Alameda Art Docent Interview: Jane Grimaldi
Jane Grimaldi, Art Docent and Lum Art Docent Coordinator
Hobbies: gardening, reading, and making art.
Children attend: Lum Elementary (Gr K & 3) and Wood Middle School (Gr 6).
I’ve been an Art Docent for Seven Years for Grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
I’m interested in mentoring new Art Docents
Thegrimaldis (AT) earthlink (DOT) net
Outdoor Watercolors (click here to see the gallery)
Landscape painting, composition, and watercolor techniques
Lum School, Grade 3
Inspired by:
View of Toledo by El Greco
La Grande Jatte by Seurat
Tulips in Holland by Monet
How did you you teach this project?
I took the kids outside to the school garden with their paper and watercolors.
What was your step by step process?
After looking at and talking about the reproductions provided by the lesson, I also showed them some contemporary landscape painters. Then I passed around some real leaves and plant pieces from the garden and asked them to tell me what colors they saw (not just green!). I gave a brief demo of how to sketch and how to use the watercolors. Then each child chose a view of the garden, lightly sketched their composition, and got to painting.
What did you learn?
There are always a few kids afraid to put paint on the paper.
How did the children respond? What do you hope they learned?
The kids were so great! Some of them created these amazing, deep spaces with vast sky and some zeroed in on these interesting small areas (ie where the sidewalk met the grass). The most wonderful part was the fearlessness with which they looked at color: They found all the colors within the grass or concrete or sky. They layered on color with watercolor washes, and created these amazing, inventive paintings. They learned to really look at what they were painting.
What inspires or inspired you?
The weather and sky were inspiring. It was when we were having storm after storm, we had break in the rain, but the sky was turbulent and the plants were fresh and wet. Everything just looked so dramatic and beautiful: The kids were inspired and that inspires me.
What about being an Art Docent brings you joy?
When I’ve succeeded in teaching the kids that their art is valuable, that their art doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s art, and that I remember and like what they’ve made. When I see that self-esteem rising!
ARt YoWZa Story: The Creative Career and the Art of Happiness
The Art of Happiness
The Art of Happiness [16:15m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download (262)
An podcast interview about the start of ARt Yowza
click here for the full interview
JumpstART Workshop Photo Tutorial: Cave Paintings for Grade K
Kim show Cave Paintings
Alameda Art Docents, JumpstART Workshop Series
Our purpose is to create a community to joyously support volunteer art docents. Our mission is to provide inspiration and encouragement to beginning and experienced art docents in the Alameda elementary schools. We share Art Docent information, resources and traditions.
Lesson: Cave Painting Demonstration
Grade : K
Taught by: Otis School Art Docent, Kim Brindley
When: March 16, 2009 at Ruby Bridges School, Alameda, CA
Learning
Negative Space (Step One)
Positive Space (Step Two)
Splatter Painting (Step Three)
Pastel Chalk Drawing (Step Four)
Materials
• Black Paper
• Chalk Pastels
• White Paint
• Two cups for Paint
• Paintbrush or Splatter Box
Process
Step One
Demonstrate how to draw around your hand. Ask the children to draw around their hand or assist them if needed by drawing around their hands with pastel chalk.
Step Two
Paint a child’s hand with white paint or assist them if they can do it themselves. Ask children to make handprints.
Print Hand
Step Three
Thin the white paint by mixing it with more water. Demonstrate splatter painting by tapping the brush against your finger. Or build a splatter station by laying the black paper on the bottom of a large cardboard box with tall sides and then drizzle them paint on from above.
Splatter Paint Tap
Step Four
Invite the child to draw with chalk pastels. Suggest animals, dancing, families or stars.
Draw with Chalk Pastels
Art Yowza After-School Class: Super Silly Sculptures: Paper Houses
I love to teach Super Silly Sculptures. In fact, I’m putting together an e-book about it! It contains 6 projects that take less than an hour to create. These projects are perfect for children Grades K-3.
This is a one hour house project created after-school at Bay Farm School.
Check here to see a close up view of the slides, steps and pools!
Leave me a comment if you’d like the tutorial.
A-Z Photo Tutorial: A=Action Figures
Action Figures! This is one of my favorite projects this year.
I volunteered to make this project with Mrs. Stanley’s Bay Farm 1st grade class this year. She is a top notch teacher! It appears that her kids get the best. She loves to travel and supports her class in developing International pen pals around the globe. I met her last spring when I teaching my after-school class, Super Silly Sculptures at Bay Farm Schooll, through the Alameda Education Foundation.
Click here to see my step by step photo instructions.
Network: Creative Juicy VIP Interview
You might say Connie Hozvicka called me from Phoenix, AZ out of the blue. She’d just been awarded a coaching scholarship from Pink Heels and her dream is to build an art and yoga retreat in Costa Rica. She had a few questions for me about how I started Art Yowza.
Currently, Connie teaches Art full-time in a public K-8 school in Phoenix, Arizona. Here is a piece of her genius…..
Connie Hozvicka shares her Creative Juicy Life on her blog DirtyFootprints-Studio.com and hosts an internet radio show on everything Creative and Juicy called Creative Juicy Life.
Thanks Connie for making me Creative Juicy VIP.
If you like fun, become her fan.
Kids Say: Video: Come Get Your Apples
My Mac as a Photobooth Movie Feature. During Puppet Parade Camp, I set my laptop on the art table and told the kids to push play. You can see that the girls figured out how to make the video as they were doing it. So inventive! There are a few happpy accidents that they used to improve the drama.
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Volunteer Projects: Action Figures! Fun Storytelling through Sculpture
I am teaching a fun class for adults!
We’ll make a sculpture in less than one hour that you can take home and teach to others.
I’d love to see you there!
Action Figures! Fun Storytelling through Sculpture
Let’s have some bold creative fun making fast and elegant action figure sculptures. This hands-on workshop is perfect for dance/ movement, theatre, and music teaching artists as well as visual arts specialists. Learn to adapt action figure sculptures to your classroom needs, lesson plans and making arts learning visible. You’ll take home a nifty sculpture, new tricks and a head full of ideas.
What: Teaching Artists Workshop to benefit Teaching Artists Organized
When: Monday, October 12, 2009, 6 to 8 pm
Where: MoCHA, 538 Ninth Street, Oakland.
Cost: Cost: $12 (suggested donation) pay at the door, cash only please – all proceeds go to TAO
To Register: RSVP to tao @teachingartistsorganized.org Put “Sign Up for Classes” in the subject line
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