Art Explosion

Well..I proved myself right today.

Art is messy.

I had 3 different projects going on at once. 2 involving paint, one involving a LOT of glue and cutting.

Ohhhhh paper scraps. Everywhere...just everywhere.

and the paint? Soooo much paint.

It was a pretty relaxed day in Ms Pam's Art Room. The projects we did work on weren't too stressful for the teachers. When my classes are taking place, every adult in the room is actively engaged. I need as many hands as possible...I am not an octopus.

 It was nice to see the kiddos able to do so much of it on their own. I love it when I can tell them the project for the day and set them lose!

Here is what my room looked like after today:

This wasn't even the messiest paint project. You should have seen the Pattern project. Oiy.

 

Do you like my table covers? The one shown here is actually a painters tarp. They got it for me after the last time I spilled liquid water color all over the carpet. (Ya...that doesn't come out.) So it should really be on the floor, but there wasn't much threat to the floor today.)

 

I loooove them for so many reasons.

 

Reason 1...The most obvious is it makes clean up a whole lot easier.

 

Reason 2....its fun to see how messy the kids can get it. ;) (and when I say "fun"...I mean grab a paper towel quick and clean up gobs of paint so it doesn't ruin the next child's art work...)

 

Art Journal Station I plan to blog about today's art journals as well. I hope it turns out like I have pictured it...get those dimes ready. ;)

 

 

My "desk" for the day. Apparently circle tables can't handle my 3 project art class days..

 

Art Journals drying. Today's journals included "dots" of glue. Have you seen some 4 year olds "dot" glue? There is a reason I have them open and drying...

 

Mr Andrew being super helpful.

 

My beautiful dry rack!!! The kids did such a great job today!

 

So...3 blogs on their way!

 

Stay tuned...but now I should probably finish cleaning...

Art Is Messy

Hello All!

I have been blogging for some time now, a personal blog, but my coworker has inspired me to document my art class!

I teach art at a preschool in Madison, WI to 3 and 4 years old. Not only do we creat art but discuss the different elements of art.

You may be thinking, "art" and "3 and 4 year olds" in the same sentence? YES!

It is amazing what children can do.

Don't get me wrong, it is extremely challenging and exhausting, especially if you're pregnant, but the outcome it completely worth it.

To hear a teacher tell me that their kids were discussing warm and cool colors during their free choice makes me want to sing. Or to hear them throwing around art "jargon" (like "texture" or "representational" -jooooooking-). Or to see them take their art project in a whole different direction that I thought possible. Well to put it lightly...it's amazing.  

 They DO listen! They DO take something from class. They really are taking their time, being creative.

Two of my main theories while teaching:

1. Art is messy.

If they are going to get paint or any other medium on them I tell them before we start class, and they now know to respond, "That's ok! It's art!"

2. Art is not perfect.

I obviously go into each class with a vision in mind of what I would LIKE to project to turn out to be. Does that always work?

Well let's just say if I had a dime for every time a project turned out just like I envisioned...I'd be broke.

It is the projects that look *nothing* like my vision that are the most eye catching.

To me though, it really is about the process. I don't want to do the project for them, I want them to do as much as possible for themselves. (With that being said though, there are some things I plan that I do have to adapt for them.) I want them to show their own style and ability, have them really be proud to know that they did it all themselves!

 Projects are much more interesting when the child has taken control of it. With that being said, it has been a huge process for me, Ms. Perfect When It Comes to Art, to let them do things like that.

"Oh you want the grass to be purple? Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure..."tug on my hair" that will look great!!"

So why am I doing this blog?

Well, I love blogs. I love Pinterest. Both have been a huge inspiration for several of my projects. However, not once have I seen a blog where the art teacher is teaching to preschoolers. So now..I am that blog.

Enjoy my journey. It may be an exhausting and messy one, but it's really rewarding.

So pull up your computer and put on your art smock.

We are going to get messy.