Picturebooks!

I am taking graduate classes at THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY... (I think it is fun to say... it sounds so big and important). I am getting my Masters degree in... wait for it... Children's Literature. I have always had a love for books written for children. I think it my love for books was solidified at Messiah College taking classes with one of the best teachers I have ever had... Anita Voelker. She is the reason I am continuing my education in the field of literature. Anyways... this quarter I am taking a class that focused on Picturebooks. Before I started the class I imagined we would focus on the practical uses of picturebooks in the classroom. On the first day of class I discovered I was completely wrong. Instead of practical uses we are learning about the ART of a Picturebook... how they are made, the actual art involved in making the illustrations. Our final project involves making a book. How cool is that? Two weeks ago we spent the entire three hours in class in an art studio creating various forms of art centered around a sketch we had to bring to class. We took our sketch and then we experimented with four different art medias used to make illustrations for books. Some classmates were quite frantic about having to be artistic. Me, on the other hand thought the night was fantastic. I like to refer to it as therapy. I don't think I am an artist in comparison to "real" artists... but I am a "dabbler", and this night gave me an opportunity to dabble in things I'd never experienced before. We had to mount our creations with a poem for the next class. I thought I'd share!

Pottery!

Usually about once a year Mr. Jones, the art teacher, will ask if I'd like to make the project that the kids are working on. I love getting the chance to create the same projects the kids create. This year the project was making clay bowls. We used a plastic bowl as a mold and draped the clay slab (that I had to roll out) over the bowl to form the shape. After it was fired in the kiln I used different shades of blue to glaze my bowl. Then I applied a clear glaze over top which will allow me to eat my ice cream or cereal in a hand made bowl. Thanks Mr. Jones for letting me try something new! 

I cartooned myself!!!

Blogging, facebooking, twittering, all new things to be dabbling in on a more technological front... but in the midst I am thinking of way to CREATE using technology (especially in my classroom) So here is my newest creation: A cartoon of myself. I can't take the credit for the idea, one of my students actually thought of the idea... here is my take on me as a cartoon! 

Dabbling in something new!

I have decided to try my hand at something new. My aunt and I are what you call dabblers. We like to try lots of new things. Sometimes I find that I am really good at a new project and other times I find I just like the idea of it and I am not very good. This has been true for a very long time. I remember trying my hand at cross stitching because my mom and everyone she new all created beautiful pictures with a needle and thread. I thought it couldn't be that hard. Well... it was for me. I got halfway through my two inch little whale and gave up. I tried playing the guitar for about a week. Once my fingers started to hurt, oh and my mom said why don't you try something else I abandoned that. I just love the idea of being able to say I am a guitar player or a cross stitcher, but alas I am not. I am on the other hand good at making card to give to other people. I have decided that I want to keep record of the cards that I make and give away. I don't want to sell the cards I make. I think the joy of making them would vanish if I sold them. I know a lot of people, my sister included that love to make and sell their creations... but not me. So this is my attempt to blog and keep record of the things I create as I dabble through the world of paper.