Author and Artist Marianne Richmond

Collaborative Children's Art — One Amazing Chair

I like teaching.  But I don't like teaching the same thing twice.  I get bored quickly with the same material even though one could argue a new audience can make old material seem new.  Perhaps.  And it would likely be a whole lot easier than making up new stuff all the time. 

But I'm always attracted to the harder way.

So -- when I connected with a friend of mine who owns a childcare center ... and she offered me the job of teaching art once a week, I figure I was up for the challenge as every week would be a new project.  Once a week -- three different classes.  Couple requirements:  Must be geared to ages 5-11.  Can't be expensive materials.  Project must be accomplished in 45 minutes to one hour (for each group).

Tomorrow is our end of summer art show, so I will post some of the projects but I wanted to give you a peek at yesterday's masterpiece.  The goal for the week was "group art."  Figure out something the kids could work on together.  I procrastinated on this one ... until the Sunday afternoon before the Monday class.   I was a bit stuck.  The kids had already had clay up to their eyeballs and spent a week at a mosaic studio.

Where does one go when she needs inspiration?  The thrift store.  To wander the aisles awaiting the aha moment.

Got it when I spotted a $5 rocking chair with a few spindles missing.  Loaded it into my van ... bought a couple bottles of acrylic craft paint, foam brushes and grabbed my stash of miscellaneous buttons and yarn.

One $5 chair + 8 paint choices + 30 kids = A very brilliant masterpiece I think.

 
Easy instructions -- invite 4-5 children at one time to pick a spot on the chair and paint ...

and keep painting and scribbling and drawing and scratching and splattering and gluing buttons and tying yarn ... until Marianne needs to drag the chair to the next classroom. 

This chair will reside in the center's lobby.  But, between you and I ... I really want it in my house.  So guess what me and my kids are going to do before summer's end??!

Art with the Girl Scouts

Had an awesome group of creative Girl Scouts in my studios last week!  Their moms tell me that they are quite the chatty bunch ... but you wouldn't have known it -- they were so busy creating their masterpieces!    The best part?  I had a project in mind for them.  Got them as far as creating their beautiful backgrounds -- and then they told me what they wanted to do!  (in the nicest way...)  Wonderful art, don't you think?  (the date stamp on my camera has us creating art 20 years from now).

Rachel, who I've known since kindergarten ...

This 7th grader had quite the artistic touch -- and came up with this idea on her own!

 

She loved discovering how to make "stencils!"

 

Sami told her grandpa her day was "awesome!"  (thanks Sami!)

Good advice from Rachel.

The leaders left me which such kind words...  thank you for a fun afternoon!!!

 
"We are very impressed with the class you organized for our Girl Scout Troops.  The project you choose was amazingly creative as well as age appropriate for the tweens.  They truly enjoyed it and know they will proudly display their canvas for all to see.  One student worded it perfectly... "the class wasn't fun...it was AWESOME!"
 
Sincerely,
Christine S. - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Fabric Journals at Art Camp

A favorite project through the week was making these very cool journals -- painted fabric over cardboard ... and bound with rubber bands and a stick!  All the kids loved this process, especially these fine young gentlemen!  

Quick Directions: 

1) Cover a fabric scrap with acrylic craft paints.  Add a second layer of stamping, writing, more paint, etc.  The more layers, the better!

2) Create the front and back with chip board.  Add holes.  Insert 3-hole-punched paper.  

3) Bind with rubber bands and a stick (this idea for binding came from Anna Reyner (artandcreativity.blogspot.com)

(that rocket ship appears to be trouble ... heading for the water!)

Art Camp!

This week, I am hosting 11 kids in my studio for Art Camp!  We are doing a bunch of projects including mixed-media self portraits, creating Art & Writing Journals, collage ... and making jewelry.  Just finished the second day -- and wanted to share the self portraits with you! 

48 hours of me-time...

I was given a precious gift this Mother's Day:  time alone.  My dear husband took our four children camping — along with 130 other dads/kids.  What does a mom do with nearly 48 hours of me-time?  It's a question that almost paralyzes a women used to doing, doing, doing.  So ... on Friday afternoon, after they left, I cleaned my desk at work.  I know, still cleaning, right?  But this was for me, a tiny move toward a more organized work space!  Invited some girlfriends over for movie night and Chinese Food.  Stayed up way too late reading People Magazine but guess what?  I didn't have to wake up at any certain time!  So Saturday morning found me in my robe 'til noon.  Figured I should get some fresh air ...so I did a few errands - had my 15% off at Kohl's.  Bought myself a pretty new something.  And  new piece of luggage!  Figured this working girl needs a piece of luggage made in this decade.  Had about 12 hours of me time left at this point (sleep excluded).  I went to my neighbor's house (whose husband was also camping) and we painted!  Not walls but canvases!  I have been working on a painting for, oh, about 3 years.  I completed it.  Done.  Finished.  Ready to hang.  Sunday morning came, along with 4 campfire-smelling kids ... a very messy van and about 8 loads of laundry.  Just to remind me that it was, indeed, their existence that qualifies me to claim this holiday.

