Piece # 15 – Art inspires art…inspires art…inspires art…Let’s Eat Cake!

Art inspires art…inspires art…inspires art…Let’s Eat Cake!      Yes!  I admit it! I am partial to a special private art student.  He’s incredibly creative, energetic, and full of surprises.  I never escape his endless ideas that require my technical assistance.  He also wants to use MY art supplies!  At age eleven, my son Levi is one of the most challenging and rewarding young artists I get to work with.  

UGLY DOLLS. 

 Have you heard of them?  My niece introduced my son to these delightfully fun stuffed “monsters.”  Bright colors with lots of personality,  of course having only one is not enough.  He NEEDS ALL of the ugly dolls! 

I threw out the challenge that he could make some of his own.  He disappeared into his art area and within a few minutes returned with a drawing of his  interpretation.

After I gave him the thumbs up on his thumbnail sketch, he disappeared again. He emerged with a bright red Model Magic sculpture  named “Ugly Squirrel.”       COOL.       But as with many artists, this one form was not enough.  He wanted to make a stuffed version.

 “Mom, where are the needles?”

Seeing where this interest would lead, we began collecting supplies.  A soft fleece sweatshirt that was too small could be used to make a good ugly doll body.  We found some other colorful fleece scraps.  The stuffing from a faded pillow would make great “guts.”  Levi wanted a piece of my scarf for the tail (it also was used for camel hair – but that’s another story).

ART FROM RECYCLED MATERIALS!  DON’T YOU LOVE IT?

So it wasn’t long before Levi decided it was time to “sew him up.” With guidance he made a pattern from paper, pinned it, cut it, and then sewed it by hand.  It was the first time he did anything of the sort.  He then won ribbons for it both at the County Fair and the Youth Art Day competition.

 Can you see the resemblance?

 Well, the inspiration continued! In celebration of Levi’s art, inspired by art, inspired by art….I  made him an Ugly Squirrel Birthday Cake! 

LET’S EAT CAKE!

Piece #14 – Youth Art Day Winners Revealed!

Piece #14 – Youth Art Day winners are revealed!

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As promised in an earlier blog (piece #2), I now have a slide show of artwork made by my private students.  These projects were part of Perry County Council of the Arts Youth Art Day that took place on April 21, 2012.  Entries were submitted from the three school districts in the county and from home-schooled and private students as well.

Because the school GPCCA closed, the number of entries by my students was much lower than in the past.

  NO MATTER… These kids ROCKED!

Proud  teacher moment…

Every one of my kiddos who entered placed!

Can you see me happy dancing?!!

Like so many of you I am inspired by the many amazing examples of art that can now be found on the internet.  Before I began blogging I didn’t keep track of links to the ideas.  I am now keeping better records.  The painting made up of mixed color squares was  from a beautiful child’s valentine.  I have also seen a watercolor version of the Monet bridge in several places.  My student finger-painted his acrylic version.  The “ugly squirrel” made by  Levi was his version of  an Ugly Doll.