I didn't think it was possible to study lions for this length of time but we did and we enjoyed every bit. Based on a variety of children's books, our yoga class on Thursday, lions that were on exhibit at Mia, and Halloween being just around the corner, we set out, ready to roar.
Our lion masks created a classroom full of smiles (before roars)
Take a peek into our morning work cycle here:
In our yoga class with Marnie Bounds we practiced a lot roaring (and prowling).
Practicing simhasana, or lion's breath, is believed to dispel negative energy and release energetic blockages, leaving one feeling free, courageous and energized.
To view a video slideshow of our yoga class with Marnie, see this:
At Mia, we visited 8th century China.
Pair of Guardian Lions, 8th century, China
Chinese artisans adopted the Indian practice of using the lion to symbolize the Buddha Sakyamuni.
In this context lions were considered protectors of Buddha's sacred laws and were often seen at entrances to cave temples.
students' sketchbook pages
lion hanging tiles
lion paintings that roar (or yawn or meow)
With so many galleries being under construction or roped off,
it was young artists' choice on Friday.
top left and clockwise: Henri Matisse, The Tale of Genji (Japanese comic books),
portraits (Kunin collection,1700s period room, Paris)
Hear some student inspired tales of what makes their lions roar:
How to Be a Lion, written and illustrated by Ed Vere (emphasis on the importance of staying true to yourself in the midst of possibly being different)
Lions (National Geographic) by Laura Marsh
See a quick video of a student reading an excerpt from this book here:
The Lion and the Bird written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc (sustainable friendship amidst the seasons of life)
A project from the Minnesota Humanities Center, the book, The Lion's Share, a Somalian folktale retold by Said Salah Ahmed (educator, poet, playwright and filmmaker) was an introduction to the Somalian language (this book is bilingual), tells the tale of a greedy lion and is a natural catalyst for a geography lesson all in one full swoop.
Mouse and Lion, retold by Rand Burkert and illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert
We opened class by reading Maya Angelou's poem (in children's book format), Life Doesn't Frighten Me. In this book, one piece of Jean-Michel Basquiat's work is used as illustration on each page. While reading the poem, we studied Basquiat's work.
The warm up for this class was for each student to recreate their own version of this book's cover.
We discussed three symbols that are prevalent in Basquiat's work: crowns, eyes and forms of transportation. Students sketched three pages of each symbol with one page dedicated to each and used soft pastels to add color.
Basquiat also incorporated a lot of text including a "code name", SAMO. We brainstormed code names for ourselves that we might incorporate into our paintings.
Each student chose one of Basquiat's paintings that particularly appealed to them from the book. We listed what characteristics, message, colors, symbols each student appreciated.
After our mid-session snack and the reading of our next book, Radiant Child, it was emphasized, again, that Basquiat's drawings/paintings were "not neat or clean, nor does he color inside the lines. They are sloppy, ugly and weird, but somehow still beautiful." We also learned that, at first, Basquiat didn't have access to traditional art materials and his first drawings and paintings were created on found surface areas.
Taking all of this information into consideration, we created the compositions of our large pieces (on cardboard) with oil pastel. Some students, who are fairly skilled at drawing, were asked to draw these compositions with their non dominant hands in order to capture the "sloppy" look of Basquiat's work.
I think it's very important to mention, here , that the children did not reference Basquiat's work while actually creating these pieces.
Oh! Do you also see some of the children's sketches cut out and collaged here? This was another technique Basquiat regularly implemented.
There are still seats available on Wednesday and Friday of MEA week! See THIS LINK for more information.
November classes and workshops have also been posted. View these opportunities HERE.
