It’s ComFest Time Again
Insert head scratch here
Subtractive Sculpture in Plaster of Paris
Have you ever tried to make something out of a block of plaster of paris? Carve and chip away to make an abstract or realistic piece of art? It’s hard. I have a new appreciation for sculptures who do this type of subtractive art work. The kids in my classes along with myself all agreed that additive sculptures where much easier!
Over the weekend my very nice, helpful and generous husband mixed up several buckets of plaster of paris and poured it into empty milk cartons. We let these dry or “cure” for a couple of days.
Most of the instructions I found for this included adding vermiculite to the plaster of paris to make the carving process easier but because of the health concerns over breathing in the vermiculite we decided to leave it out. You can also add sand or dirt but I was already way over budget and could not purchase another thing so straight plaster of paris it was.
I brought lots of different tools to class and we were lucky the weather allowed us to do this messy-dusty project outside. We looked at works of art of Barbara Hepworth, George Segal, Jean Arp and The Nana’s. We talked about abstract art vs realistic sculptures.
And then we got to work:
Hammers and mallets were pounding, flat head screw drivers were poking and lots of plaster was flying around. The kids really enjoyed this physical process but were definitely challenged by the material.
Once kids were happy with there work they sanded their sculpture and used tempra cakes to paint their pieces. The paint dried almost immediately on most pieces.
And I love the consideration of all sides and angles on this piece!
This was the final week of this session of our unschooler’s co op. I absolutely loved leading these classes. I learned so much along with the kids. Looking forward to doing it again!
My Art
This is a piece I have showing at The Upper Arlington Concourse Gallery. The LABORING show includes excellent pieces of art by fellow women in our group of Mother Artists at Work. The show opening is Friday April 29 from 2 to 5 pm. There will be a screening of WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS? at 2:45 followed by a round table discussion. If you are a woman, a mother an artist you need to see this movie. If you can’t make it to the opening, the show will run through May 20. Our best work so far!!
Color Project 1
Our Alebrijes
We talked about The Linares Family of Mexico and their spectacular art of paper mache. Here is a link chock full of information and links to some of their works. http://www.driftwood-dreams.co.uk/learn_papier_mache/history.htm
The Linares Family is well known for the mythical like beasts they create known as alebrijes. Popular artists like the Linares are known as cartoneros. Most cartoneros make fanciful paper mache objects for major celebrations during the year, most notable Day of the Dead and Easter week. I didn’t know this when I planned out six weeks worth of our Unschooling Co-op art lessons but it ended up perfect timing that we made these the week before Easter! After looking at some of Felipe Linares Mendoza’s work we created our own little beasts out of foil, covered in newspaper and masking tape.
They were then covered in strips of newspaper moistened in a slightly watered down glue mixture.
We left them to dry until the following week when we painted them. We talked about the style of painting and the patterns used by the Mexican artists and the kids were encouraged to paint their alebrijes in the style of the cartoneros work we looked at.
I LOVE them!! They turned out great!! I would really like to try out more paper mache activities.
Our Holton Rower Tall Paintings aka Pour Paintings
It’s been a long time since I last posted! To say I have been busy is an understatement! Less than two months ago, several members of our local unschooling group met at a local coffee shop to talk about starting an unschoolers co-op and today we held our first day of classes with about 25 families and 60 kids! We have 4 sessions in which we offer several different classes. Some classes are taught by outside teachers and many led by parents. Several of us have really worked hard to get this up and running so quickly…it is sort of unbelievable that we made it happen…and happen so well I might add!
I am teaching 2 sessions of art. My head is so full of possible ideas it might just pop off and my kids are so glad I have a new audience to share all these ideas with! (Although both of them chose to take my class!)
Today we talked about artist, Holton Rower. You may have seen his YouTube video of his TALL PAINTINGS that has been all over the internet lately. I loved it so much and thought it was a perfect project for a first class discussion about process vs product. My husband I built a smaller version of Rower’s pedestals using a piece of 4 inch 2×2 on its end screwed on to a 4inch 2×4 on it’s side and finally screwing those to a 12 x 12 piece of plywood.
Rower uses acrylic paint and there was no way I could afford to buy that much acrylic paint. Then I realized that latex house paint is acrylic paint! Perfect!! We visited a few Habitat for Humanity re-stores and Home Depot’s for some cheap paint before remembering we have a friend with a painting business and TONS of extra paint. Perfect again!!
We looked at a few prints of Rower’s Pour Paintings and I let the kids try to guess how he put the paint down.
