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As you explore this blog page, you'll find that we love the artistic inspiration that comes with autumn. We are excited about our latest resource inspired by the season. This cross-curricular lesson is also inspired by the lovely book, Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Ekua Holmes. Click on the picture to purchase the lesson. Also check out the simple Zentangle Leaf Art Lesson below.
Zentangle Leaf Art Lesson
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 One of the most important things we hope to do as creative educators is inspire our students. Recently we had the honor and privilege of meeting one of the artists who inspired the creation of this website. Mr. Richard Hunt is a renowned sculptor and visual artist who has created awe inspiring sculptures displayed around the United States and abroad. He was honored at the unveiling of one his latest outdoor works entitled "Spiral Odyseey". Commissioned for the Romare Bearden Park in Charlotte, NC, this work evokes a feeling of progress. Even though it was a very hot day, the energy was positive and uplifting as a beautiful choir sang to commemorate this amazing artist and work.
You can learn more about the artist by visiting his website, www.richardhuntsudio.com. We also offer an art lesson inspired by his work. You can purchase it by clicking on the picture below.   Happy New School Year! We hope you had a fantastic summer. This week is the first official week of school in the district we teach in. Many of you have already gone back to school. Here are three simple art ideas to get the year started off right in your art space.
2. Using drawing videos can be a fun and simple way to assess art students drawing ability. Here's one of our videos in which we use numbers and letters to create simple pictures.
In honor of the first weeks of school, we are hosting a sale from 8/28-8/31/2017. We have many art resources, lessons and activities that will enhance your creative curriculum. Simply enter the code BTSS2017 at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your entire order. Also share which art activities you start the year off with by commenting below.  We hope you're enjoying a fun and relaxing summer. Summer is a great time to travel. One of my favorite memories from childhood was when we would take the train to visit our family in Chicago. The train ride was always so fun and exciting. Meanwhile, one of our favorite children's books is Freight Train by celebrated author and artist, Donald Crews. Take a quick look at the simple Train Collage art lesson we created inspired by this colorfully illustrated book..  This art lesson is a great way to reinforce elements of design such as shape, color and texture for young artists in grades K-2. There are also cross-curricular connections to ELA, Math, Science and Careers. Finally, it is an art lesson that will help develop drawing, cutting, gluing and printmaking skills. 
1. Cut the scraps of construction paper into different shapes and glue them to the bottom of the paper.
2. Use the crayons to add details such as wheels to each cart, a train track, gravel, etc. 3. Cut the sponge into a cloud shape (Only adults should cut the sponge). Stamp the sponge on the ink pad and then onto the collage to create the steam. What is your favorite way to travel? Share with us by commenting below. We love the month of June for so many reasons. One of them is that June is the month in which African-American contributions to music are highlighted. As we celebrate these amazing contributions, our latest Picture Book Story Time features the children's book, One Love. This colorful book is based on the popular song by renowned musician, Bob Marley and was adapted into a children's book by his daughter, Cedella Marley. The lovely illustrations were created by one of our favorite illustrators, Vanessa Brantley-Newton. We also created a colorful tamborine inspired art lesson related to the story. Check out the steps below to see how we made it.  Materials1. 2 Paper Plates 2. Small Bells 3. Chenille Stems 4. Craft Paint 5. Paint Brush 6. Markers 7. Colorful Wasabi Tape 8. Colorful Ribbon 9. Glue Stick 10. Scissors 11. Circle Template
Make sure to explore our website and check out some of our other art resources that are related to music.
 It's that time of the year when flowers are in full effect. With Mother's Day occurring during the month of May, flowers rule and serve as a great source of inspiration for art lessons. Here are three different floral lessons we did during the month of May.
After reading Planting a Rainbow by Lois Elhert, our 1st graders created flower collages using tissue paper. They also mounted the collages on gray construction paper and decorated the frames with tempera paint. We finished the paintings just in time for Mother's Day.
How are flowers inspiring you and your creative space this year? Share with us by commenting below. We LOVE Spring!!! The blooming of flowers and foliage is one of our favorite parts of the season. Moreover, one of our favorite artists who incorporates beautiful floral motifs into his work is the amazingly talented artist, Kehinde Wiley. His work features powerful images of African-American individuals from various backgrounds. An ivy league graduate, he has taken the art world by storm for the last several years.  Kehinde Wiley
Inspired by Wileys' wonderful art, we're glad to share our latest art resource entitled, Kehinde Wiley Inspired Sportswear Design art Lesson. This lesson is a great way to introduce young artists in grades 6-12 to his work and develop their illustration skills. Make sure to explore our website to find other art resources that celebrate Spring.  How do you celebrate Spring in your creative space? Share with us by commenting below.
 "Harriet Powers" by Alicia L. McDaniel We love to celebrate diversity in art history, especially women artists. This year we are featuring the artist, Harriet Powers during Women's History Month. She is renowned for the beautiful story quilts that she stitched by hand. Make sure to explore our website to see all of art resources we have featuring this important artist. Learn more about her by listening to our reading of the beautifully illustrated children's book, Sewing Stories Harriet Powers From Slave to Artist, written by Barbara Herkert and illustrated by one of our favorite artist, Vanessa Brantley-Newton.  While we are grateful for the opportunity to highlight the contributions of amazing African-American visual artists, resources and tips throughout the year, February is one of favorite months. We begin our celebration of Black History Month 2017 by offering two new art products.
Also in time for the for the Super Bowl, our latest art lesson is inspired by the fun story, Don't Throw it To Mo! written by David Adler and illustrated by Sam Ricks. The main character is a determined young athlete who saves the day for his team. Young artists will learn about multi-media art compositions by completing this art lesson.
Make sure to explore our website to learn more. Also, share how you celebrate Black History month by commenting below.
 Happy 2017!!!! We are grateful for a new year and a new picture book story time series on our Youtube page. We are excited about sharing some of our favorite picture books this year as well as new art tutorials. Our first story is in honor of the great Dr. Martin Luther King and is entitled A Sweet Smell of Roses written by Angela Johnson and illustrated by Eric Velazquez. The illustrations in this books are fantastic and also inspired our latest Red Rose Portrait Art Lesson. Share the video below in your art room and explore our website to find more creative resources that celebrate Dr. King. |
Alicia L. McDanielAlicia L. McDaniel is the author and creator of Great Art Lessons for the Creative Soul. She is also an educator, professional artist, and lover of the arts. 
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