Class Project

I don't post too much about what all I do with the kids in my preschool class, mostly because they're so darn cute but I don't want to be posting their pictures all over my personal blog. Lots of days we play, learn letters and numbers and how to recognize our own names. We do plenty of art projects too, and this month we were in charge of decorating the information board at the entrance of the school. We've been talking about protecting the environment and learning all the different parts of trees so last week I had the kids collect pieces of tree bark that had been laying around the playground. We cleaned them off and brought them in to paint on, which they all really loved. I think the display turned out really nicely, so lets hope that they don't keep trying to pull theirs down to show their parents every day ;)

Last Exhibition

Since my preschool job started the last week of August, I ended up having to leave camp a week early. As excited as I was (am?) about my new job, it was still kind of a bummer having to miss out on what was probably the most fun week of camp. Thankfully I still had the time to make it back over on Thursday night to watch their last theater performance and to hang up the art work students had done the previous week. It felt great to see how much the kids and counselors had missed having art that week, and to know how much my presence was appreciated there this summer. I don't know if I'll ever be able to make it back there for camp again, but it was definitely an awesome experience! Here are some photos of the self portraits my older campers made during my last week (ps- they are hysterical):

This is what happens when kids mess up the eyes, want to start over and then I tell them we can make it work... sunglasses are the only way... and then they look blind haha

Terrifying. This one looks like a little old lady with scary make up haha

my favorite sneaky faced boy :) he was so apologetic when he saw how it turned out haha

Elephant ears.

Angry pig nose?

SO SAD hahaha

and this one... that actually came out really well!

Exhibition Three

Last night was my third family night at camp, and one of my most successful exhibitions of the campers art! I actually had a parent tell me that her daughter made more interesting projects and had more fun than her other daughter who had gone to camp at the art museum. Then there were a few others who made sure to tell me they we happy to finally have a "real" art program at camp haha. Hearing so many good things from the parents definitely makes all the hard work more worth it... it really has been a great summer. Here are some photos of the things we did this past session:

This week for their theater performance the kids put on a rendition of Titanic, complete with a "sinking" ship. It was completely hysterical.

Camp Art

Last Thursday was our second "family night" since camp started and I was excited to get to showcase all the great things that my campers made during the two week session. The self portrait project that I did with my little campers (ages 3-5) might just be one of my favorite projects I've ever done with a group. They were A LOT of work on my part, but they came out SO cute. Parents were thrilled, which always feels good :) Here are some photos of our "exhibition" hallway:

My elementary groups made stamps, and then printed them

They also got a chance to make and paint clay pots.

We briefly learned about Jackson Pollock and then each group made a collaborative action art piece

They turned out REALLY well, and are actually still hanging up in the hall.

A little detail of their splatter work

Our little camp hall of fame! They painted the portraits, drew the faces on with crayons, then collaged their frames. They all really loved picking out which was theirs to show their parents. So dang cute.

and more...

Lastly, here is just an action shot from earlier in the week of the kiddos making their pollock paintings

Camp!

This summer has been AWESOME! I am really really really loving my job at Oak Hill Day Camp... it's kind of perfect for me actually. I get to come in at 8am, teach art, play with kids and then head home without too much more responsibility. My previous jobs have really helped me out too though because I don't have to spend much time at all planning lessons, I can just pick and choose from those that I've already done before and know work well. Another advantage is that this camp has never had a proper art teacher, and have always just had the kids make keychains, tie dye and other miscellaneous crafts so they are SUPER pleased with every project the kids do. Every other Thursday night all the parents come out for a potluck, and to watch the various plays that the kids have prepared to put on and I got to hang up their art projects in the hall. All the parents were gushing over the cool things we made and it really felt good to have my hard work appreciated. I'm convinced... camp is the best! I'm going to be really sad to leave at the end of the summer, especially not knowing if I'll be able to work here again based on next years schedule. Regardless, my goal is to continue loving these kids and challenging them to make creative things in my classroom... but also to remember that it's just camp! and as long as we're all having fun than my mission has been accomplished. So here we go... here are some photos that I've snapped at camp this past month:

Getting some help coloring in our room decorations

Art room

Teacher treats: I need to work on wrangling in my addiction to these things

Our set up for the cave painting activity... the kids LOVED being able to paint under the tables, which made the set up and clean up a little more worth it haha

Their very... primitive? cave paintings. They were so proud of these haha

More cave shots.

Silly kid wearing sunglasses in the dark haha

Set up for pre-k campers art... we learned all about fish, and cutting... and gluing haha

One of our "caves" covered in our "rocks"

A few of our Edvard Munch "Scream" drawings

Our sign got moved to decorate the hallway and welcome parents.

Our animals and habitats paintings

Some middle schooler work

Creepy little clay man from our art free day

Fresco paintings from the middle schoolers

Getting ready for portraits next week... I kind of love making the examples haha

End of a Season

 I haven't posted about the kiddos in a while I just realized, which may be because we haven't been making a lot of new things... mostly just finishing up all our projects from throughout the year to display at various end of the year assemblies. I'm feeling a little bittersweet about my tenure as art instructor being up for the year, because for as frustrating and stressful as it was at times, I am extremely thankful for all the great experience it lent and for all the really cool things that my students made this year. I'm proud of them, and I'm also proud of myself for pushing my creativity and patience further than I imagined that I could. These kids really learned a lot, and passing back their portfolios last week made me really sad because there were definitely some things that I wanted to steal from them they were so cool haha. Is that weird? Here are some photos from our last couple weeks of art:

Middle school temporary mural

Theo hanging out with our kindergarten "quilt squares"

Sorting everyones art to place in their portfolios. SO. TEDIOUS!

Someone was very unhelpful 

The step team performing with the tie dyed shirts we made!

One of my favorite self portraits of the year haha

This guy was STOKED to take all his work home... he has literally asked me EVERY DAY for the past  6 months when he could take this home.