Enriching Students at Cam Heights!

I just finished an art enrichment program at Cam Heights Elementary School bringing a variety of projects to help these 4th and 5th graders learn about art history, various artists like Klimt, Georgia O' Keeffe, and create great pieces of art.  It has been a delight to see students accomplish goals in art, express their creativity, as well as learn about real artists.  I still have to help students learn art terms as most teachers refer to a landscape direction of paper as "hotdog" and "portrait" as "hamburger", UGGH.  It reminds me when I heard kids talking about Michaelangelo and Donatello, just to find out it was regarding ninja turtles and not the real artists!!! 

I also am able to help students from a professional eye, adust a picture to make it more appealing with the use of either complementary colors or how to fine tune a picture with a stroke or two of a line.    And many students do not know how to use brushes, as they don't get to paint much in schools.  So these students learn the difference between watercolor and tempera/ or acrylic brushes, how to properly clean and store them,  and how proper tools are used.  

Many of the pieces of art you see now will be on display at the school's art show held yearly at Studio Channel Islands Art Gallery this coming February.

Cultural Art Programs Enriching Lives

Children's Celebration of the Arts has just celebrated their 25th year of bringing art into the classrooms across Ventura City and hosted an art show at The Olivas Adobe. One piece of artwork is selected from each classroom to be represented at the show. To celebrate our 25th year, CAPS made a video of our program. To sign up for this program, teachers are given a brochure and can select from a variety of visual and kinetic art forms taught by professional artists who share their passion with the children. The variety of the classes are not limited to visual arts, but will even show dance, drumming, and harp playing for the students. For $40, all supplies and teaching materials are brought to the classroom and a complete history and art lesson is given to the students. This beneficial program is made possible by a grant endowment from the city of San Buenaventura. To find out more you can go to:

 http://www.cityofventura.net/cs/events/kids/childrens-celebration-arts

Over the last 6 years, I have taught several cultural projects including Mexican Tin Art, or "Jolata", Russian lacquer boxes, African Adrinka placemats, Spanish Crests, and Italian Mosaics. It is such a joy to share my love of art with children. I am hoping on my trip to Israel, to present a cultural art project to bring awareness of how many religions here in Israel are working together - those of the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian faiths.