Earthscapes with The Rockwell Museum, part 2

We played with clay for the SSCL First Friday Art Club in May.  If you take a moment to read Part 1 of this Earthscapes project, you will know that this clay portion represents a topographical view of a landscape for which our dream homes will be placed.

Amy's and My Earthscape Sample

Amy Ruza from The Rockwell Museum and I met earlier in the month to make the sample you see above.  There are forests, fresh water, mountains and fields within our landscape. 

The clay is terracotta, which has a beautiful brown hue, lending itself to the Earth-like feel.

Roll out a slab and create dimension

The students were instructed to roll out a 1/4" thick slab of clay cut to the size of a sheet of paper.  Then, they placed the clay slabs over crumpled paper to give the clay dimension.  

It was required that each slab touch the table surface on two sides in order to provide

holes meant for hanging vertically on a wall.  

A river runs through it

Once the slabs were rolled out and placed on cardboard sheets for transport and holes were prodded, students had their own choices to make.  Including a fresh water source was HIGHLY encouraged.  It was fun to watch these lumps of mud transform before our eyes!

Rivers, valleys, caves, and VOLCANOES!

Land features such as rivers, valleys, caves and even VOLCANOES developed over these lands.  These adventurous artists represented their own ideas, but also shared their expertise as other students showed interest in certain elements

Let the Underglaze Begin

After the clay landscape was approved, it was time to add color with underglaze.  Blue represented water and the sample above shows a lovely winding river, accessible throughout the land.  Forests for food and exploration were a popular feature.

Each countdown made them frantic

We only have an hour and a half in First Friday Art Club and every minute is precious.  To keep students aware, I give them incremental countdowns until cleanup.  They are always so shocked and disappointed when I say we only have 20 minutes left.  "TWENTY MINUTES?! How did class fly by so quickly?!"

Countdowns make them Hustle!

As you can see, the before and after show how these kids can hustle to get the job complete.  Green grasses, white capped mountains and streams of blue covered our tables.

Fallen Tree

This student considered having a fallen tree available for fire wood when he moves his house here this summer.  The river will be a helpful form of transportation to get that tree to his home!  I'm impressed by that thought process for such a young student.

Off to the kiln

Now that the Earthscapes have been created, they must get fired in the kiln.  The Rockwell Museum has their own kiln and will provide this service.  The items will take two weeks to dry before being fired.  Many students wanted to take these home next week!  

There was a minor lesson in how ceramics get processed.

The SSC Library will exhibit these Earthscapes in July and August as part of the 

summer reading club theme, "Build a Better World."  

Accessibility to art always helps create a better world!

Thanks for visiting this month and checking on our progress.  I'll be sure to show you the Earthscapes on display, but until then, seek the First Friday Art Club blog in June to see what we make with a little help from the sun with Cyanotypes.

~erica

.

Hidden in Plain Sight with Wynn Yarrow

On May 6, the First Friday Art Club made miniature books with a special guest artist.  Wynn Yarrow is a local artist with a broad portfolio.  She is represented by the West End Gallery, located on Market Street in Corning.  Wynn came prepared with her pile of crafting supplies and took over the community room for the class.

Table O'Craft-Color-Creation

This group was very excited to have control over so many beautiful and colorful supplies.  It's refreshing to watch the creative process as a spectator rather than the instructor.  

Each budding artist ventured in their own direction, from imagery to words.  

Abstract imagery on the cover

Whether images were abstract or representational, the art came directly from the soul.  Students were thoughtful in their creations, considering that Mother's Day was pending.  Lucky moms had miniature books made just for them.

Mini Books for Mom

Some students enjoyed creating as many mini masterpieces as possible, with no intention of giving them as gifts.

Multiple Mini Books

Ribbon book marks were taken to another level and became beaded beauties.

This marker weighed more than the book!

A first time book maker created a comic book.

Comic book made before Free Comic Book Day

By the end of an hour and a half session, each of the nine students made at least 1 Hidden Treasure to be cherished in secret or shared as a gift.  These items were made into necklaces, pins, bracelets, or simple mini-books.

A productive afternoon

Wynn Yarrow will return to the Southeast Steuben County Library in October to teach three book making classes to adults.  Please check the calendar this fall or call ahead to register.

In June, young adult students will learn how to make stencils and etch glass with a liquid etching cream.  The work created from this class will be on display for the month of June to dress the library in crystal in honor of the Glass Art Society annual conference being held in our Crystal City.

See you again next month!

Clay Coil Creatures Part 2

April 1 saw Part 2 of our Clay Coil Creatures class at the Rockwell Museum.  No foolin' (wink, wink), we made creatures inspired by the collection in the gallery.  Please catch up with Part 1 to follow the progression of this project.

The pieces were bisque fired to remove all moisture and create a stone-like surface.

Bisque Baked Beauties

The time to design the surface of these beauties had arrived.  Education Programs Coordinator, Amy Ruza, led the class on glazing instructions.

