"Hand Art"

When I was in college, I was told not to teach children "symbols" or more specifically "one way" to draw, write, or create something. They will draw, write or create this same something the same way for the rest of their lives.

SOoooooOOooooOooooo..... (years later) I was in a short workshop with some colleagues, and we were working on a sorting and graphing example to share with the whole group. The topic happened to relate to birds. I drew a rather detailed bald eagle, and a buddy teacher drew

A HAND TURKEY!

(She traced her hand and made it look like a turkey.)

(These same teachers have tried to do other hand animals as well.)

Of course I enthusiastically explained why this HAND TURKEY was a problem, but my frantics only encouraged them...


Presently, one of these teachers and I are good buddies and enjoy having fun with her class. We keep a "running" joke with her class from surprises to funny quotes, etc. I decided to take this joke over the top, revive the hand turkey discussion, and write up a "decree:"

"Hear ye, hear ye. This decree goes out through all the land. Anyone caught making or possessing such named hand art will be banished from the kingdom. Signed, The Queen."

Even though this decree was presented at the end of the day and the end of this teacher's art class time, the decree was ignored. (Typical!) On planning day, my buddy teacher and a colleague drew a hand turkey on my classroom door window.

Now, I suppose I need to find a way to banish them!

Interesting Quote from An Art Student

Setting: First Grade Art Class

Topic: Mask-making

Discussion: Functional versus Decorative Objects

Question: What are some of the many uses of masks?

Media: Microsoft Word Date: March 18, 2009

Student: "Halloween"
Student: "Costumes"
Student: "For Scaring People"
Student: "Dress Up"
Student: "Dressing like a character in a play"
Teacher: "As we discussed while observing the Mexican Jaguar Mask example, some cultures use masks in dances."
Student: "Just for Fun"
Student: "To get Money from a Bank"

HHHhhhmmmmmmHhhhhmmmmm???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Teacher Thought: What? Wait... huh?

Teacher: That is a BAD use for a mask.

Photography on Duke University Campus

Title: "Thought Processes"
Medium: Digital Color Photography

Date: March 15, 2009

Title: "Geometric Study"
Medium: Color Digital Photography
Date: March 15, 2009

Click here to check out my travel blog, Trips and Treks, and see more of my photography around the Duke University Campus.

What does Doodling Mean?

This is an interesting news report on "doodling." I doodled quite a bit in high school in the margins of my papers and would sometimes turn in informal assignments with the doodling in the margins. Now, sometimes I doodle on a separate sheet of paper in meetings. I often doodle when on the phone as well. Doodling for me just happens while I am thinking about something else. When my doodling changes over to art, I start thinking about what I am drawing and organizing the page.

Embedded video from CNN Video

More "White" Photography

Taking photos yesterday, while it was still snowing, sleeting, and raining, was a bit difficult, especially in protecting my camera and lens. I snapped a few more shots today and will possibly use a few as inspirations for a painting or drawing.

"White" Photography

Capturing compositions in nature....

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This reminds me of a colored pencil drawing.

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Experimenting with contrast and cropping...