Good Friday Social.

Inspiration-a-go-go!!

Oliver, Age 5.

I observed the art making of my nephew Oliver as part of a Child Art Making Exercise for Belmont's Master of Arts in Teaching program in Nashville, TN. The observation fell on Spring Break. And, here's what happened.

For the first time in about 3 months, I had a childless week. I teach about 3 classes per week, and this particular week no classes were scheduled until Saturday. So, I called up my sister and asked her if my 5 year old nephew Oliver could participate in the art making exercise for my graduate program at Belmont.

My nephews were on Spring Break, but she said yes. Oliver loves to draw and make things, so this project was a natural fit.

She lives in Dallas, TX and I live in Nashville, TN so we arranged for this to happen via telephone and video (Skype would have been too cumbersome for collecting physical data).

Oliver sat at the kitchen table while his father videoed him. His brother Liam was behind the camera calling out various things to draw. But, Oliver stayed focused.

His first drawing was of a red marker. He was drawing with markers, so there was a bit of hesitation at the beginning when he thought he would have to use the red marker he is looking at to draw the same red marker, exclaiming, "but how do I draw this it?" After a few seconds, he quickly realized he could draw the red marker with the pink marker. And, so he began.

He confidently drew the outline of the marker, only lifting his marker once from the page. And, then he carefully lettered the name "Bic" on the side of the marker. What struck me as interesting is that he left out the line that defines and separates the cap from the main part of the marker. I thought it was interesting because he knew the marker was red as it has a red cap, but he didn't bother to color it in with the pink marker. I think he made this decision because the marker was pink and the marker he was looking at was red. Why would you color in a red cap with a pink marker? It's not the same color!

The second drawing that Oliver was making, I asked him to draw from his imagination. He drew a ship on the water. The ship was u-shaped with a line across the top and contained 3 windows. It had a mast with a sail. The water was bright blue, matching the sky. A sun was tucked like a yellow spider in the upper right hand corner of the page. Then he drew what appeared to be a dock: a long brown line in the water, with four lines attached, perpendicular. After proudly exclaiming he was finished, his brother Liam yelled from behind the camera, "draw a human!" Easily falling to pressure, Oliver quickly drew a stick figure standing on the deck of the ship.

It had been raining a lot during the week of his Spring Break, so I can imagine why water was in his thoughts. But he didn't add any fish or birds to his drawing, which I thought was surprising. Both of my nephews are big animal-lovers, but maybe he felt rushed. It is a bit awkward to be forced to draw on the spot, especially on camera.

Another thing I found interesting was the order of which he drew the items on the page. First he drew the water, then drew the boat (without the windows), next was the mast and sail, then the sun, and finally the dock. He went back with a green marker and drew the windows on the boat and the blue sky was the absolute last addition.

Where Lowenfeld is concerned, I believe Oliver's drawings fit squarely into the schematic stage of artistic development, particularly in the 2nd drawing: a definite base and sky line are apparent, the items in the drawing are spatially related, the colors are reflected as they appear in nature, and the shapes and objects are easily definable.

As for the developmental stages of artistic development, Oliver's drawings connect an image with an idea, assign meaning to a drawn shape. He is in the symbol-making stage. Oliver is relating symbols to an environment and creating visual stories.

Everyone receives and expresses information differently. For me, I believe paying attention to the stages of artistic development can aid arts-based facilitators in teaching strategies and assessment. Knowing where a young person is in their artistic development can help plan lessons that uniquely strengthen each individual's technical and creative problem solving skills.

Sometimes I am bogged down by the "stages" as hyper-intellectualized research and somewhat dated. I mean, isn't it sort of intuitive that every person will go through similar processes, but at different times? It happens with language, movement, everything. So, it should be no surprise that it happens in art making.

I like to think of art making as visual communication of a particular idea or theme. In 2009, I took a visual arts studies portfolio class and learned about the work of Dr. Bernice McCarthy. When I am teaching and creating lesson plans, I like to refer to The Natural Cycle of Learning. Similar to the Anatomy of a Unit chart, it begins with connecting, next is conceptualizing, then applying, and finally creating & celebrating. While these are not necessarily stages of each individual's artistic development; it speaks to meeting the young person wherever they are in their creative journey, affording all young people the opportunity to find meaning in art making.

Experiential learning through creative problem solving and idea creation are essential to my facilitation of art making. I do not teach drawing. I relate to 3D. To me, drawing is a sketch of a bigger idea. However, I know that drawing is a huge technical skill required by most school districts. Again, this feels a bit dated and not very connected to the present art world.

While standards in school-based art learning exist, my default will always lean towards the young person. What do they want to make? How can I make this a meaningful experience that will catapult them into a successful lifelong art making journey? What can I do to better connect with each young person? And, how can I create opportunities for celebration of art making within the classroom?

Art as a visual language has a 3-part conception open ended to accommodate a wide range of possibilities: integrating the search for a visual form embodying thought, feeling, and idea with a command of symbolic language in which visual symbols are used to create meaning.

Strong art programs cultivate artistic behaviors creating meaning in making, contributing to the entire educational process, and contributing to the individual lives of the learner.

Arts & Business Council: Alternative Funding

How to? YES! Alternative Funding for Your Creative Project Panel

Please join the Arts & Business Council for a panel discussion on Alternative Funding for Your Creative Project Thursday, March 22nd from 12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. at Brick Factory Nashville.

