Newbie Artist Musings

Well, I'm learning something...

I'm in the middle of my second commission. As you read this, bear in mind I'm a newbie 'artist', I'm going to learn things as I go along. For instance, I now know that shape with colour and texture are my thing with a dabble into sketching.

 

As far as commissions go, when the friend/neighbour/customer/client requests something specific as far as colour goes, I've got to check as I go along if it's definitely what they want. This must get annoying!

 

It's happening just now. Two specific colours have been requested with freedom for design. I'm now at the stage where I'm about to paint in the second colour and personally, I think its looks really lovely as it is...as my neighbour says, it's more soothing. But he knows what he wants. He likes his colour and vibrancy.

 

So on we go with the final stages! So excited and I'm loving painting. Trouble is if no one else asks me to paint for them I'm be churning out loads just for my benefit! Still, at least I have school to keep me occupied soon...

 

A little taster for you...

A snapshot that may be seen as rather obscure and possibly not quite true to the final piece...

A look at other Art Bloggers

I've just taken a look through my blogs in my reading list...I usually head straight to Cassie Stephens...she makes me giggle...and she has this awesome guitar apron that I WANT!! However, today Olive at Olive ART caught my eye again as she hit on a subject that's at the back of my mind for the year coming up.

I think I focus on it already but I really want the children to start to automatically offer an opinion on a piece of famous art or even an artist's style. I know I encourage discussion and opinion in a structured format that leads into the lesson but would like to find another way that tells them it's OK to ask a question or offer a thought at any time. So I liked this idea from Olive and also this one too that makes up more of a lesson.

Olive ART! Do You???: Looking at Art: She has a bulldog clip with her chosen painting and her bubble whiteboard next to it with some magnetic words. And this allows the children to choose their word that they associate with the picture, whether it is something they see or something that they feel or even the mood of the painting. Whichever it may be, as she says, it encourages the children to learn to 'see' more in art.

Her other recent development I like would to see how she gets on with, has the pupil discussing the quote and the piece of art, do they like or connect with the painting, do they agree or disagree with the artist's quote, and the children concluding from this what it is to make art...it's not just about paint and pencils and making marks. I'd like to do this with my year 6s.

I would have activities like this in an area every week and for every year in which they could discuss, describe, think about a piece of art, a type of art movement or an artist. I used to do things like this with Maths or Literacy and especially Science, around the classroom, for early finishers, say.

(Having said that, I am a peripatetic...well, between the classrooms, not schools...art teacher...I have yet to have my own art room. We are having a new school built and plans were for it to be completed for the school year 2014/15 with me having a room. However...seeing as we're in the Middle East, it ain't working like that. And I will continue to lug that huge not-quite kid-proof Ace Hardware toolbox around, with it's handle and clips held on with bits of string. I'm going to see how much longer it'll last!)

Thanks Olive, you've inspired me to start collecting and creating activities like this for my fantasy classroom! In the meantime, for a plenary at least.

Architecture in Primary Art

I've been having a look at the draft curriculum plans that are due to be bought in in September 2014 in England.

I'll be honest, I'm only coming up to my second year teaching art and so haven't really absorbed myself in any great number of art curriculum documents. Technique and skill have been my focus much like Patty over at Deep Space Sparkle. She feels that, like me, her job is to bring the art world to children, get them being creative and developing their skills at the same time. She doesn’t grade or follow standards and she is not reviewed. She uses the word ‘organic’. I feel I have been allowed that capacity by my school as well. As was always the case when I started teaching, developing self-esteem and confidence, this time in art (mine as well as the kids!) has also been my drive.

The point I'm getting to is that I am not familiar with any previous art curriculum besides that which was incorporated within the various cross curricular frameworks (yay...) as it's not been forced to be my main focus, for which I am thankful.

Was architecture a big feature in previous curriculum incarnations?

I jigged the year 5's Victorian art programme up a bit last year and we all loved it so I want to stick with it. We became architects for the day and studied and designed a Victorian house or building. I want to incorporate a Victorian architect's work and give some personality to the theme.

This summer, I took a purely-educational-and-for-research-purposes-only trip to Alton Towers. From the heights of the Runaway Train, at varying angles on Nemesis and Air and using an interior study of the ride 'Hex' I was able to study the beautiful yet striking Alton Towers house itself (for no other reason, I remind you! Killing Zombies in Duel, going 100kph in 2.5 seconds at 4.7g on Rita and having my stomach removed from me on Thirteen whilst my daughter laughs hysterically next to me was all in my break ;-) ).

