Featured Artist of the Month...

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7th Grade Collage Boxes

We saw a couple of these boxes the other day with lids off and stamped tissue and pendants showing, but I also found these that where wonderful and done by my 4th Quarter 7th graders.

I loved the color scheme and choice of textural papers that Michelle Hwang worked with above.  And then below, clever Jonan Baladjay thought to insert a more dimensional paper that worked like a hilly landscape on the top of his box.  

Hopefully, I'll be seeing both these young ones when they are 11th and 12th graders and they can fit me into their schedules again.

Mixed Metals - Student Work

Senior Rita Labib made me the most gorgeous necklace to match hers.  We will be connected forever thru these and in our hearts.  Knock them out at Santa Monica kiddo!!  Show them what you've got up your sleeves.  :)

Can't Believe My Youngest is 19 Already!

It went by so fast Dani-girl.  You are the sweetest baby, and like I always tell you, you are not only beautiful on the outside, but you are truly amazing on the inside where it really counts.  

I'm so proud to be your mama!   

Please Mommy, Don't Go

Started my 34th year teaching art at Whitney High today, and this is the face I get in the morning as I walk out the door.  Breaks my heart.  :( 

Notice Sophie Jean's neck wear.  Two leather tags that Jim tooled her name onto and a copper heart that I made and stamped her initials onto. 

Solar Pillows - Student Work

Senior Fernie Jacinto's girlfriend is a lucky woman since I'm sure Fernie is dedicating and giving this to her as her graduation gift.

This is the Solar Printed Pillow assignment that my Beginning 3-D kids finished the year off with.  These really showcase their sewing skills they acquired this year along with their design skills.  I get this fabulous photo-sensitive fabric from Dharma Trading Co.  It comes by the yard, or in an 8" by 8" pack of 20.  It's a bit pricey but so worth the fun that the students have with it.  We use the kiln room for our dark room.

This next piece with all this crazy wonderful decoration is the work of sophomore Laarnie Barcelon.  She always comes up with the coolest ideas.  And all that work below belongs to 8th grader Jenna De La Paz.  Talk about a lot of effort, WOW!!

Here we have another 8th grader, Lauren Kennedy, with this great skyline.  She spent a lot of time sewing on each of those beads, but it was so worth it Lauren!  And the lovely ballerina was made by my 3rd 8th grader Jacqueline Yu.  All 3 of these girls worked their hearts out for me all year. 

Above we have 2 super strong designs by seniors Jessica Barnett and Michelle Yoshimoto

And let's not overlook the works by senior Mylan Jefferson and junior Ashley Duru.  So much great stitching going on, look closely.

And the cutie above was made by senior Eugenia Jaccob.  I love that she thought to bring in pieces of fabric for applique.

And my favorite below is the work of sophomore Reis Misaka.  Love the random spacing of the fish, and how they feel like they are swimming, and then the simple splashes of color embroidery.  Perfect Reis!

Shop Update - My Work

Hand Dyed, Hand Spun, Hand Knit and Crocheted Pillows in the Shop

These were the two pillow samples that I made as examples for a new assignment I taught last school year to my Intermediate 3-D students.  I also incorporated some of my hand spun yarns into the green pillow.

Learning to dye wool yarns with food colorings, making their own knitting needles, and learning how to knit and crochet, then to turn their sampler into a pillow. 

7th Grade Collage Boxes w/ Pendants & Stamped Tissue

My 4th Quarter 7th graders, I haven't forgotten you this summer.  want to show off your sweet Collaged Boxes and give some shout outs to Rachel Kannampuzha and Samuel Lee. 

Pastel Frontal - Student Work

Don't know why I only have one of these to show off, I'm guessing because they came in at Open House time and I was so distracted that I forgot to take pix of the other works.  Oh well, that's just the way it goes sometimes  :)  but I'll keep looking.

But at least I have a great piece to show you, done but junior Michaela Platt, who will be back this year as one of my top art students.  Usually I have the kids fracture these pastel portraits, but this year because of our shortened school year, we didn't have those extra days to do that, unless the kids wanted to kill themselves.  I'm pretty sure senior Belinda Wu did just that and fractured her piece.  I'm hoping to find it to show you.  

Prelude to Self-Portraits - Student Work

Here are some of my cuties!

My Intermediate 2-D students from the far left, Halah, Kevin, Megan, Belinda and Michaela.

For their 4th Quarter Final I have them do a Self-Portrait.  but before they start i give them each a sheet of newsprint and have them tack it to the Damp Room glass doors.  this way they can see themselves and draw themselves at the same time in charcoal.  this is very scary at first but then they get into it and really enjoy the process, and giggle at their results.

I only give them one class period for this.

So above we have Megan and Halah's, and below is, you guessed it, Kevin  :)

By the way Kevin, you received the nicest compliment from a gal in Santa Cruz named Vicki.  She asked me to teach her to do art pieces like Kevin's  :)  How cool is that!!!!

And here we have Michaela and Belinda.

For one day's work I think these are pretty darn good!

Mosaic Tile Boxes - Student Work

My Intermediate 3-D students loved this assignment.  We start by making Polymer tiles (above and below) ala Laurie Mika of "Mixed Media Mosaics", bake them, ... 

then arrange and glue them down to the sweet little wooden boxes I pick up for the kids at Michael's (below).

This striking "Star Gazer" box was made by senior Ashley Chowdhury.  Love the pearlescent paint she used on the inside with the alternating black stripes.

In this next one by senior Amy Hsu, you can see how she incorporated her soldered piece into the lid design (a requirement).

Another requirement was to find a place for one of their fused glass pieces.  Both Ashley and Amy chose to put theirs on the inside cover.

In this next gorgeous work by senior Lauren De Belen, she has chosen to keep her colors in a complimentary color scheme (purple and gold).  She has glued her fused glass piece on the top cover...

and attached her soldered work to the clasp.  Clever girl!

And then there is over achiever (I love it) senior Tiffany lee, you go girl!  Instead of working on the box foundation, she chose a wooden birdhouse instead.   And I don't know where she found the time to make all those tiles.  It's really remarkable. 

Also notice all those gold and silver beads and charms she has incorporated along with the tiles.  A great look.

And wait till you see this next one by senior Angela Wan.  Brilliant use of color and design as you will see below when you open the lid.

She has stayed in a primary color scheme and played up all the value of red and blue.  Fantastic piece kiddo!

I

This next one by junior Josh Berger is so serene and peaceful.  Notice his solder piece in the center works so well with the designs he has built around it.

And then there is senior Sheila San Agustin with her tree box.  Another overachiever  LOL.  She found a bunch of twigs in my room that I'd collected last summer and paper mached them to the box lid, and then did a great surround with her glass shards and beads.

She put her polymer tiles on the sides along with her solder pieces.  Pretty cool tiles, huh??

And then when you take off the lid she has built dividers into her box, padded and lined the inside for a truly remarkable work.  Sheila took this piece home with her every night so she'd be able to finish on time.

Doesn't get any better then this!!!  Love these kids!