In the Art Room: Art Will Rock You! An Art History Song

Hi, friends! This past weekend, I went all crazy and decided to write an Art History Ballad to the tune of Queen's We Will Rock You. You see, I've had this Rockin' Art History Wall in my room for ages...but I always thought it'd be fun to have a song to go with it. If you follow me and my art teacherin' adventures here, you've seen some images of my magnificent (ahem) song writing attempts. This week, after our sketchbook time, and right before our painting adventures, we took a 5 minute trip to the Art History Wall and I taught my third and fourth graders the first two stanzas (is that what they're called?) of the Art Will Rock You song. I managed to film a class of third graders singing the song and chatting for a hot minute about the art history the song covers. I had to keep it short and sweet as we had a lot of other things to pack into our hour together. 

My sincerest apologies for my voice. And that jib-jab in the middle. feel free to just scroll on to the end to catch the second half of the song. 

I did do a lil reno on the wall this summer as the purple papers were looking a lil faded. 

The first portion of the song is about Rock Painting followed by Ancient Egypt. Here are the lyrics if you'd like!

This one was so much fun to write...I wish the others had come as easily. A songwriter, I am not!

A lil tricky to sing, as you'll notice in the video. We'll get it!

The next portions of our song will include the Ancient Greeks and Romans. I'll be teaching a little more of the song each week...at least, that's the plan. With it only taking 5 minutes, I think it will go well. I did have a couple extra minutes at the end of a first grade class this week and we did it too! They loved it! All that stomping and clapping was a hit with the kids. 

I'm not totes in love with the lyrics for the Romans and Greeks so they are kinda a work in progress. If you've got suggestions, I'll take 'em!

And if you decide to use this in your art room, I'd love to hear from you! You can always comment here or shoot me an email. I'll be sure to update the blog with more of the song as it comes along. And, if you'd be so kind, if you do use this, please share this blog post with your friends so they can as well. Thanks!

In the Art Room: My Fave Portrait Lessons

Hellllo, friendly faces! For my Back to Art Teacherin' feature today, I thought I'd share with you my very fave self-portrait projects! Last week you saw my fave landscape projects so I thought these fresh faces would be a nice follow up! So, without further ado-ness, let's get the self-portrait party started!

These first grade royal self-portraits are so stinking cute and were super fun! Not to mention, my wee ones learned so stinkin' much! Pattern-making, portrait drawing, relief-style crown design, whew! These artists are now in fourth grade and seeing these self-portraits just makes me so proud. They are still as awesomely artistic as ever! 

Last year, my third grade artists had the opportunity to sing and record a song to go along with the book A Beautiful Oops! In preparation, we sang and painted oops-es. We also learned how to draw a proportional self-portrait to be placed over our paintings. I loved how colorful and happy these turned out! More details about our recording session and the process of these pieces here. 

Love the splatter paint! 

Teaching kindergarten can be a wild and crazy ride. The key is to harness the crazy. This project was completed near the end of the year after we'd covered line painting (in the background), collage (for the clothing), rainbow order (see that palette?) and the proportions of the face. It was great to see all of their knowledge come together in one good looking project! All the details you could ever need on teaching portrait drawings to the littles, here. 

Y'all remember about 5-ish years ago when there was no Pinterest and we all had to use that gray squishy thing between our ears? WASN'T THAT A TERRIBLE TIME?! And y'all remember when that one genius art teacher did that one genius rainbow self-portrait project that I think just about every art teacher in the universe did (I know I did it!!). Well, this "We are the World" self-portrait number was a take on that. It was a big beautiful undertaking that you can read about here. 

Putting this together was a bit of a beast. Thankfully, I had some super amazing practicum kids from a local university put the thing together. Otherwise, it'd prolly still be sitting on my floor! 

Another big portrait-making undertakin' was this dealio:

The Gallery of Gratitude was one of those projects that just made everyone smile. Who doesn't love to see a child's drawing of them along with their words of appreciation? This was a great project do to before Thanksgiving. 

Not to mention we learned about portrait drawing, capturing someone's likeness and colored pencil usage.

When this display came down, I made sure everyone got their portrait and I've seen many teachers, faculty and staff have them hanging in their rooms and offices. How fun! 

My units are usually based on a culture. So many of our self-portraits give a lil nod do the culture we are studying. These second grade self-portraits were all about the kimono and the konichiwa! 

And these were all about Paris! First grade had a fun time flying high with this project! 

 I love teaching about Ancient Egypt as much as the kids love learning about it. This is one of those self-portrait projects I repeat each time we venture to Egypt because it covers so much! 

 We really got into the correct proportions of the face and shading. 