MY VIEW MATTERS (photography inspired) June 18 - 22 Referencing each student's personal photographs, we will create drawings, paintings, collage and mixed media pieces. At the Museum Institute of Art (Mia), we will study Minnesota photographer, Alex Soth and Minnesota artist, Frank Big Bear. Please note that a prerequisite class is scheduled for Sunday, June 3. If your child cannot attend June 3, I am happy to send a photo checklist so that your child can attend Session 1. Sunday, June 3, 2:30 - 5 (prerequisite class to Session 1 camp) A lesson on some photography basics: depth of field, light and the rule of thirds. A walking field trip throughout the classroom's surrounding neighborhood (Whittier in Minneapolis) taking 27 photos while using a disposable camera (provided). This class also includes snack and photo development. $30 for students enrolled in Session 1
classroom work
Summer Camp Session 2:
CLAY CAMP (air dry) July 16 - 20 Explore and learn to manipulate five different types of air dry clay while creating a hanging mobile, a small insect, a colorful rock stack sculpture (inspired by Rondinone's installation, Seven Magic Mountains), a hanging tile and more. In addition to visiting all the small ceramic animal forms that are always so popular at Mia, we will be studying Ruth Duckworth's ceramic mural and the small housing models from Vietnam.
museum visits
Summer Camp Session 3:
BUILD IT July 30 - August 3 Create an assemblage piece with found and natural objects, arrange a nail pattern on wood block, participate in a cooperative building project: a small city of cardboard buildings. Build a simple house structure with paper and popsicle sticks. Our visits to Mia will involve studying Minnesota artist, George Morrison and the Japanese Tea House
outdoor play
Summer Camp Session 4:
WISHTREE August 20 - 24 Based on the book, Wishtree, written by Katherine Applegate and published in September of 2017, this chapter book is the perfect combination of good humor (guaranteed laugh out loud moments) as well as an introduction of new vocabulary and important facts. Wishtree discusses the value and complications of relationships, exclusion and how the power of history and storytelling can heal. This book is warm and fuzzy without denying the realities of real life struggle while simultaneously sharing proverbs for living. We will begin reading every morning at 8:45 am. The content (an average of five, short chapters a day) will determine our drawings or paintings created to correspond with each day. Our Mia visits will consist of everything from the Money Tree (first century China) to Van Gogh's Olive Trees. The fine print: There is one word that is used twice in this book that I have strong feelings about. This word is "mailman". I will not alter the text when reading, however, I will stop and explain that I think the author/editor should have chosen the words "mail carrier" instead.
Summer Camps are Monday through Friday, 8:30 - 1
children ages 4 - 10+ years
we visit the Minneapolis Institute of Arts with sketchbooks (provided)
on two different days during each session
Please pack a mid morning snack and a sack lunch
each session has a 10 student limit
each camp session: $250
To inquire or reserve your child's seat,
please email Kari at createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com
A reservation for summer ART camp sessions are made on good faith
Camp paperwork and non-refundable deposits ($125 towards camp tuition)
will be due April 27, 2018
To view videos from 2017 Summer ART Camps, see THIS LINK
a perfect view of the Minneapolis skyline on the third floor of Mia
When we could clearly view the Minneapolis skyline at Mia, we discussed a variety of ways to approaching our sketching. It was amazing to me that each student had a clear picture of how they were going to proceed after this discussion (see image below). Not pictured was a student who used one page to represent each of the most dominant buildings.
sketches completed at Mia
After a meandering walk back to the classroom and removing our wet shoes and boots (more about this later), we spent time looking at different variations of artists' cityscapes. Students chose the style that spoke to them the most.
With our sketches from Mia and, while keeping our preference style in mind, students began sketching their skylines on canvas with soft pastels.
sketching on canvas
We painted in three different stages, waiting for each section to dry, taking breaks in between with the other materials available in the classroom. During our mid-class snack break, we read the book This is New York written and illustrated by Miroslav Sasek.
I love the individuality expressed in all of these pieces.
Thank you, Parents, for dropping your children directly at Mia for the start of class. Eliminating our walk there freed up some extra time for our walk back. The irresistible "snow mountain" on the MCAD campus.
I offer a unique art making experience where the focus is placed on the processof art making and the exploration of materials. My students experience a limitless opportunity for intuitive and spontaneous self expression.