Alton Towers itself is an imposing yet beautiful Victorian Gothic building designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, a rather busy and productive man of his time who actually died of exhaustion at 40 years old.

 

 

He was the architect behind the new Palace of Westminster/Houses of Parliament in London, completed in 1847. Pugin is said to have made over two thousand drawings for furniture, wallpaper, soft furnishings, tiles, woodwork, and metal work for the House of Lords.

There isn’t really anything on him for kids yet he designed many British landmarks. I suppose this is where I remember my kids are primary...maybe there is more to study at secondary level…

But then I remember that we teach them about the great artists so why not the great architects? Of which there are just as many. (Incidentally apparently I'm related to Sir Christopher Wren...I do still need to research this...but it was my Nan's claim to fame I think!). I was taught to be a science specialist with the belief that the children I am educating are future citizens, constructors, designers and engineers of our world and therefore need to start questioning and querying and prodding and understanding the world around them NOW. Why not do this in Art too? A fun look at architecture in Primary school could just spark something in one of those gorgeous minds.

Incidentally, in my research so far for the new curriculum for the UK, if that's what floats your boat:

“…the department published proposals to reform the national curriculum so that it is slimmer, focused on essential subject knowledge and which, especially in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, compares favourably with the curriculums taught in the most successful education jurisdictions in the world."

“... the current system of ‘levels’ used to report children’s attainment and progress will be removed.  It will not be replaced. We believe this system is complicated and difficult to understand, especially for parents. It also encourages teachers to focus on a pupil’s current level, rather than consider more broadly what the pupil can actually do. Prescribing a single detailed approach to assessment does not fit with the curriculum freedoms we are giving schools.”

“The new programmes of study set out what should be taught by the end of each key stage.  We will give schools the freedom to develop a curriculum which is relevant to their pupils and enables them to meet these expectations.”

"Schools will be able to introduce their own approaches to formative assessment, to support pupil attainment and progression. The assessment framework should be built into the school curriculum, so that that schools can check what pupils have learned and whether they are on track to meet expectations at the end of the key stage, and so that they can report regularly to parents." 

Some useful links outlining the timescale and pathway of the UK curriculum, with particular focus on Art and design of course!

The main link:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014/a00220600/draft-national-curriculum-programmes-of-study

Art and Design’s Programme of study:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/primary/b00198792/art/ks2
No mention of architecture…only in KS1.

The old Assessment system:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/primary/b00198792/art/attainment

It looks like they’ll be removing that as it is too confusing for parents. Well, I got the hang of it after 4 years, why can’t they? J

Art and Design before the new Curriculum comes in:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/primary/b00198792/art

“…no longer statutory…” “…free to develop…” in preparation for the new curriculum. Sounds great. Ooh, I’m allowed to do that already!

Draft Art and Design curriculum from September 2014…
Can’t find anything on the gov.uk website, I just get sent to the ICT development committee. Dull. ;-) 

I continue my search. In the meantime, I’ll stick to my freedom to develop the art programme for my KS2ers. Even the government says it ok. Happy days. 

I've been on me summer hols. So the artist for August has been delayed, maybe cancelled, or call it deferred, to September anyway. As well as much other communication. I've got some great artists lined up. I saw an exhibition in Glasgow's Museum of Modern Art of another artist who's name I had heard in passing but I might save them until September ;-) It's another fascinating character whose influences and inspirations are particularly intriguing and haunting. A few others lined up maybe before this one maybe!

So, no soundtrack this year. Instead, the road trip in bullet form: 

* Borrowed campervan due to the tragic loss of Betty. (I haven’t posted about this. Those of you who know me will know the story and the ongoing saga and we’ve just put it behind us). However, plans are afoot for the new mobile home!

* Heading to Wellington Country Park, driving 70mph in the borrowed van. Blimey. Never thought it was possible.

* Pops drawing a fire scene in his notebook; Me: “do you want to be a fireman?” –

Pops: “Don’t know, but I have back-up plans.” 

* Collected new van. Fingers crossed.

Next few weeks will be testing it out and planning its refurb.

* Drinking tea in the back garden with my auntie P and cousin S.

I’ve not seen my cousin since I was a teenager :-)

 

* Pops gets his iPod back after leaving it in the UK at Christmas. Father Christmas delivered it back to Grampa who returned it to us. A rather stunned but happy little boy.

