November - Van Gogh

Our first artist study begins November 9th; are you getting excited yet? This month we are going to be looking at the work of:

Vincent Van Gogh

(pronounced Van GOE)

(1853-1890)

Dutch

To prepare your student, please print out "The Starry Night" (1889, Museum of Modern Art, New York) and place it where your child will see it often. Personally, we like to frame art and place it beside the children's bathroom mirror where they can look at it while brushing their teeth. This may seem a bit irreverent, but really, where else will they have time to simply gaze at a picture several times every single day? Other options include sliding it inside the front cover of the child's favorite school binder, or posting it on the refrigerator with magnets.

Click here for a printable version

This month's activity will be to create pastel drawings which will be printed onto onesies for infants in need. You will need to bring the following supplies:

• 9"x12" Black Construction Paper - At least two sheets per person
• Oil Pastels - Broken and peeled work best (please label before arriving)
• Glue (please label before arriving)
• Q-tips - One per person
• Pencil (regular #2, not a drawing pencil) - One per person
• Recommended: Baby wipes and paper towels (for wiping fingers)
• Recommended: Wear short sleeves or bring a smock to protect clothing

Reminder: This is not a drop-off group. Parents, please come prepared to enjoy working alongside your children.

If this is your first time joining us or if you have not yet paid your registration fee, please remember to bring a check for $10 made out to New Hope Christian Fellowship. This will cover the entire year.

See you on November 9th!

Mia's Challenge - Markers

Thanks to everyone who came to our meeting on Tuesday. What fun!

I heard that Mia was looking for some more activities to do related to our class. (Love that enthusiasm!)

Here are a few things you can all try at home:

* The Master artists were talented in looking at the world in a different way. We have this ability too. When you look carefully you will be able to see things that other people don't notice. Try creating your own illusion with your markers using this simple technique.

* Art helps us to look at things in a new and surprising way. When you look at your markers it seems as if each one has only one color in it. But did you know that there are actually many colors mixed together in there? Try this experiment with a coffee filter and water to separate the colors so that you can see them more clearly.

* There are lots of other creative projects that you can make with your markers. Read through this article from Family Fun for some inspiration.

I will be sending out information in a few weeks about the next artist we will be studying. In the mean time, enjoy visiting the local art stores to get your supplies. The deadline for ordering through us is October 22nd. Just pop me an e-mail if you need to be added to the list.

Happy crafting!

Supply List

We ask that families provide their own art supplies so that children will have the opportunity to experiment at home as well as in class. Necessary supplies are intentionally kept fairly minimal. While specific brands are listed, these are suggestions only. You will want decent quality products to allow your child the most success (avoid Roseart and generic brands), but you do not need these brands specifically, and you certainly do not need to purchase expensive products.

For the 2010/2011 session, each family will need:

Prang Original Tempera Paint 3/4 oz. - 6 color set
Reeves Soft Pastels - 12 color set
Pentel Oil Pastel - 16 color set (Make sure to get “non toxic”)
Prang Black Conical Marker, Cone tip - 1 per child
Art Street Construction Paper (assorted colors) - 12”x18”
Prang Ambrite Colored Paper Chalk - 12 color set
Prang Crayons - 8 color set
Dynasty Liner Brush (pointed narrow brush w/ long hair) - 1 per child
Elmers Glue - white
Q-tip cotton swabs
Scissors - 1 per child

You may also want:

Bag large enough to hold all of your supplies
12.5x18.5” cardboard folder to protect artwork - 1 per child
(create your own with an xl cereal box)
An apron, smock, or old shirt to protect nice clothes - 1 per child
Small package of baby wipes

***Please make sure that all supplies are clearly labeled with your family’s name. Address labels work well for this purpose.

Schedule / Calendar

October 12 - Program overview - Visual exercises & line analysis.
Children will be creating a blended washable marker project that they can use as the cover of their portfolio to hold their artwork for the year.

November 9 - Vincent Van Gogh - Oil pastels, drawing with texture
Community Service: Artwork will be printed onto onesies and given to infants in need through Care Net Pregnancy Center.

December 14 - Piet Mondrian - Mondarin’s balance, Paper Collage, shape, color,
line and value
Community Service: Artwork will be made into ornaments which will be displayed on the new Bedford town common.

January 11 - Mary Cassat - Pastel strokes, color & line, cut & mounted pastels
Community Service: Artwork will be printed onto gift tags which will be attached to new socks for elderly residents of the local long term care facility.

February 8 - Pablo Picasso - Black marker and Chalk Stain, cubist composition,
Community Service: Artwork will be use to decorate boxes which will be filled with treats for the workers at the local town offices

March 8 - Winslow Homer - Value scale, Cut paper and crayon seascapes using
black & white values
Community Service: Artwork will be used as the cover art for coloring books to be delivered to the local pediatric emergency room.

April 12 - Claude Monet - Tempera impressionistic color wheels & trees
Community Service: Artwork will be made into cards that students will mail to active-duty military personnel.

May 10 - Family celebration and art show.

Basic Program Information

Welcome to SKETCH!

We are a service oriented art program open to children of any age. In our pressure-free environment, children will experiment with many different art materials, become aware of basic formal art techniques, and learn to recognize and appreciate the work of master artists. Our highest goal, however, is not simply to teach art principles, but to show children that one of the greatest joys in creating art is sharing it with others. Each project is intentionally designed as a community support effort, and copies of the children’s artwork will be used to adorn new clothes for the needy, gifts for the sick, messages to our soldiers, and more.

“As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people” ~ Gal 6:10a

During the course of this class we will be looking at the work of VanGogh, Cassatt, Mondrian, Picasso, Monet, & Homer.  The instruction part of the class comes first, and will take 20 min or so, then the kids will break out their supplies. We will have a few hands on activities to fully demonstrate the artistic principle covered in our lesson (balance, texture, etc.), and then they will be turned loose to simply create.

We meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month

from 6:30 - 8:00 PM*

at New Hope Christian Fellowship,

292 Route 101, Bedford, NH 03110

The cost for the 2010 program is $10 per family for the year, payable at time of registration. Checks may be written to “New Hope Christian Fellowship.”

Please be aware that this is not a drop-off group. We encourage parents to learn alongside their children. For the safety of the children, there will be no exceptions. The best way to encourage artistic experimentation is to model it yourself, so pull up a chair, grab a crayon, and join the fun.

We look forward to creating something special with you!