Salt Dough..What Can Be Done With Salt Dough?

This is the beginning of anything you want....

                                                    Quote found on inspiration.entrepreneur.com

And it is....I was excited to work with salt dough. I mean, it's like clay right? Who doesn't like to work with clay? I have always wanted to take the time to actually make Christmas ornaments with this stuff. You know, the cute little ornaments that my kids and I would make together and then paint together. Except....I just couldn't ever find the time to actually "do it," but rather would just buy the pre-made white clay ornaments that were just waiting to be painted. 

For this project, I originally thought "Ah, now I can finally make those ornaments that I've always wanted to try!" I had great intentions of doing just that when I signed up to have Salt Dough be my third visual arts piece. After completing my Aboriginal piece with my Tree of Life, I realized that 1. I just wasn't done with trees, and 2. I wanted to stretch myself and do something more original. I wanted to try and do something that I haven't done before, nor seen done (even though I'm sure it has been done by somebody somewhere).

My kids are grown and there isn't a chance that they would be able to sit and paint ornaments with me now anyway, right? Besides, it is still October and I am not in the mood for Christmas yet. So....I began to think of something I could do with the dough that was different. Since I had such a good time making the tree for my last piece, I started thinking about how I could incorporate trees into this project. 

I gathered the materials and made the dough. Easy enough, it is exactly what you see in the picture. Grabbed my canvas board and sat down to work. 

I wasn't sure exactly how to start, so I just started rolling out thin pieces of dough and placing them onto the canvas board. I had decided to make a tree of course. I figured I would try to make a 3-D picture, that was my overall idea. I anticipated having to glue the dough to the board after the tree had dried. I wasn't sure how everything was going to go together yet at this point, or even if it would. I made the tree and was surprised that it was actually quite easy, and after it dried, it stuck! (That was a little plus.) Being that it is October, I decided to paint the tree and background to make it spooky. It's Halloween, let's have some fun! I was playing around with different techniques and discovered that this was going to be the practice run because I had an entirely new and better idea!

I don't jump into anything and I thought about this for a couple of days. I somewhat had an idea of what I was going to try and do but had to think about it. As I was thinking, the idea once again started to grow even bigger. It was time to roll!

This time it was going to be a continuous scene I was going to sculpt on three different canvas boards. I learned from the scary tree trial run that I needed to paint my background first. This will make my life SOOOO much easier. I used a sponge brush and wet the canvases down. After that, I selected the colors for my background/sky and began to paint. The colors bled perfectly with the pre-wet canvas and I couldn't be more pleased. I was so happy with the way my sky/background was turning out, I wanted to paint everything!

Next I began to construct my scene. I wanted to make a pond scene with trees and cat tails. I had some issues with my dough and had to make another batch, which again created a completely different set of issues. Because I had the first batch stored, it became too wet to work with, I couldn't get the ratio right when I added flour, so... I scrapped it. The second batch was probably too dry. At least it was by the time I was done sculpting. It just didn't go as easily as the scary tree. I was really hoping I wouldn't pick my pictures up after it dried only to have it fall off in pieces. One thing at a time....

I used a butter knife as my carving tool. I don't own any tools....yet, so what was I to do but try to improvise? 

Anyway, I tried many different ways to sculpt the dough just how I wanted it. I was doing detailed work and nothing was working before the discovery of this little gem...butter knives aren't just for butter... I found it was easier to put some dough on the canvas and carve it around the way I wanted it to be with this magical little tool. It worked like a charm. 

I then took my work to class and touched up the background. I was becoming concerned because parts of my trees and cat tails were starting to "flake off." What to do, what to do... Well, I wanted to paint the dough first before anything else. Thought about black, but decided white would look best with my "stormy sky." So I painted all the dough, waited for it to dry, and then crossed my fingers that it would stay together. It was still a little "flakey....." Okay, it needs something to make it stick together... it needed some glue! Mod Podge is really glue right? 

TADA! It worked! I painted only the dough with the Mod Podge. I covered it thickly and made sure it was underneath as well to seal it to the canvas board. TADA TADA TADA! It stuck it stuck! So happy with this piece! I will be doing other scenes in the very near future. It was very relaxing, and I had so much fun watching it evolve. Who knew I could accomplish something like this?! 

