on the stamping journey

We had a wonderful introduction to stamping last week as we talked about inspiration from nature, geometery and things they liked that inspired them! We created some very basic stamps or 'negative print images' using foam sheets and a blunt pencil to 'engrave' designs...this is a great art project idea at home. I encouraged the children to practice their 'print repeats'at home, making a pattern out of their designs!

This week, we will launch into learning how to carve our designs in rubber!
I can't wait to see what designs they come up with!

beauty

'The beautiful is in nature, and it is encountered under the most diverse forms of reality. Once it is found it belongs to art, or rather to the artist who discovers it.' Gustave Courbet
[spring is for picking dandilions after the rain]

SPRING SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS!!

HOW WONDERFULLY EXCITING!...
SPRINGTIME AND TWO FANTASTIC VENUE'S FOR SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS!!

Can't you smell it in the air...spring around the corner! Spring is all about taking a deep breath and catching jasmine on the breeze, spinning about in the fresh air and receiving the sun's kisses, dipping toes (or all of you if you are a child!) into still-icy water and squealing with delight! Mostly, just remembering to smile and enjoy...
We are working on capturing some of the wonder + delight of this magical season in our holiday art workshops and will be posting here in the coming days of colour pallette's and inspiration...

HOLIDAY CLASSES ARE ALWAYS EXTREEMELY POPULAR SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE A PLACE - WE ARE TAKING BOOKINGS NOW!
More information on times and other special details are just being finalised but I thought I would let you know in as much time as possible that we are taking bookings for these classes NOW! Please email me at melissa@guyatt.net to register your interest.
Can't wait to see you there!

I'm in love with triangles + tessellations

hmmm, maths + art...
who knew I could become addicted!
For those children who are mathematically minded, spatially aware and love puzzles - tessellations are for them! There are so many great printables online that children can design their own patterns and learn colour theory + design principles at the same time.
I played with the triangle this weekend in other ways and love the modern installation I will use in our art class tomorrow at Riverbend! This 'mini bunting' is a great way to use up fabric scraps and so easy for the children to make with only one stitch to hold!
Half the fun of an art class is the 'theatre' that comes together to inspire the children - from great literature + great artists to natural materials and creative installations!
I hope the children enjoy the classes as much as I love putting them together!

cubes cubes cubes!

My, this week has flown by...running two different classes and designing exciting new SPRING holiday workshops, I have tumbled in to this weekend almost forgetting to post our painting adventures leading up to this week's Riverbend art+books workshop.!
I am so looking forward to this workshop as we wander our way through a beautiful book, 'Why I love Australia', noticing the stunning artwork and being inspired by the poetic prose. We will discuss the art of pattern, in particular tesillations and geometric pattern.
My second child LOVED this project, being very particular and precise, she rose to the challenge of selecting complimentary and neutral colours and designing a pattern using a grid of triangles! The project requires concentration and some fine brushwork, but I think the results are STUNNING! A very modern, abstract work of art on a lovely wooden substrate!

a journey through tonal collage

'oh..what a dreamy setting for creating...but where is the pink paper + sparkles?'...

As the children sketched and chatted about their favourite insect during Monday's first workshop at Riverbend books + teahouse, they realised that they needed to use a balance of different materials, in the same warm natural tone, to create interest in their collage. A few were stumped, they encouraged one another and regailed with tales of their own insect adventures...and the following work in progress and beaming smiles is evidence to me of creativity blossoming!...

I hope to collect a few more photos of finished work - sadly I missed my opportunity at the end to snap some and several went home with extra materials to add the finishing touches! [Photo's of my wonderful students shown here are used with permission]

material delight

Oh there is something about a wild windy, rainy day and being tucked inside creating!!
There are some days when I love my job to bits!
The smell of weathered leather
The precision of cutting and punching holes
The satisfaction of gathering...especially in newly made vessels!
The delight of a little voice on the bench beside me singing 'miss polly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick....' while thrusting a toy stethoscope into said dolly's tummy!
I think I will lay these out for a little after-school test-making
ready to be stamped with unique designs, just as we will do in the Gallery Cafe stamping series commencing this Thursday afternoon...
this week we will begin with inspiration from great artists who have used linocut technique in their art, we will sketch and plan our designs...ready for our coming weeks when we carve + create...and finally stamp some beautiful leathergoods + stationery with our very own designs!
Such satisfaction in gathering...such anticipation of wonderful making!

gathering * part IV cubes

Here on the eve of commencing our Riverbend afternoon classes.....

Oh some wonderful Geometric Goodness!
Sanding smooth beautiful timber cubes, in readiness for painterly designs all inspired by geometry in art!
In our Riverbend books+art Workshop 2 - I have had to make a change and bring this class forward to next week as I had mis-calculated Fathers Day!!, we will explore the world of colour theory, learning of complimentary and contrasting colours...planning our designs in coloured pencil on paper, before transfering to our cubes with arcylics.
We will be inspired by the poetic prose and beautiful artwork of Bancroft's 'Why I love Australia' and discuss great 'Cubist' artworks and other abstract works.
These beautiful 3D works of art will make a lovely paper weight for Dad for Fathers Day!

[Thornton Willis's triangular composition, 'Alien' (2005)]

belief

'Sometimes I have believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!' Lewis Carroll

gathering * part III insect detective

With inspiration from the world of insects, collage works from the Great Henri Matisse and Eric Carle, a gathering of materials from timber+veneer+leather+fabric, a wonderfully tactile experience is coming together for our first class at Riverbend on Monday afternoon!

:: inspiration

:: layout - my children play

:: lots of glue...

:: waiting to dry!