* In the Beehive, Shifnal, watching the Lions’ final and deciding test against Australia. Lovely landlady who opened up early especially for us, bought us our first drink and gave the kids sweets!

* Daniel Craig, the British Lions and champagne all in one changing room…

* Camper Jam.

* Thecurrystall.co.uk. Proper Indian cooking.

We were talking about Oman and the Middle East.

He told us of a restaurant called Ibrahim's in Abu Dhabi, recommended by his Uncle. 

* Negotiating long grass in Havaianas is much like walking in sand. :-/

* I have a pink fringe!

* Andy Murray wins Wimbledon. Facts nicked from my friend DH: It is 77 years since a British male won the singles title at Wimbledon. The last British singles winner - Virginia Wade - won in '77 and Andy Murray played the final on 7/7.

* Alton Towers. Constantly thinking about possible art lessons…Alton Towers itself is a beautiful Victorian Gothic building designed by Augustus Pugin. He will be the subject of one of the Victorian architecture lessons in Year 5 :-)

* Bear goes on Sonic Spinball twice in a row, as soon as it opens at 10am without having to queue. She’s a daredevil that one. Next year she’s got her sights on all the rides.

* Scotland. Loch Drunkie. I want to camp next to this loch and get tipsy.

* Brig O’Turk tea rooms. My first cream tea. Whipped cream though. Tut, Scots, huh…

* Our Anniversary – a civilised meal in a beautiful restaurant, very nice. Then we walked back at 10.30pm and it is still light. We try to find a decent pub to have a night cap but most of them have three old men propping up the bar. So we end up at Hubby’s old local. No window to look through to suss the situation so we go for it. Instead there are three younger men propping up the bar and a tipsy barmaid whose lifestory we get by the end of the night…followed by a jagermeister.

* Braco graveyard with Pops to satisfy his curiosity. It turns out it is not a morbid fascination but he is looking for Alexander the Great’s and Charles Darwin’s grave. A ball of 7 year-old cuteness...

* Grampa’s 70th Birthday garden party.

* We start the van refurbishment ball rolling and meet up with the guy who did our last van interior as well as drop the van off as the interior specialists. A nice bunch of guys.

* Meet up with the Duchess who is England with the kids. So good to see the family and to see the children playing.

* Head to Dorset to camp for 10 days with some dear friends. Super as last year.

Despite one afternoon sacrificed to the Goddess of Pimms.

* Drop the van off after a lovely lunch at the local pub. Pimms, just in case it’s my last one, and a crab salad. Bear has a quarter of a steak and ale pie and finished most of it.

* We stayed in the Queen's Hotel in Southsea.

Hubby and I stayed in here one night after one of out first dates in our first year.

* HMS Victory

* Afternoon tea at Mum and Dad’s. They have the children for the weekend as we head to Brighton to surprise a friend for her 40th.

* It’s Gay Pride weekend and it’s fabulous! We see some great sights, too many hen parties though. A lovely hotel and I see the one I nearly booked at! Lots of rainbow flags and leather on the front patio! 

* Surprise for my lovely Banou in Hotel du Vin. She thought we weren't going to be in the country. We had left messages on each other’s phones and never actually managed to speak to each other. Apparently she was quite upset that I wasn’t going to be around. She is a calm and collected character and she showed no emotion when she saw us, she was genuinely stunned and surprised. A great evening at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant and then to Lucky Voice (karaoke) when I realised I don’t mind it, if there are no strangers.

* Lunch in Kemptown. I miss Brighton.

* Off to my sister’s in London. She’s asked me and Bear to be bridesmaids… :’-)

* Star Wars shop in Northolt, the Science Museum, Westminster Abbey (Darwin, Newton and Shakespeare’s graves and memorials and the grave of the Unknown Warrior were the highlight for the kids…I loved the whole place), Cafe Chutney at Covent Garden with opera singers, cupcakes and lollipops, Lego shop, the Fire of London monument.

 

* Harrod’s for Banou’s birthday. What a giggle :-) We made a pact that we would try and do tea at Harrods every year.

* Hummingbird bakery for more cupcakes.

* Final couple of hours with sis at the park. 

* This year – a wonderful, packed, fun holiday filled with lots of smiles, laughter and love. It’s made it harder again to come  back to Oman. I miss Britain and all those family and friends in it even more this year.