Aboriginal Art....Hmmm, Looks Like Fun....

       Play is the highest form of research.                                                                   Albert Einstein

The next item I chose to explore on the list of Visual Art Project choices was Aboriginal Art. This looked to be fun and I couldn't wait to explore it. I had heard it is very relaxing to do and most that have done it loved it. Well that is exactly what I needed at this point in the semester! I had visions of not using paint, but rather using dried beans, peas, corn and any other kinds of seeds that I could get my hands on. My plan was to select a super cool image, sketch it out, gather my materials and have at it. I saw myself happily selecting seeds and gluing them down and I couldn't wait to get started. 

I began to research Aboriginal Art and the further into my research, another idea began to form. I discovered that this type of art was actually used as communication and storytelling for the Aboriginal people. Some of the canvases used were rock walls and tree bark. The stories told about what was around them at the time, where water was located, what type of animals there were, every day camp life, where they had been or traveled from as well as much more information. I was tickled to discover that they also used their art to embed hidden messages. This intrigued me as well as the symbols they used to tell their stories. Each symbol had one or more meanings depending on how it was used in the art. I was curious about the symbols and the hidden messages, so I dove further into my research and watched the idea that was beginning to form evolve. 

As stated, the Aboriginal People used many symbols in their artwork and story telling. Below is a sample of some of the symbols I found and used in my story.

                                                           

Above image found on www.aboriginalartonline.com 

I found that as I learned what the symbols meant, I wanted to know if I could figure out what was going on in some of the images I found on Google Images. It became a game and I was able to actually make sense of some of the paintings and get the general gist of what was happening. I could also make out some of the stories which was a lot of fun. Again, the idea that was evolving for my piece became more clear and it couldn't have been farther from what I was originally thinking with the dried seeds. I was going to use paint after all. 

Since story telling was what I was getting out of my research, I decided to tell my story through the use of Aboriginal Art, also called Dot Painting. The use of circles was heavy in the Aboriginal artwork and was a lot of the times in the background of the pieces that I viewed. Since it was my story that I was going to tell, I incorporated the use of circles as well as some of the different symbols that were used in my piece. 

My family is my world. I love trees and decided to use a tree as my main symbol and central focus of my piece. I looked at it as my own Tree of Life as it is my family tree and again my family is my world. The circle around the tree stands for my family being the central most important thing in my life. 

The tree is enclosed in the circle of my family. Each "petal" on the outside of the circle stands for a member of my family. The four elders, which are my parents and my husbands parents are at the four corners of the circle. One set on top and bottom and one set on both sides,  The elders are represented with two half circles. Each half circle "petal" represents a member of my family, even the two babies are represented "small petals."  These symbols for elders and people in my painting are the same symbols that were used in the Aboriginal paintings. 

The symbol for a gathering place is a circle with rays extending on either side.

I incorporated this into my painting with the rays extending from either side of my circle, as our Tree of Life is central to our family.  

The larger blue circles in the background that surround our Tree of Life, are stars.

My family has always looked to the night sky and admired the beauty and wonder of it all for as long as I can remember. My grandmother used to tell me stories how she would look at the night sky filled with stars with my older brother. My older brother would then wake me and my little brother up in the middle of the night to go out and view the stars. I now do the same with my children. It is one of the times when we have wonderful and meaningful conversations. 

As I was completing my painting, I did not realize that the way I was adding dots of paint to my tree was actually forming a heart at its center! This was purely accidental, and I couldn't have been more pleased as it truly fits with the theme of my story. 

"My family is my heart."

I truly enjoyed learning about the Aboriginal Culture and how they used their art to tell stories. I am very pleased with my piece as it tells my story. To the ordinary eye, this may look like just a picture with many different designs, but those who knows about Aboriginal Art and their use of symbols, they will see there is a story here that contains multiple layers. It is the story of my.....

                                                                                                      Quote found at http://www.babble.com/kid/quotes-for-mothers/

Introduction to Visual Arts Projects.....