Sign up here to join a cross-section of local artists, creative professionals and giving platform managers for a panel discussion of crowdfunding that will explore best practices for online campaigns, limitations and logistics. Plus, learn tips on how to manage the relationships with your supporters.

Panelists include:

Austen Adams – fearless moderator and entertainment attorney
Lindsey Bailey – installation, performance, and youth community artist; project organizer of the Deliciously Happy project (successfully funded through Kickstarter)
Clarke Gallivan – producer for RuckusFilms and Blue Like Jazz (successfully funded and the largest film project in Kickstarter history)
Beth Groves – arts organization online giving aficionado and Manager for GivingMatters.com

A Perfect Day For A Picnic!

Craftville Craft Nights Start TONIGHT!!

Miss the opening reception for Deliciously Happy? This is a great little video that gives you a glimpse of what kind of excitement took place!

And, it's an awesome infomercial for the weekly craft nights hosted by Craftville taking place in the gallery. Hope to see you there! Come on out and get your MAKE on!!

Pretty in Pink.

Deliciously Happy, Gallery Video.

It's Just One of Those Days . . .

Deliciously Happy a HUGE success!!

Deliciously Happy is Upon Us!

Sneak peek from install days #1 & 2 . . . Deliciously Happy opens on Thursday, March 1st. Yay!

Deliciously Happy features partnerships with students from three Nashville-­area schools: the University School of Nashville, Bordeaux Elementary, and Lead Academy. In tandem with sculpture students from Belmont University, students from each school will construct stories and create coordinating performance paraphernalia as part of an installation being featured at Belmont University. Come one, come all!

WSMV Tonight!!

Check out Deliciously Happy being featured tonight--Thursday, February 16th--on WSMV, Channel 4 news at 5pm!! Go team go!!

Show Some Love.

"We believe that love is a power that expresses itself in action. There is thought without action and action without thought. Love is divine thought in action." -- Charles Strobel

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Valentine!! Shrouded in mystery, the exact origins of Saint Valentine are somewhat unclear. While the holiday's history is well documented through the years, the saint (or saints) it's named after is up in the air, according to Huffington Post.

History.com states that Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today.

I've fashioned all sorts of hearts in and about the house. Here Charlotte dons a wreathe of pipe cleaner hearts which I found the idea for on Full House.

For me, Valentine's is about making things pink and red; and being completely and utterly glitzy and ridiculous. Valentine's Day also makes me want to listen to things like this, this, and this. And, watch fabulously, crafty things like this and this. And check out this sweet poetry reading.

My friend Emma and I spent Monday evening at a little shop in East Nashville, creating wooden heart Valentine's. This was super-great because the last time we were both living in Nashville, we created our first wooden Valentine. So it was only fitting that since she has returned--10 years later--we make another one. The first image in this post is of our glorious finished product! So much fun!!

Look how adorable my nephews are? They sent me kissy faces this morning to celebrate the day! Such little dollfaces!! Adorned in fashionable Valentine's garb and ready to go to school, Liam called early this morning and told me he might kiss some girls today--that and get some candy. He happened to also serenade me with this little ditty.

Finally here's one of my favorite sonnets by William Shakespeare . . .

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me prov'd,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

"Though love be a day and life be nothing, it shall not stop kissing."

Yesterday I met a baby named Amos.

Recently--to stay focused--I have been traveling over to my friend Kelly's house to work on studio projects. I have a lot to get done before the opening of the Deliciously Happy show on March 1st. So, staying focused is a must. I take bags and bags of sewing projects over there and we listen to great music, helping us to get things done.

Yesterday our friend Kate joined us with her fresh faced little one, Amos. He was born just about a week ago. He is a super-duper-cute-lovey-doll-face. It has been so long since I've held a brand new baby . . . In fact since my nephew Liam was born, about 4 years ago. I've forgotten how they smell and the sounds they make. What a wonderful bundle of joy!

He absolutely made the day!

I Got To Meet ASIA THE ELEPHANT!!

Peanut Butter Drop!

A few weeks ago, my friend Marc decided to collect peanut butter. The food bank didn't fare so well on donations this past holiday. And, their number 1 request for food: peanut butter. Peanut butter is a great source of protein. Sadly, far too many people go without food these days. Actually 1 in 6 Tennesseans struggle with hunger. So Marc rallied everyone together and we each bought 1 or 2 jars. Check out Marc's message below.

"115.5 lbs of peanut butter collected so far! 78 jars! Wow. That's about 3600 sandwiches and change. And who says a small group of people can't make a difference?

Not to scare you guys (don't worry, I won't ask any more of you this year), but I can see this as an annual thing, and I can see it getting pretty big. If you're interested in hearing ideas for next year, and bringing up some of your own, I really think this could be something great for the food bank and for all of us to be a part of. Send me a personal message so we don't have to bother everyone with these group emails, and I'll organize something. I'll make a private group on Facebook and we can keep in touch.

Once again, you have all been wonderful... over 85% participation. And I guarantee that the people at the Food Bank will be very appreciative of everything you've done, so let me pass along their thanks in advance. I know it's just a couple of jars of peanut butter, but it will mean way more to someone who's hungry. Thanks again. Thanks thanks thanks I can't say it enough."

So check out your local food bank . . . Maybe there is an item you and your friends can rally around? Once or twice a year? It can make all the difference. Cultivate change.

This Too Shall Pass . . . GREAT Video!

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass from OK Go on Vimeo.

Museum And Menagerie was a BIG HIT!