Last year, we were pinched for time in self-portrait-land for both kindergarten and first grade. Having eight snow days will do that to an art teacher! So we went the quick and easy route: we used multicultural colored contraction paper for the face which we drew in oil pastel. Then we cut that out and glued it to another sheet of paper that we painted hair and a background on. That took us two thirty minute art classes! Like I said, quick and easy. 

And happy as can be! Y'all have been so great about sharing your ideas...I'd love to know what your fave self-portrait projects are! Thank you in advance, kids. 

What the Art Teacher Wore #142

 I Often Take Ridiculous Pictures...and Especially Ridiculous Pictures Look Like This: It's like I'm all "heeeeyyy, tripod snapping my photo! I tooootally didn't just put you there and I toooootally didn't just know you were about to snap my pic!" Golly. Could I be any worst of a model/actress? You don't have to answer that. It was one of them rhetorical question thingies. dress and poodle brooch: vintage; necklace: J.Crew; owl sandals: ancient Anthro; Enid Collins bag: y'all I LOVE Enid Collins box purses. They's my fave. This one was scored off ebay.

So I did a lil scrolling thru my blog a moment ago (is that called ego-blogging? Blogger-bastion? Bl-arcissist? I'm guilty.) and realized I'd not posted a What the Art Teacher Wore in almost a month. And I know all y'all were like, Praise Hey-Zeus, she's finally called it quits on that mess but SURPRISE! I got dressed and was semi-presentable for 5 outta 7 days this week, which is really something during summer vacation, amirite, teachers? Therefore, you're a-gonna have to endure this here WTATW for yet another post. YOU'RE WELCOME. 

Not only did I get dressed, put on my face and comb my hairs, but I also settled back into some stitching. You know I've been on that declutterin' train for some weeks now and, I gotta tell ya, I was starting to lose steam. I think it's because I kept looking longingly at my now uber organized sewing room wishing I could create. So I allowed myself this week to finish a dress and this weekend to start a new one. Wanna see?

That fabric is from Joann's and I scooped it up thinking I'd make me a second Monet dress. I'm just a zipper, a hem and some pink bows away from completion. I'll be sure to share it with y'all here next week. It got me thinking that y'all might wanna get in on this sewing game too. Many of you participated in last year's Apron Sew Along and I thought it might be fun to get the band back together, so to speak. When I spotted this at Joann's I thought it might be just the thing for us to stitch.

 This skirt spoke to me for a coupla reasons:

1. IT HAS POCKETS. Pockets are the answer to all the world's problems, I tell ya. 

2. IT HAS A CUTIE-PAHTOOTIE BELT/SASH/THINGIE. I am a big supporter of a belt. They singe the waist, they make you look all put together, and, personal fave, they are the perfect way to bring the colors of an outfit together. Just scroll thru the rest of this post. I'm wearing a belt EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.

3. IT CLAIMS TO BE FOR THE BEGINNER. Welp. I hope so. I'm a forever-beginner sewist. 

I like the variety of lengths, particularly the longer. With all the moving around I do in the art room, I prefer not to flash anyone. Scarring children for life it not my goal, ya know? 

So! Who's in?! For now, all you gotta do is leave a comment here or on my Facebook page. I'll be sharing the details next week. If you wanna get your kitten mittens on that pattern now, you can scoop it up at Joann's. I hope you'll join me! Til then, later cats!

 Yet Another Dork Pose Tuesday: Like, why, y'all? Who knows. Had a lovely night out with a birthday buddy despite the fact that it's currently an inferno here in Nashville. We decided to take our chances and eat outside at Epice. Where we melted. Good thing the food was delish! AND a popsicle from Las Paletas made us feel must less hawt. dress: vintage; cumberbund: gift from a friend; shoes: Clarks; purse: another Enid Collins

 Stripey Wednesday: Oh, how I loves this dress. But, y'all. I cannot breathe, eat, or sit down in the thing, that waist! Such a waste! I'm putting it in my etsy shop this week for someone else to enjoy. dress: vintage; belt: Pin Up Girl Clothing; shoes: Anthro

 Sewing Class Thursday: Did I tell y'all that me and a sweet buddy of mine are taking a sewing class at Craft South? If you aren't familiar, Craft South is this amazing crafting studio and sewing goods store that was recently opened by fabric designer Anna Maria Horner. The class has been so fun and it's taught by sewist and blogger Devon Iott of Miss Make. Devon's been an excellent teacher and I cannot wait to share with y'all what I've made. If you live in the area and have a chance, I recommend you take a class at Craft South! top: Old Navy; belt and skirt: Pin Up Girl Clothing; shoes: TJ Maxx

And here's that lil number that I started over a year ago (so I have this habit of cutting out the pattern pieces...and actually getting to the stitching part 12 months later. Sumpin wrong wit dat?) and finally wrapped up this week. I'm excited to sew with y'all on the skirt. Hope you'll join the funness! 