Art from Nature.....    

          "Life is about using the whole box of crayons."                                                                                                                                        ~RuPaul

We began a series of Visual projects in Art. As the list was coming around, I found myself worrying about which project(s) to choose. We were able to make our selections for the upcoming four weeks. For me, I felt the pressure of making an uninformed and split second decision. That is not how I roll. I usually research everything before making decisions that I feel are important. I know, you're probably thinking to yourself "It's an Art project for Pete's Sake! What is there to decide about, pick something and move on!" 

The list of choices was plentiful and each project we were to choose something different. Some of us were looking the different projects up on the computer, others were randomly choosing by what sounded fun, easy, interesting, etc. To answer the above question that I am sure some have thought as they read this, Art is a huge deal to me. I put my whole heart and soul into my Art. While I have my fingers in several different "craft pies" I tend to stay within my comfort zone for art, which is typically drawing or light sketching or something crafty. I have not sculpted, used pastels, water colored to any extent, and have only used acrylic's under strict instruction (U Can Paint 2). The assignment of having to choose something both intrigued me as well as gave me cause for concern. "What if I chose something that will  bomb, or turn out to be a total disaster? This is for a grade. My name is going to be attached to this. My feelings and expressions will be poured into this project...." These are some of my initial thoughts....

                         

                 

When the list came around to me, instead of the concern I had originally felt at being graded for my interpretation of Art, I felt like a little kid at Christmas! There were so many choices and different avenues that I could go! I wanted to do it all, and after selecting and completing the ones I have thus far, I think I just might try my hand at everything on the list as a personal challenge.... 

The first Visual Art Project I chose was Art from Nature. I love nature and figured "How hard could it be?" I already was beginning to form a plan about what I wanted to do. I thought I would make dried flower/weed bouquets glued to rustic picture frame. I had done this in the past for Christmas presents and it was a huge success.

But then I thought, "Why? Why do something I've already done?" Now was my opportunity to stretch my creativity a little bit, so I began to think about what I liked in nature. "Hmmmmm, I love pine cones and rustic things, love flowers, and dearly love the season of Autumn." I Googled and Pinterested for a bit and found it! I was going to try my hand at pine cone flowers! I did this, but wanted to do more...

So I continued to Google and Pinterest a bit more for things I could do with pine cone flowers and hit "pay dirt!" I was going to create a sunflower out of corn husks and pine cone flowers! I could not wait to get started!

"Lucky" is great company for these types of adventures....

I went out and collected my materials (Thank God some of the farmers were on the ball and planted corn early so the husks were brown and ready for picking!) I picked several tiny pine cones from a tree in my yard and collected other pine cones from my craft supplies. 

It proved to be a little more difficult at first than I anticipated. I thought I would be able to knock out the pine cone flowers in no time. That was not the case. Dismanteling the pinecone took time and then constructing it took even longer. There is a trick to it to make it look natural and actually like a flower. Once I got the hang of it, I was off and running. (I took one day at home and constructed all of my flowers so I could construct in class)

I made one sunflower in class and was quite pleased with how it turned out. It went together rather quickly and I only had one serious battle with the glue gun which I lost. I made a sunflower using the pinecone flowers for the center. I glued the husks down first on a plastic lid and then added the flowers. While I am very pleased with how it turned out, I found myself wanting try something different. The next flower I made was smaller and I split the husks in half and tried turning them this way and that when gluing them down. Instead of the preconstructed flowers for the center, I used the tiny pinecones that I picked off of my tree. The result was fabulous! I love the way the second flower turned out!

I learned that as I create, the ideas start to flow and I find myself wanting to use not only "every crayon in the box" but several outside the box as well. In Art, there is no right or wrong way. It is an expression of an individuals creativity. Having that freedom of being able to explore and create in a safe and supportive environment is an amazing feeling. I can only hope to create that type of environment for my students that our professor has created for us. 

                                                                            Quote found on Pinterest

Lets Trade!

"The most effective way to do it, is to do it."