She had glazed ceramic samples to show the changes in color from the jar to kiln firing.

Glaze changes drastically in the kiln.

After a short glazing tutorial, students chose their preferred colors and went to work finalizing their masterpieces.  Some had direct inspiration from the gallery.

This artist was inspired by the gallery installation

Some students were inspired by the Native American picture dictionary provided by the museum.

Replicated Native American Eagle

Some students let their heart design for them.

A Spring Bunny

The class went quickly with all of the activity, excitement and creation.

Students hard at work

The glaze dries to a dull finish, but shimmers like glass after the kiln firing.  Here are before and after shots of the projects for your enjoyment:

The Whole Lot

The image above shows the entire class project from cart to kiln.  Now let's look at some pieces a little closer.

A Charming Snake

The snake maker's sister went to the woods for this cutie pie.  Remember to slip and score very well when making clay objects.  If you do not follow this step, items will pop off!  This poor bunny's limbs were lost in the bisque fire.

Limb-less Bunny

This little girl captured my heart.

Sweet Lil' Lady

A few more pieces looked like this:

Elephants, Turtles and Teacups

These lucky participant are now able to pick up their projects and present them to their families.  Like relics from our past, these pieces are part of future archaeology.

I am proud to share this knowledge and collaborate these lessons for my students.  The process of making objects never ceases to amaze me.

Visit here again next month when we dive into the world of book making with Wynn Yarrow.

Thanks for visiting!

xoxo, erica

Mobile Sculpture

Welcome to the first blog installment of First Friday Art Club for 2016.  It's been a few months since we've had a chance to catch up on art instruction for teens at the Southeast Steuben County Library.  I'm happy to see you again!

On February 5, we discovered the world of Mobile Sculpture.  Wikipedia has a great definition of the term, which I shared with my students.  Keeping instruction short and inspiring with several sides gave each student inspiration with room to use their own artistic license. I defined the term and showed a few images I took during my recent visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Calder at The Met

Shadows are equally important in this piece

After showing a few more images from an online search of "Mobile Sculpture," I let the students free to use any and all of the various materials compiled for this program.  Aside from assistance with using hot glue guns, these results are from the hearts and minds of the students.

Triangle with layered paper

Well balance sculpture

Mobile Bling

Happy Student :)

Musical Mobile

Whovian Mobile--Tardis Included

There was a flurry of creative activity for over an hour before clean up was enforced.  The students had a great time testing out the materials and having freedom to create without forced expectations.  I love seeing their interests show in their artwork.

For March and April, we will be making ceramic creatures at The Rockwell Museum.  If you wish to register, follow this link to join us, but space is limited.  This is our first visit to The Rockwell and I am so excited to see what develops in these classes.  Stay tuned for more art!  Thanks for visiting.

Beading with Soulshine Studio

First Friday Art Club for November honored Native American Heritage Month.  I invited Ann Recotta, owner of Soulshine Studio on Market Street in Corning to lead our program with a beading project.  The sample above depicts a Thunderbird.  Ann simplified this pattern for the group and taught a new beading technique we have never tried, bead embroidery.

Foreign information--at first

Each student received a felt square with brown lines indicating the Thunderbird's wings and head.  They also got a graph with the pattern, but no one understood that at first.

Beginning the project

Giving needles and thread to these students proved to be a big deal for most, who have never sewn anything before.  There were so many facets of learning in this short program.

But having a great instructor, a clear pattern guide, and a sample gave everyone a lot more confidence.

Persistence is key

With some guidance from Ann and me, as well as persistence from the students to undo mistakes and correct their errors, projects progressed and the pattern became clear.  Some of the students worked too fast for us to go around in time with more supplies!

"These buggers keep running away from me."

Like any project, you must have interest in the process.  The difficulty is persistence and confidence to keep trying, despite mistakes and mishaps.  Threads kept fraying at the ends, but that's what happens with thread.  Beads kept running away, but that's what happens with little round objects.  Almost everyone looped their thread around the felt, creating a knotty mess, but that's what happens with beginners.

Slowly, success occurs....

By the second half of the program, everyone had several rows of beads sewn down and got very excited.  There was a buzz in the room and flurry to finish these projects before parents picked everyone up to go home.  This project ended an hour later than scheduled, but we are pleased with the results!

"This is better than my sample!!" said Ann, master beader

Once given the tools, time, and patience, each student achieved their goal and had a sweet Thunderbird embroidered tag to finalize at home with a clip to use as a zipper pull, back pack tag or decoration of some sort.  I say this was a successful endeavor.

Projects and the sample, can you tell the difference?

This concludes 2015 First Friday Art Club events.  Next month, First Friday Art Club and Teen Cooking Club combine for Make & Bake Gifts.  This program allows students to create delicious and fun gifts for their friends and family without having to spend any money.  Check in to Teen Tones for coverage of that event in mid-December.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Creating!

~erica