art edventures

Pay it Forward 2012!

2012-02-13T17:28:00.000-08:00

the fun begins

Do you like to receive cool handmade gifts? Do you like to give handmade gifts and bring joy through those gifts? Do you want to join a project and BRING JOY EXPONENTIALLY through handmade gifts?

PAY IT FORWARD 2012

This project stems from a Facebook challenge that a blogger participated in last year, in which she received one handmade gift from one person and in turn "paid it forward" by giving five handmade gifts to five people (and those five people were to each give to five people, growing the project exponentially and indefinitely).

Here's an adaptation of the project, to be carried through, by threes, via the blog world.

If you would like to participate, please leave a comment below.

The first three people to respond and show commitment

to the project will receive a handmade gift from me!!!

Post this project on your own blog--feel free to cut n' paste.

Gather three new participants and be willing / prepared

to follow through with the "Pay It Forward" part!!!

Please link back to this original post:

("JOIN THE FUN! Pay It Foward 2012 ")

and I, in turn, will include a link to your post

so that we can follow the project from its origin.

I will give you a (small, simple, heartfelt) handmade gift.

Make sure to email me your full name and address.

In turn, give (small, simple, heartfelt) handmade gifts

to your participants, and let the joy grow exponentially!!!

(please only enter under one blog... give more than you receive!)

******

My participants and their "Pay It Forward" blog links:

(None yet- be the first!)

Art Educators and Assessment

2012-02-12T15:51:00.000-08:00

http://theartofed.com/2012/01/12/introducing-aoe-ebooks-free-download/

This site has a free download and you can purchase the assessment book for $9. Looks great! As we move towards more and more statewide assessment, this might become useful.

Photography Module 2

2012-02-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

Composition

Composition on Prezi

1. Watch the Prezi above on Composition.

2. Look at the sites below and answer the following questions in your journal:
                 What are the rules of composition?
                 What are some ways to find fresh angles to shoot from?
                 Why is the focal point important?
                 What are 6 ways to enhance the focal point in an image?
                 What are the four main rules of composition?
                 Why would you want to break the rules of photography?

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/digital-photography-composition-tips

http://www.johnharveyphoto.com/LearnComposition/

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/photography-the-rules-of-composition/

3. Look carefully at Self-Portrait with Newsboy by Lewis Wickes Hine, then answer the following questions in your journal using vocabulary you have learned about composition.
What is the subject of this photograph?
What is the photographer’s vantage point?
How did the photographer frame the photograph?
When did the photographer decide to make the photograph (take the picture)?
What is the source of light in this photograph?
What elements do you pay attention to when you are planning to make a photograph (take a picture)?

Self-Portrait with Newsboy, Lewis Wickes Hine, 1908

4. Collect five examples of composition from magazines and put them in your journal. Explain HOW the photo shows this type of composition. Make sure to include the title of each type of composition (framing, leading line, etc.) Be neat and use good craftsmanship.

5. Take 10-20 photographs using some of the composition tips you have learned. Print them out and put them in your journal OR put them on some slides in your e-portfolio.

AP Studio

2012-02-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

Please click here to download the AP Studio examples Powerpoint.

College Board: AP Central- Studio Art

AP Studio Arts classes grow in popularity.

AP Studio Art- A Teacher's Website with great links.

And another!

Mona Lisa's Twin

2012-02-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

Check this fascinating story out!

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/02/146288063/painting-sheds-new-light-on-the-mona-lisa

"The original Mona Lisa in the Louvre is difficult to see — it's covered with layers of varnish, which has darkened over the decades and the centuries, and even cracked," Bailey says. "What is wonderful about the copy is how vivid it is, and you see Lisa in a quite different light. I thought her eyes are enticing. And you see her enigmatic smile in a way that you don't quite get in the original." Martin Bailey, correspondent with The Art Newspaper in London.

This is what I love about the study of art history. It is a continually changing and fluid occupation, as are many others where new discoveries casts new light on current theories, thoughts and interpretations. The iconography (interpretation, symbolism, meaning of a work of art) can change dramatically with the discovery of a long lost letter or some notes in a sketchbook. The word iconography comes from the Greek εἰκών ("image") and γράφειν ("to write").

There is a field known as 'art forensics' which has led to some other exciting revelations and discoveries. This story from Time Entertainment explains how a 500 year old fingerprint led to a discovery of a new Leonardo.