Book Hooks and Reasons/Seasons

Hello - I mentioned in a post or so ago that I was preparing for an upcoming Early Childhood Conference at The University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.  I am doing two sessions.  One on art projects inspired by my books -- and the other is art project ideas for the special occasions like Mother's Day, Father's Day and  Holidays.   This endeavor has had me knee-deep is paint, glue, cardboard and fabric for the past couple weeks — making up various project and gift ideas.  I was feeling a bit under the gun as my handouts were due back on March 10th ... and I had barely started thinking by then!!  So, the very lovely people in charge of the conference game me a grace period and let me slide in my handouts a bit late.  So -- here's a peek at a couple of the project ideas I came up with.

You have all the supplies in your home, I'm sure.  a little cardboard, a paper towel or two ... some watercolors and some glue.    E-mail me if you want the specifics.

Enjoy the weekend, MR

Cardboard Scrap Heart -- nice idea for Mother's Day gift

And this here is the "Spoken Treasures" journal in which mom and/or dad can write down all the cute things their children say!

The Televised Masterpiece

My last post spoke of an upcoming television appearance to talk about my "I Have a Masterpiece in Me!" class.  I am happy to report it went off well!  Felt a bit nervous to create on-air and my job was to guide the host, in this case Eric Perkins, through the creation process.  Lucky for me, he is Mr. Personality and gladly accepted the challenge.  He put paint to canvas with the certainty of a master.  To watch the video of the segment, go to Kare11.com.  You ready for the creative challenge yourself?  E-mail me at mr@mariannerichmond.com and let me know! 

On the Set

Eric's Masterpiece-in-the-making ...

I Have a Masterpiece in Me!

Hi all.  Last night, I completed the second night of a 2-night class called "I Have a Masterpiece in Me!"  The class, which I offered through the St. Anthony Village community education program, offered participants the chance to create their own artistic masterpiece and I would supply all the paints and supplies!  I was a bit nervous going into the class as I never instructed nine people, with varying levels of creativity ability,  to create something they would feel proud to display!  They were a wee bit doubtful at first - looking at my finished sample while wondering, "how the heck am I going to do that?"  Well, I can assure you by the 2nd night's end ... they were an enthusiastic, pleased, proud group!  I can say with all honesty they created AMAZING masterpieces.  And I have included a bunch of them below!  This Saturday, I will appear on our local news channel, Kare 11, to demonstrate just how one goes about creating this masterpiece!  If you're in Minneapolis and wish to be contacted about future classes, please e-mail me above!  -MR

Leaf Art

As I watch the leaves quickly turning color and falling... I brought a few inside to play around with, in an art kind of way.

Experiment #1:  A Clay Wall Hanging

For this one, I bought some clay at the art store and rolled it into the flattened circle you see.  Then I pressed the real leaf into it while it dried.  My hope is that it stays intact while I bake it in the oven, and then I'll be able to paint it while dry.  Stay tuned for the "after..."

Experiment #2:  Painted Leaves

This, I think has possibilities.  I pressed some leaves from my yard and coated them with Gel Medium, which is available at Art Stores.  It is a milky liquid that puts a light coat of "plastic" transparency over the object onto which it is applied.  After that, I poured a few piles of paint on a newspaper, turned the leaf over into it, and rubbed the back of the leaf to get the paint on the front.  Then, I added some additional paint by dropping paint blobs from a brush.  How's that for a creative explanation?  From here -- I'm thinking one could frame this against a background, incorporate this into another piece of art, etc.  Stay tuned here, too as I will be completing both of these ... just for kicks.

Crafts for the Non-Crafty

Was invited to appear on Twin Cities Live, a show that airs in the Twin Cities M-F from 3pm-4pm.  It's a variety show format in that they offer stories about everything from cooking to dog training to landscaping to local music stuff!  My segment:  Crafts for the Non-Crafty.  While  I don't consider myself "crafty, " and much prefer the term "artistic," I did have lots of fun instructing the co-hosts on how to make a homemade windchime that is now hanging in my office.  To watch the video segment, click on www.twincitieslive.com and look for the September 22 offerings.  The click on Crafts for the Non-Crafty ... and there I will be!