Then we watched the video and talked about product vs process.
Luckily I had tons of helpers today! This project was A LOT of set up! First I covered everything with tarps and cardboard. We poured small amounts of paint into dixie cups and let the kids pick their colors.
And the pouring began!
Each of my students made 2 pour paintings and luckily we were able to leave them undisturbed until next week. Hopefully they will dry by then!
I am so happy with the way this project turned out! The kids loved making them too! I would love to try this on a larger scale someday. I certainly have enough left over paint!!
Cast Iron Handles Too Hot? Felted Handle Covers Are Easy to Make!!
I can’t believe it took me years of handling hot, hot handles before discovering I could easily make a little cover for the handles of my cast iron pans!
I have tons of felted, thrift store sweaters..(I started a blanket years ago that plagues me in my sleep!! I really want to finish it!!) I cut a small piece off the sweater. I cut from the waistband but I am sure any area would work. I wrapped it around my handle to see if I needed to trim it down.
Next I felted a little picture/design on to the center of my felt.
Again I wrapped it around the handle using straight pins to make a tight sleeve. I sewed it up with some colorful embroidery thread–but I won’t show you that part-it is embarrassing how poorly I sew! And slipped it on to my handle. I tried to make them really tight so they didn’t slip around..and I hear you need to be super careful if you have a gas stove!!
I absolutely love these–they make me happy every time I look at them!!
Thursday’s Recipe Fail = Friday’s Kitchen Gadget Update
My Mom bought me this super shiny, huge pot for Christmas…ahh my love for kitchen gadgets and accessories continues….
I don’t usually just link or post a recipe on Thursday’s unless I have made it and it is actually worth sharing. This weeks plan was to share a Kale and White Bean soup. I made it but it was nothing worth sharing. So instead I planned to share my new and favorite kitchen gadgets but my poor daughter has been here all week
It is almost 10 am as I write this and she just woke up still sniffling and sneezing. My youngest germ is coughing in bed with her Dad who has been working all week until the wee hours of the morning. It’s been a rough week around here!
So that is why I am just getting around to Thursday’s post…on Friday morning afternoon.
With all the germs flying around the house, this week turned into soup week. There was the mediocre kale and white bean and the cure all chicken noodle
Everyone has a version of chicken noodle soup. Mine is nothing special but it certainly hits the spot. I added some pea shoots to mine…soup and salad all in one bowl is a favorite of mine! There was also a beef vegetable that I made in my new lead free crock pot.
Yes, you read that correctly. I don’t know how I didn’t know that crock pots typically carry lead in there glaze but apparently they do. I did some googling and found that the Cuisinart brand is lead free as is Vita Clay. Both are expensive. I did a little more digging and found this Supentown Slow Cooker. And even better I found it on the cheap at Home Depot The crock is made of the same zisha, purple clay, that the Vita Clay cookers are made from. Supentown website writes that it is not only free of chemicals but rich in natural minerals. Someday negative info may come out about this cooker too but I couldn’t find it anywhere for now.
I used my new slow cooker to make beef veg soup and all was good. It is a little bit smaller than my other crock pot but not much. But because the crock is not non stick there was a little sticking. It washed out easily and the soup tasted great. Just be sure when you store any small appliance you do not put the cord inside the pot because the soft pliable coating on the cords do contain lead…so wash your hands after use. I also read that there is lead in the coating of the heating elements in the outer part of slow cookers. I am done researching lead for a while. In other news I hear they are planning to take some of the fluoride out of our drinking water…gee thanks. it’s about time. Don’t breath or drink or eat…chemicals are every where!!! It becomes exhausting. Trying not to get too caught up in all of that!
I do know for sure that this is lead free…it is stainless steel
Also by Supentown and purchased at Home Depot this thermal cooker was way cheaper. I haven’t used it yet but can’t wait!! I have had my eye on these thermal cookers for a while but they are very expensive and couldn’t really find a difference between the two that warranted the extra cost so we finally went with the cheaper one. I love the idea of making food and taking it with us for later, all the while it is cooking on the move with out being plugged in!!! Can’t get more energy efficient than that!
Take a look inside-a simple design!
I promise to use it soon and let you know how it works.
I love my Olympic juicer…especially for carrot juice
Last but certainly not least one of my favorite kitchen gadgets….I shared my love for this thermos before in my OUT WITH PLASTICS post. During the winter i fill it it up with hot water so a cup of tea is only minutes away. I LOVE it!! Again no electricity used here!
What is your favorite kitchen gadget?