Adornment

Just before the holidays I had an opportunity to sell my work at a craft fair. This meant making small pieces that still communicated my personal voice and vision. I had tried my hand at this the previous year and recently took a jewelry/metalsmith class. Using the new skills I learned along with what I discovered last year, I was able to create a wide variety of beautiful wares to sell.

And of course, with so much jewelry on my mind it had to be translated into an art assignment. I had my 6th graders use ancient symbols to design pendants out of clay that communicated a part of their personality. They used everything from Adinkra symbols to Ancient Greek symbols.

   

Hope Floats

Balloons are amazingly happy little vehicles. I was recently inspired by a yearly event in this city: The Great Forest Park Balloon Race. I was already ruminating on some sort of optical illusion painting assignment for my 7th graders when I saw the really cool patterns on these balloons. From this merger was born, "Op, Op and Away"

 

Hello

I've been meaning to start my own blog for awhile. Though I imagined being underemployed for a year in a small midwestern town would be the perfect opportunity, perfect never quite works for me.

I am both an artist and an art teacher. After spending several years teaching high school art, this past year I focused primarily on the first part of that description. Things shifted back to the second half this past August when I started teaching middle school art. As many art teachers know, finding a balance between both pursuits in a juggling act. Pouring your creative passion into students can leave you feeling a bit lacking when it comes to your own work. But in order to inspire a passionate joy for art among my students, I know I need to foster it in my own time too. Thus the creation of this blog.

With each new day, I have the opportunity to create, to inspire, and to take in the joy around me. Even when things don't seem particularly beautiful, It's always a Bright Beautiful Day. I'd like to share this beauty with all of you.