Tissue Collage Portfolios - Student Art

Have I told you lately how much I love my job teaching art here at Whitney High School???  Just look at the products I'm getting from my Beginning 2-D kids.  They give me so much effort in their projects, they come up with the most breathtaking designs, and they are as sweet as they can be, wanting to please me.  I am truly a lucky woman!

These pieces I'm showing off today were done in the beginning of the year as we were studying the 14 Design Elements and Principles.  I asked the kids to work each collage in one color scheme only, and then to take the two collages when they were dry, stack them on top of each other (right sides facing down), and to use a sun motif to inspire their design.  They then cut out the design shapes and alternated them as they glued them down on two different pieces of cardboard.  

The piece above was made by senior Joseph Chon.  Look close at the pix below and you can see how difficult it is to cut thru the collaged papers.  They are very thick and stiff with Mod Podge medium.  Curves are especially hard to cut .

The colorful piece above was done by  senior Joan Kim who used a warm color scheme for one collage and a cool color scheme for the other.  She will be majoring in art in the fall.  The gorgeous work below was created by senior Carolina Navor whom I've been teaching since she was in the 7th grade.  I asked the kids to bring in a special paper for their collage (I provided the tissue paper).

Look closely at Carolina's and you can see that she, like Joseph, used text as their special paper.  Plus Carolina also brought in some papers that had stamped suns already on them.

This complex beauty above was done by senior Emily He and showcases her name in the center area.  And senior Archie Ravichandran outdid herself with her very difficult but stunning and powerful piece below.

A close up of Archie's shows the difficulty level of the design she had to cut out, alternate and re-glue.  It also shows all the different kinds of text she bought in to use (some that she wrote out herself).

In the work above, senior Corrine Marcus was able to achieve both rhythm and movement within her beautiful design.  And below, senior Michelle Chang pulled off another very complicated piece.  Take a look inside her circle to see a baby growing.  Amazing and lovely pieces.  Congrats to all of you!

For EXTRA CREDIT on a multi-colored piece of paper, cut out a sun motif.  On the front side put your name and on the back side write the name of the person whose portfolio you liked the best.  Hand to me tomorrow when you walk in the door.

Xmas Lights in the Southland

Two Fridays before Xmas, when I got home from work, my hubby asked me if I had ever seen the Xmas lights at Rogers Gardens.  No!  I didn't even know they had Xmas lights or were even open in the evenings, and it's one of my all time favorite places, so off we went.  We arrived just after sundown and it was so crowded, but totally worth the drive down in traffic.

I knew they decorated the place for Xmas but I had no idea how beautiful it was lit up in the evening.  In the center of the garden they have two trains meandering thru the trees, scrubs, flowers and poinsettias.

And in the indoor greenhouses the poinsettia displays were just awesome.

But it was the decorated trees inside the Xmas shop that were spectacular.  Huge trees filled with gorgeous ornaments that you could pluck off the trees and purchase.

Did I find a few bobbles?  You bet!

They also featured Xmas artists.  These styrofoam covered trees were to die for and very expensive.

In their covered patio area Jim asked if I'd ever been to Fashion Island in Newport to see the big tree?  Nope.  He said how long have you lived in So. Cal and not seen these sites??  All my life...

...so across the street we went to Fashion Island and this is what awaited us, one of the largest real trees I've ever seen.  Truly incredible.  I can't even imagine how much time it took to decorate this beauty! 

The ornaments were huge and many.

We ended the evening with a cup of hot chocolate.  Perfect....

Happy 2012 with a Sophie Update

Princess Sophie Agrums Sposa isn't a puppy anymore.  She's almost 2 years old now, but still loves to chew. Thankfully it's only on her doggie bones.  She carries her bone from room to room, from inside to outside, and walks around with them sticking out of her mouth.  Kinda looks like she's smoking a cigar.  She definitely keeps us laughing.  ")

I also want to welcome the new followers to my blog!  So glad you have joined us.     

Happy Holidays to Everyone!

Wishing all of you a relaxing, peaceful, joyful and loving holiday season with your family and friends.   

I will be taking a 2 week break from the blog so I will see you again in the New Year.

Here are some of my favorite holiday decorations.  My handmade button wreath.  All my special Xmas cards that past students have given me.  Let's see, I see one from Jan Yeh, Mark Bayua (spelling?), and Breeana Johng.  I have them on display throughout my home/studio.

