have always been corporative with field trips. These folks take their students on field trips more regularly than we do, so they are used to this field trip game. So, put them on the case! Use their permission form format when writing your own (they may even be kind enough to just write it for you!). Also, have them collect the forms and the money. Think of it this way: it's a lot easier for them to collect from the 20 plus kids they see daily then the 100 you see only every couple of days. 

4. Bring in the reinforcements: CHAPERONES! My fave chaperone? Our school nurse. She's there "just in case" and I'm so happy for that. I also love it when grandparents are able to make the trip as I can tell it really means a lot to them. And, as a general rule, the meaner the mom-chaperone, the better (oh, I joke. Kinda).

5. Tell the kids what's up. I created this prezi before my most recent field trip. Cuz the more informed the kids are, the more excited they are going to be. Many of my second grade kids had not been to the art museum. Don't assume your students have either. This might be a once in a lifetime for them (fingers crossed that's not the case!). 

One of my fave things to do before a trip to the art museum, is to write about it as a class. I usually start with, "What do you know?" either about the art museum or the exhibit, "What do you want to know?" which encourages the kids to reflect on their upcoming trip and, when we return, we talk about "What did you learn?" As the kids tell me this info, I'll jot it down on a large piece of bulletin board paper. Often times, I'll display this along with some photos from the experience in the hall upon our return.
Our art museum has a lot of history. So I really enjoy sharing that with the kids along with what's inside. When the kids make more of a connection with a place, they'll be more excited about going there and, hopefully, want to go back. 

6. Museum etiquette. Look, even school-skippin Bueller knew how to behave in an art museum.

We spend a whole lotta time on this here chat. My biggest concern is always disturbing the artwork and/or disturbing the patrons. I tell 'em, people pay big bucks to visit an art museum. They're there to see the art. Not some children with no sense of etiquette. After all, that's just down right uncivilized and might cause people to look at us like this...

 Like, ew, what's wrong with that kid and why is he hanging all over Picasso's Blue Boobie Nude Number 23?

Now, you'll most def wanna silence your cell phone but don't forget to bring it! You never know what kind of emergency call you might have to make to your school (I had to ring the bookkeeper last year in a panic. I hadn't paid the admission cost! Thankfully she came through with a credit card payment...but I woulda been in hot water with out my phone). 

7. Tell 'em what they'll experience. You know, like the artwork. Show them examples of the art and how they'll see "the real thing" (which is a mind-blowing concept that I don't actually own the real thing, to my students. "Wait, you mean that poster isn't the real Starry Night?!" Um, no). 

At our art museum, we spend one hour touring the exhibit and the following hour creating stuff. I explain that process to the kids so that they completely know what to expect when we arrive. AND because I completely hate answering, "What are we doing noooooow?" twenty-thousand times. Ahem.

8. Bus behavior. Oh, the bus. Not my fave part of going on a field trip, not gonna lie. However, on my most recent trip, the teachers I went with did something which I thought was simply genius. They requested that the kids remain silent while we were on the city streets so that the bus driver could focus. As soon as we hit the highway, they were free to chat. The noise level was hardly noticeable because of the sound of the highway. Once we turned off the highway toward the museum, it was back to silent bus. Smart, right?

Speaking of bus rides, before that bus even reeves up to leave for the museum or return, please be certain to do a head count. Like 20 times. Those teachers I mentioned above? They were constantly counting their kids. Once on the bus, once after we got off the bus, again inside the museum -- you get the idea. Count those heads like there's no tomorrow, y'all.

And don't sit with the kids. Definitely don't eat any gummi bears they've been keeping warm in the pockets all day (please tell me I'm not the only one who remembers this scene?!). Personally, I like to sit at the front with the bus driver. Because I'm always a little concerned s/he might not know where to park or drop us off. Oh, and speaking of bus drivers, I always have a map to the museum on hand for the drivers as well as chaperone passes (because I hate the idea of them sitting on the bus for two hours). 

9. Reflect fondly on our experiences. 'Kay, so I already told you about the one writing thingie we sometimes do. This year some classes even wrote Thank You cards which were pretty sweet to read. You've gotta have some sort of reflection time after such a trip, right? Get 'em talking about what they learned and loved. 

 I mean, can I get an "awww...."? 

Reflecting can also come in the form of creating. We actually created these paintings at the start of the year when we first began exploring Kandinsky (lesson here, kids). So it was a great tie-in to what we saw at the museum.

10. Be inspired! Seeing an artists work in a museum is inspiring for the kids and me as a teacher. The kids are excited to return and create and I'm thrilled that I squished some culture into their lil heads. It's a win-win-inspirational experience, y'all.

So, tell me, do you take your kids on field trips? What are some of your Totes Amazing Field Trip Tips?!