What the Art Teacher Wore #140

More Me Made May-ness Monday: Could I fit any more M's into that intro? Me thinks not. blouse: vintage, thrifted; belt: Pin Up Girl Clothing; skirt: Made by Me, details here

Hey, friends! I hope your week was fantabulous. This coming week of mine not only includes the last week of school but also our school-wide art show (yes, I know that's crazy...no, I didn't plan it that way). I'll be certain to share all the details of the art show with y'all in a super photo heavy blog post this Wednesday. That'll prolly be the next time you hear from me as I'm certain to be buried under artwork until then.

In this here post, I'll give y'all a sneak peak into what the kids have been creating in preparation for el art showness. Also, since it's #MeMadeMay, I'm still sporting something I created daily. I'll be sharing all of these MeMades in a big fat post at the end of the month. Please, try and curb your enthusiasm. Until Wednesday, kids, fingers crossed I can pull off this art show! Toodles!

 Being MeMadeMay and all, I decided to go with a vintage tape measure as a headband and a wee lil vintage sewing machine brooch. Dude at Starbucks: "Is that caution tape in your hair?! Cool!" (insert head-banging-on-wall emoji here).

 Man, I gotta let you in on a lil secret. During these last few days of school, let the kids work on murals. Throw a big fat sheet of paper on the tables, let them work in groups of their choice, crank up the music to drown out the sound of their voices (I kid! Kinda!), give 'em a theme and watch 'em go to town.

 Granted, I did have a total of four kids completely loose their minds and paint their hands (like, two painted their hands red, y'all. Yes, they were caught "red handed". Sigh.) but for the most part, we had a great time. These will be used as the back drop for our Village of Kindness. Deets to come but a sneak peak here. 

 Back to School Dress Tuesday: I crafted this dress at the start of the school year. It seriously seems like yesterday. With all of our snow days (I think we had 10?), this year seemed to zip by! Any of you teachers out there feel the same? dress: blog post here; shoes: Anthro, gift from a friend (thanks, Rebecca!)

 A while back, a teacher buddy gave me these huge posters of white paper. The kids have been painting circle paintings on them as another part of our art show excitement. You'll notice that not only are we painting but glazing clay projects as well. Ah, the end of the school year. Nothing like that rush to get EVERY-THANG done. At the last minute. 

 Dresses Made During Snow Days Wednesday: Are really the best dresses, aren't they? I managed to bust out a ton of dresses this winter because of all those days. That was lovely. Not having enough time to finish all the art projects that I'd dreamed to doing with the kids? Not so much. dress: details here, y'all; sandals: like, ancient. Target

 I had kindergarten-land for the very last time this past week. We had a Yay-Boo moment. Yay, we'll see each other next year! Boo, this is our last art class as kindergarteners. So, we made a Kinder-Garden! We drew flowers in black oil pastel then painted them with either warm or cold colors. Then we switched the script for the background. I thought they came out just lovely. And one more thing to hang for the art show, yay!

 It's Come to This...Flip-Flops Thursday: I started the week in heels and by the middle, I was done. I scored these fun flips in NOLA. Get this, they smell like flowers! They are from a brand called Melissa that makes scented shoes. I love them! I was smelling my feet all day. Don't judge. sweater and brooches: thrifted; dress: made by me! By the way, this blog post, if you dare to read it, is INSANE...here; flips: Melissa brand

OH, this excitement happened this week! Our "Johnson Elementary has Heart" mural went up this week! If you follow me on insta-gram crackers, you have already seen this. Full blog post to come...but until then, here's the start of our process. I love how this cheers up our front office which was formally referred to as the DMV for it's lovely drabness. 

 Last Year's Back to School Dress Friday: Can I just brag and say that I've already got NEXT year's B2S dress in the werkz? Das right! Even if my sewing room did look like this just 24 hours ago (scroll downeth. Then scroll back upeth cuz I'm not done jib-jabbin' yet). sweater: Betsy Johnson, found at Buffalo Exchange; dress: blerg post here

 So. Can we have an honest chat here for a moment. I know when you come to this blog, like most, I show you the nice, clean and sunny side of my life. But I really, like really-really, struggle with packrat-itis. I recently picked up the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and I'm really enjoying it. Bottom line: get rid of anything that does not bring you joy. Now, I find that hard to apply as an artist/art teacher because, well, you never know, you know? However, this weekend, I decided to attack my sewing room (btw, welcome to my sewing room, y'all!) and, kidz, I gotta tell you, it felt so good! I'll be filling up my etsy shop with goodies next weekend, taking a truck load to Goodwill and tossing the rest. 

Ah! I can't even tell you how good this feels! My new motto is: nothing on the floor and nothing up to the ceiling (yes, it was that bad). I'll have to give you a tour soon!