Below is a close-up of alumni Victoria Au's tiny felt ornaments and Flora Li's beaded angel that they made for me on the little Xmas tree.

All the ornaments on my tree below were either made by my children, my students, my mother, myself, or favorite artists.  Each holds a special place in my heart.

Unfortunately my tree has vanished into cyber-land and it won't come back.  I'm just not savvy enough yet to figure everything out with all the functions on this blog.  If you really want to see it chick on Xmas 2010 and know that my tree looks pretty much the same except this year it's a little smaller.  :) 

The small tree below has other cherished ornaments by artists Leslie McCabe, Judy Coats Perez, and myself. 

              

A close up 

And our sweet, lovely tree at Jimmy's place adored with many of my mother's antique bulbs, Danielle's Xmas angel at the top that she made in kindergarten, and the beautiful and colorful handmade ornaments that Julie brought me last Xmas from New York.

A very special Xmas wish to my in-laws, Bette and Vinny, in Hobe Sound Florida.  Wishing we could all be together this Xmas.  Stay well.   Jim, Danielle, Zach, Julie, Mike and I send you our love.

And Happy New Year!!!!  

Thanksgiving 2011 - My Family

I have so many things to be thankful for this year, especially now at the Holiday Season.  This Thanksgiving we were all able to celebrate together, my kids, my husband Jim and my ex, Inars.  This was a first and worked out really well.  We will be doing the same for Xmas Eve and Day, with Jim's daughter Julie and her husband Mike joining us for our reindeer games.

Of course we played several games of scrabble, all the while Dani and I where knitting away on our projects or helping out in the kitchen.

My ex did most of the cooking inside while I bar-b-qued the turkey outside in garlic, rosemary, onion and lemon juice.  It was actually one of my better birds, very moist.

I got a chance to relax and get to know my son's girlfriend Bree a little better...

But most of all, I'm most thankful for my two beautiful babies below.

Zach and Dani are the best thing I've ever done.

Follow your hearts and be happy, I'll always be there for you.

My Work - Felt Pouches

Most every year that I've taught felt embrodiered pouches to my Beginning 3-d kiddos, I make a piece right along with them so I can demonstrate the steps along the way.  The works here are some of my better ones from over the last couple of years, and are currently for sale at the Drawing Board in Yorba Linda.  

If you haven't had a chance to drop in yet, it's a really cool, eclectic mix of crafts, fine art, graphic design and photography.

Give me your feedback if you do get a chance to stop in.

Wire Pendants - Student Work

I can't seem to show you enough from my beginning 3-d kids.  These wire wrapped pendants came out so well.  I was especially impressed with how a couple of the kids used hardware parts in their work.  Junior Sara Shams did this amazing piece above.  I love how she used both the gold and silver wire in her piece as well as all those seed beds; plus the amount of time and effort it took to build this one.

I felt the most creative was this one above by junior Hannah Park, using up my garage sale hardware findings.  I'm thinking of only having the kids use the findings next year.  Thanks Hannah for your inspiration!

Below we have junior Sheila San Agustin and junior Ashley Chowdhury, both doing a wonderful job with the wire assignment.

Another of my favorites was made by senior Jerrie Rui with the shell angel below.  Very clever to add those wings Jerrie!

And junior Alice Zhang did the dream piece below.  She like Hannah incorporated some hardware findings into her work.  Love that!

For EXTRA CREDIT, find a small piece of thin wire (paper clip, grocery store twist tie, etc),and twist and bend it into a recognizable shape.  Attach a small piece of paper with your name and period so I can give you extra credit points and hand to me when you walk in the door tomorrow.  On the other side of the piece of paper write down the name of the student who made your favorite wire piece from above.

7th Grade Collage Boxes

Back to my first quarter 7th graders with their sweet and colorful collaged boxes.  This top one by Melissa Ongko was my favorite with the little tent on top and the primary color scheme.  The "Chill" box below was made by Chirag Doshi.  I really like how he put the red with the neutral black, white and grey color scheme.  It really makes his center of interest pop.

Above Jenny Diaz did this adorable kitty box.  All these boxes were made with recycled papers and Mod Podge acrylic matte medium.  An easy, inexpensive project with beautiful results.