                                                                Amelia Earhart 

In Social Studies we participated in a Trade Fair, where my classmates and I brought in different items to trade. There was not any money  involved as this was an exercise to simulate how long ago, trading items  was used as the main form of currency rather than the coins or money that we use today. It was a blast and the entire class really got into trading and bartering with each other. 

                                                            

Kelly is really trying to trade some tasty treats with Steph, hmmm, was it successful?

        I brought in several different things to trade. Some were home made, such as snow flakes made from twigs, the brownies that are pictured above, lunch and a Halloween bucket with classroom decorations. 

This was some of my items for trade...

   Some tables were basically bombarded with people wanting to trade for the goods brought in. It was a great way to see where the demand lies for our class of pre-service teachers. We are all excited about beginning our careers inspiring the love of learning in our future students. 

Clare cleaned out her basement and her items for our future classrooms were in 'hot' demand! Kasey is deliberating over what she wants...decisions, decisions.... 

     

Clare's table was the "hot" side of the room. Several items for classrooms as well as books for a classroom library were great items for demand!

Steph trading with Wendy  for Wendy's beautiful home made scarves. (I obtained one of these coveted scarves!)

Krystle is obviously pleased with her acquired goods from what looks to be a successful trade!

I couldn't be more tickled with my trade to Wendy for this beautiful home-made scarf! What a prize!

This was a great way for us to really get in and get the feel for how it was so many years ago. The planning that each of us did, and the items we gathered, and how we agreed to trade were all factors to consider. Many of us had conversations before the fair discussing what we felt would be in "hot demand." As a teacher, in my own classroom, I will think back to this activity and strive to accomplish the same, which is to "bring my students in" to their learning experience.  This was an amazing lesson and exercise that put us "in" the experience and caused us to really think about what it was to "trade" for goods and services. So many lessons can be built around activities like this one. Personally speaking, this activity created active engagement and a drive to learn more. It is not an experience that I will forget!

In the words of Benjamin Franklin......

                                                                                                     Quote found on Pinterest

.......CREATIVITY.......What does it really mean?

"Why fit in when you were born to

                    STAND OUT!"      Dr. Seuss

                                                                                                              Quote found on Pinterest

Saturday, October 4th

That is exactly the way I feel today as I begin my entries. I don't feel like following the rhythm of the traditional drumbeat, but rather march to the beat of my own drum. A lot of this could stem from the possibility that I am a bit behind with posting our Social Studies and Art adventures. A lot has happened in the past few weeks that I am very excited about and would like to share. This excitement will be what leads my posts and then I will back-track and fill in past excitements. I will however, give the necessary information that will make my entries easy to follow and allow you the reader the opportunity to form connections to previous posts. 

                  With that being said, lets get to the good stuff! 

      

"Creativity"

                                                                                                                                                                   Image retrieved from www.psmag.com

                        What does "creativity" mean to you? 

My definition of "creativity" is thinking outside the box, daring to be different, doing what you really want to do to express and relay your ideas.

As a teacher, my definition of "creativity" is finding unique and alternative ways to reach all of my students, as well as having an open mind to suggestions and alternative possibilities. "Creativity" is following my students interests and accommodating their interests by integrating my lessons content around it if at all possible. "Creativity" is finding ways to get my  students excited about what they are learning. If they are interested they will be involved and engaged. They will become a part of the lesson rather than a recipient.

When we discussed creativity in class, we were asked to think about the word creativity. As a group, we compiled a list of our different views of the question "What is it to be creative?" Our list is as follows:

 "What does it mean to be creative?"

unique

imagination

sky is the limit

not cookie cutter

make it your own

 outside the box

fun

colors

doing something your not used to

go overboard on a project

own it

We were then asked to think about how we would define creativity, and as a group, we compiled another list of words that we used to define creativity.

"How do you define creativity?"

opinion

effort

meaning behind it

personal

non-judgmental

your own

exploration

Everyone is different. We all have different views of what it is to be creative or what creativity means. Together we agreed that creativity has to do with the attitude the person has towards it. To be a creative teacher is also to allow your students to be creative. Let them be a part of the process. So with that, I will leave you with one final thought.........

                                        Image uploaded from www.picklebums.com