Art classes are unlimited regarding subject or topic of study.
Class sizes are small and intimate. Students have the opportunity and freedom
to work with and explore materials.
interested in a Create Everyday birthday party? click here
for further questions or to register:
createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com
Kari is a practicing, professional visual artist as well as a creativity coach and consultant. She was a Montessori Children's House educator for over thirteen years. Encouraging and supporting the creative process for people of all ages is one of her absolute favorite things.
journal entry by Milo, 4 years (now he's in 4th grade!)
With summer coming to an end AND with a new academic year approaching, we can all experience a wide variety of emotions. It's so exciting for some of us to relish in the anticipation of a new year and yet, this can also, naturally, bring about anxiety.
It's helpful, especially during times of transition, to set aside some extra time for activities that are grounding. For some of us, one of these activities can be creating. I have found that children are naturally grounded while they can be creative. You may observe this when you catch them humming or singing to themselves while they are drawing.
By the way, did you know that the physical act of humming has been physiologically proven to connect the right and left hemispheres of the brain?
If your children have attended a handful of my classes, my guess is they have a sketchbook around the house that has a few empty pages. Here are a few prompts to choose from if your child needs a bit of structure or direction before sitting down to draw or create.
my favorite things to see, smell, hear, and taste in summer (4 different prompts)
all the things I learned this summer
my favorite fruit/vegetable
my favorite joke
if I could pack a picnic basket all by myself, what would I bring?
what was I doing on the 4th of July?
my three favorite flavors of ice cream
draw a map of somewhere I went this summer
my favorite activity at the playground
my favorite song
my favorite party I attended this summer
my favorite book, topic to read about or character
the best surprise this summer
my favorite summer memory
Some children may want to rush through journal prompts and quickly fill empty pages. If your child has a tendency to do this, try to encourage them to elaborate more on the same topic/page. Perhaps they can add words to their drawings or clippings from magazines.
Wishing you all much joy and ease as you transition into a new school year.
To read more about the benefits of journaling for children, visit this link.
Study the artists Jean-Michel Basquiat, Louise Bourgeois, Chuck Close, Yayoi Kusama and Agnes Martin through the eye of children's books . Create work inspired by these artists.
July 10 -14
animal, vegetable or mineral?
Study animals, vegetables and minerals in art while creating work inspired by these subjects. Participate in a scavenger hunt for these items at the MIA during both of our visits.
July 24-28
drawing and painting
Fine tune your drawing skills and painting technique while studying artists,
Milton Avery, Chuck Close, Helen Frakenthaler, Lee Krasner and Kara Walker
August 7 - 11
perceiving Picasso
Explore Pablo Picasso's wide range of style within his work. We'll learn the simplicity of line drawings, the complexities of cubism, create guitar sculptures and more.
August 21 - 25
the museum of me
Based on the children's book written by Emma Lewis, students will come to learn what specific images, places and experiences they identify with while creating a symbolic museum of their own.
Camps are Monday through Friday, 8:30 - 1
children ages 4 - 12 years
we visit the Minneapolis Institute of Art with sketchbooks (provided) on two different days during each session
outdoor play and picnic lunches at the MCAD sculpture garden or on the Mia grounds
Please pack a mid morning snack and a sack lunch
each camp session 250./week
to inquire or REGISTER, email Kari at createeverydayclassroom@gmail.com
To view videos from 2016 Summer ART Camps, see THIS LINK
materials used (in no particular order): graphite pencils, palette knives, gel medium, acrylic paints, watercolors, soft pastels, white charcoal, oil pastels, clay, foam and tiles (for mono printing)
vocabulary (in no particular order): cubism, picasso, symmetry, mixed media, abstract, chaos, blind contour, mark rothko, wayne thiebaud, three dimensional, primary colors, mono printing, image transfer
activities outside the classroom: balloon play, yoga on the MCAD campus, sketching at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, sketching at the MCAD sculpture garden, snack picnics, kick ball
