Spring Into Art.
Kid Art Classes
begin this Monday,
January 7.
Check our schedule for current class information
Slide Show
“Celebrating the Arts Week” at Lakewood Elementary
A mouse nestled in a room in a hat. A million cats in her hair. Flowers growing everywhere. Birds flying here and there. We have several projects at our Studio that we can’t wait to repeat and share with a new group of students. This is one of them. Studio Arts Instructors Brenda Sanchez and Chris Wyatt, working PTA Cultural Arts Queen, Robin Lowery, arranged for our crew to create a Studio Arts Classic project as outreach with the entire 1st grade of Lakewood Elementary. The principal and teachers were most supportive and created two days of 45 minute sessions with each class. First class, the kids learned "the secret artist trick" to draw a face. They used mirrors to draw their portraits, with careful guidance from Brenda and Chris, then added fantastic imaginary hats that tell a lot about each individual. The next session they learned the proper use of pastels and how to create a feeling of background with cool colors while warm colors helped their portraits ‘pop’ forward. The first graders were encouraged to stand up and move around their pictures and socialize while they worked, just like at our studio. The portrait drawing was much quieter and focused, because every child wants to learn where the parts of their face belongs on a page, while the coloring was chatty and relaxed. We love Lakewood Elementary Kids!
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Angel Triptych with pencil, watercolor, collage
Student Work from Holiday Camp, Age 5-7 Group
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Eleanor Roosevelt
How does one slow down enough to let the beautiful dreams slide in? As a kid, I did more daydreaming than most. My earliest desires were those of being an artist and of talking with animals – especially horses. Not surprisingly, I dream about the same things now.
Does that make me somewhat silly? A daydreamer? YES! And it keeps me determined for others to treat their dreams with care and nurture them and help them connect with the power of Dream Keeping for themselves. Hints of my old dreams have become my current reality. My art form is most apparently teaching Art and ‘dream keeping’ to others – not to conclude I’m talking to your kids as if they are horses although I’ve been known to throw the affectionate term ‘pup’ around.
The moments when I know a student and I are seeing in our minds the exact same thing to do next to their painting is a shiny glance of stellar beauty. You know the kind, when the feelings and the light all take on an ethereal rush and glow. I look again at my student and they are either smiling slightly at me, eyes alight with that understanding, or they have disappeared back into their work with the power of that co-creative intention.
My education and life experience in the arts help, but my desire to nurture future dreamers is the brightest dream I imagine today - ever backlit by sunshine and seeped in willingness to share a ray or two. I still speak to the occasional horse, because they are fantastic listeners. And I always see, in every student (child or adult) a dreamer, an artist. Happy New Year, or as my philosopher friend Ted just replied to my usual salutation, ‘Happy Every Year’.
See you ‘round the Studio enjoying our beautiful Dream Team.
- Barley Vogel
Director, Studio Arts
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News and Notes
Miss Brenda Sanchez with Artist Sara working on some clay.
Kudos to Miss Brenda who starts work as Lakewood Montessori’s new Art Teacher this Spring. Don’t worry, we’re just sharing her with our extended community...she’s still got us planted deep in her big heart!
We are currently planning summer camps. If anyone would like to offer camp/class suggestions, write us at barley@studioartsdallas.com
We always use recycled newspapers if you’d like to drop yours off. One hitch, though. We can’t reuse the glossy bits.
| Remember to check our website for surprise snow day closings when all good snowmen need to disco. |
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