Have you ever been so convinced that something would be a game changer for you, only to fail miserably with it?? This was how I felt when I set up my first “BuJo”, a.k.a. Bullet Journal. Okay, maybe I’m being a bit dramatic…. my bullet journal didn’t actually end up in the recycle bin, although it came very close! I’m a "learn by doing" kind of person, which for me … [Read more...]
Making Monoprints with a Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate
I recently discovered a new product that I've become obsessed with... the Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate. I've always loved monoprinting, but Gelli Plates take this art form to a whole new level. Printmaking with a Gelli Plate is similar to gelatin printing, but the plate itself is much more durable, it's reusable, you can store it at room temperature, and the resulting … [Read more...]
Wishing You a “Perfectionism-Free” New Year
"As a painter I shall never really count, I can feel that absolutely." ~ Vincent Van Gogh, 1889, Arles Vincent Van Gogh never knew what a great artist he was. His paintings sell for millions today, yet in his lifetime, he only ever sold one painting. What fascinates me is that he didn't let this stop him.... he kept painting. Even when he received no outside appreciation for … [Read more...]
“Ish”
This is one of my all-time favorite "art-story books" to read to my students! Beginning as early as 2nd or 3rd grade for some students, perfectionism can set in and give them the mistaken idea that their art needs to look like a photograph in order to be "good". Of course, these students are the minority, but it's so sad when you see this tendency developing in any child, … [Read more...]
Fighting Perfectionism? Picture This…
"The Persistence of Memory" by Salvadore Dali One of my lifelong goals has been to become less of a perfectionist. They say that a goal should be specific and measurable. And this "goal" is neither of those. I don't expect to completely conquer perfectionism, but just to become more and more okay with "not perfect". It's more like a target to be aiming for than an … [Read more...]
Welcome to My Blog!
First of all, this blog is a work in progress. I realized that if I waited to post anything until it felt perfect, it would never happen. As a friend of mine likes to say, "Accept great. Perfectionism leads to procrastination." Since those are two character traits I'm constantly working to overcome, I decided to just go for it with my blog. So, here goes! "TeachKidsArt" … [Read more...]
