art is not a thing it's a way

“If we removed all the art in the lives of our children,

there is no way that

adding more math,

increasing more reading,

requiring more science,

mandating more foreign language,

or scheduling more computer courses

could replace what they would have lost.”– Unknown

bringing back imagination!

"Look! I found a treasure chest!" was the drawing prompt I gave to Griffin yesterday. He drew a treasure chest on a beach with the sun in the sky. The chest was filled with orange triangles. When I asked him to tell me what was inside the chest he gleefully shouted "Pizza!"

Today's kindergarten is totally different from the one I remember. My kindergarten was filled with imagination. We had dress up clothes- my favorite was the gray "mink" stole and the pearl earrings. There was an area of the room with a kitchen, couch, chair and baby bassinet scaled down to our size for playing house. In the corner was the clay crock. I loved the smell of the clay crock. It was this large ceramic crock with a heavy lid that was filled with this awesome off white modeling clay. On the other side of the room was a huge assortment of wooden blocks in so many shapes and sizes. You could really build a castle with those blocks! It wasn't all play time but studies have proven that when a child is engaged in play they are learning.

Kindergarten isn't like that anymore.  Creativity and imagination are like muscles- you don't use them you lose them. Experts are acknowledging that the loss of creative play is having some negative consequences. Kids who are involved with plenty of self-directed creative play develop better abilities to regulate their own behaviors and emotions, compared to other children. Creative play gives kids a chance to practice policing themselves.

After floundering about the past 8 weeks with my class of 5-6 year olds I have decided to introduce these kids back into the world of imagination. Where they can create any world they wish with a pencil and paper, paint and glue. In this class it's not about the product- it is the process. I am purchasing some awesome off white modeling clay so we can create sculptures during free time. If I had a bigger room we'd have an area for dress up and we'd put on some plays. I think I need to do some of this with my 7-8 year olds too. I have too many who rush through their work and never really become engaged in their drawing.

We need more treasure chests filled with pizza!

hit the wall....it's time to quit

I am passionate about children. Period. I believe that every child born has a gift to give the world. I am also passionate about art, theatre and libraries. There is one more thing I am passionate about and that is giving back to your community.
There are too many people who have forgotten about this and yet they still expect this same community to support them. I am just as busy as the next person. I am raising a family and running a business- both are 24/7 occupations. But because I am passionate about children and art and theatre and libraries I volunteer  time in those directions. My life would be a lot easier if I did not volunteer and there are times when I regret saying yes and get a little cranky about it.

Why volunteer? Why get involved?  ???

Because I care about children. Children live in my community. Therefore I get involved. I have one child left at home and in a little under two years he'll be gone and off to college. Does this mean I get to stop being involved? NO!

But there are times when I feel like I am banging my head against a wall. I am president of the Carroll Arts Council/Community Theatre (CAC/CCT). I have been president for 7 maybe 8 years? I don't know I've lost track. In that time I have seen the organization through some very rough times. I had some goals when I became president and I reached them. My biggest goal was to create a 50 seat theatre in our building for small shows. We've been using the Black Box Studio now for over a year. Another goal I had was to create a summer program for high school and college age kids who are interested in theatre to experience theatre outside of a school setting. We had our first  program this past summer and I think it was successful.

Yesterday I told my board that I am resigning. It is not a decision that I made lightly. The biggest question back at me is WHY?!?
It's not the lack of funding or resources. Unfortunately the arts seem to thrive on shoe string budgets. It's not the work- I love costuming a show, making a set come to life and creating a mood with lights. It's not working with kids because I LOVE working with kids! So why am I leaving something I feel so passionately about?
There is no COMMUNITY in the Community Theatre anymore. Recently the CAC/CCT was asked to collaborate with the Public Library for a fundraising event for our new library. ( YES! A NEW library!!!!)The Library wanted us to produce an audience interactive murder mystery. I spent hours online searching for the right play, talking with the head librarian and the Friends of the Library Board. I spent more time promoting auditions and beating the bushes looking for people to fill all the parts. I still have 3 parts left to fill and will more than likely step into one of the roles myself because the show must go on. So I will be spending another 20 hours next week rehearsing the play and getting it costumed. When I asked one person who has an interest in BOTH the library (serves on the board) and the theatre to be in the show the response was:

" No, my schedule is insanely busy and I can't do it"

That stopped me so short I actually hit that wall I have been banging my head against.
This is for a good cause. This is for our COMMUNITY. This is for our CHILDREN!

I just can't do this anymore.

coffin trinket box

Last year I bought some purses for the studio. They were in the shape of a coffin and pretty darn cool if you ask me. I had two of them left from last year and decided to do something to dress them up a bit. I removed the strap and turned the coffin every which way. On it's side, laying flat, standing up....I finally settled on converting it to a trinket or dresser box. Way back in the day people kept a small decorative box on top of their dresser to keep things in that were important or special to them.

 In the early 1930's the Lane Cedar Chest Company used to give miniature cedar chests to young women about to graduate from high school by inviting them to pick up a free miniature chest at their local furniture store. My mother had one and it was filled with all sorts of bits and pieces; letters, receipts, photographs ,keys....I was fascinated by that little wooden box with it's tiny key on a red satin ribbon that hung from the lock.

I could have just left the box alone, after all it is a coffin and pretty cool just like that. But no, I had to dress it up a bit. So....going to my stash of ephemera and other embellishments I created this "Goth Box" complete with owl, ghost, black cat, clock tower and creepy kid. I even cut open the door and have a picture of a kid with a skeleton behind it. The edges are trimmed in sheer white ribbon with small spiders printed on it and each point of the box has a black ribbon rose on it.

Sweet huh?

desperately seeking .....

....your stuff. Seriously. In my classes we use a lot of weird and unusual stuff to create our masterpieces. So if you are doing some cleaning and would like to re-cycle some of your stuff. Please do not hesitate to drop it off at the studio. Here's a list of items I am collecting for future projects with my students.

cancelled postage stamps

old sheet music

greeting cards- any holiday or subject

 small doll accessories- you know- unmatched shoes, dishes, gloves, brushes all that tiny stuff that you always manage to step on with bare feet.

tiny trinkets- the stuff you get out of gumball machines and the empty bubbles they come in

misc. game board pieces- wood or plastic

keys

bottle caps

misc.broken jewelry or single earrings

wine corks

silk flowers

empty matchboxes

1/2 gallon empty jugs

plastic bottle caps of all sizes

aluminum tea light holders (save after burning candles)

beautifully shaped wine bottles in an assortment of shapes and sizes

toilet paper rolls

large round opaque bottles, such as those for bleach/cleaning fluid

and if you are cleaning out your craft cupboard and don't know what to do with those odds and ends of scrap papers and ribbons and stickers....

You get the idea.