Rembrandt's "Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenhurch" was formerly known as simply the "Nightwatch" before it underwent a drastic cleaning. When I took AP Art History in high school, the painting had two central figures who were conversing in the middle of what was thought to be a long 'watch' over something(?) at night. After the extensive cleaning, about 16 other figures were revealed under the grime that had accumulated over the years. The painting was promptly renamed the "Day Watch" until further investigation revealed that it was a portrait of a company moving out under the direction of said Captain. Now one of the world's most well-known paintings, it is colossal at 10' by 14'. It employs a wonderful use of chiaroscuro (light and dark) to catch your attention and to spotlight the primary figures. There is also a sense of motion in a portrait that could otherwise be quite staid and still. The Google Art Project site allows you to zoom in on this painting so that you can be closer than you could ever be in real life: you can see the brush strokes of the inner eye and get up close and personal with the craquelure! (I love that word!)

Other recent major discoveries in archaeology have cast new light on the Romans that could lead historians to "rewrite the history of the Romans in Britain" Click here to read more.

Do you want to know what the top 10 archaeological finds in 2011 were? Check it out here. Exciting stuff! Read on to learn about the world's oldest building, domesticated dogs, and a 1000 year old buried viking and more.

Art history is by no means a boring, stuffy profession where grey-haired old farts sit around in musty libraries and write dreary studies of matters of little interest to anyone. Ok, I am sure plenty of that does happen, but enough of the exciting substantial research and discovery is really happening every day to ensure continuous education, clarification, and rewriting of the art history books. What thrills me as a teacher is when I can say "I USED to tell students this....., but now researchers have discovered that it means this..." I love being able to show my students that as a teacher I certainly don't claim to stand in front of them with all of the knowledge and all of the answers. Many times, we discover new things together.

It's SO EXCITING!

Blog Collection- Inspiration!

2012-02-01T20:38:00.000-08:00

http://gonnabebeautiful1day.tumblr.com/

Figure Drawing

2012-01-25T19:18:00.000-08:00

Figure Drawing Examples

View more presentations from Frank Curkovic

Photography Module 1

2012-01-25T18:56:00.000-08:00

Module ONE: Read about the history of photography in the following assignments. Take notes and be prepared to present (at least) two finished journal pages with your reactions to your readings.

(See below)

1. Read about the Camera Obscura here:

http://brightbytes.com/cosite/what.html

2. Click here to read about a camera obscura in North Carolina!

3. Read about the history of photography here:

http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventions/a/stilphotography.htm

4. Read about the Cartes de Visite:
http://www.photographymuseum.com/histsw.htm

5. Read more about the history of photography.
http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/image-collection/#/history_of_photography/

6. Create two pages in your journal which reflect the notes that you took, and the facts and vocabulary that you learned. Include a personal reflection on what you most enjoyed learning about and which development in the history of photography you think is the most important!

7. Begin your photography portfolio. Your first section should be labeled "Pre-Assessment." Select no more than five images that best represent where you are now as a photographer.

8. Journal Entry: What do you hope to accomplish in this class? What do you hope to learn about? What do you want to get better at? Answer the questions as completely as you can and then list several technical aspects of working with a camera that you would also like to work on.

Ready, Set, Doodle!

2012-01-25T15:19:00.000-08:00

Have your children or students doodle their way to a college scholarship and a technology grant for their school!

At Google, we believe in dreaming big. This year, we encourage kids to do the same as they put their creative twist on our logo with the theme, “If I could travel in time, I’d visit...” Since you registered last year, we wanted to make sure you and your children don’t miss out on the fun this time around.

As always, Doodle 4 Google invites K-12 students to express a theme as creatively as possible using Google’s logo as their canvas. The fifty State Winners will win an all-expense-paid trip to our New York City office. This year’s winner, along with having his or her doodle featured on our homepage, will take home a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for their school. And as an added bonus, the winning Doodle will be featured on a special edition of Crayola’s 64 box!

We hope you’ll get everyone in on the fun (but please – just one doodle per child!). All submissions must be postmarked by March 20th and received by March 23rd so there’s not a moment to wait! Check out www.google.com/doodle4google for more details.
And beyond that – ready, set, doodle!

ALSO! Be sure to check out the NC Museum of Art blog where you can have a chance to: Submit your own artwork, 2-D or video, and your work may be showcased in image slams, publications and a teen exhibition. Find out more here!
http://teens-inspired.org/

"Glass" Sculptures

2012-01-22T10:04:00.000-08:00


Original inspiration for my project!


Vitamin Water bottle recycled!

I recently discovered "Pinterest" and think it is exactly like Facebook, both a wonderful invention and a huge waste of time. I see lots of great ideas that I save, or "pin" for another day- that will probably never come. It's almost exactly like when I go to a craft show or shopping with my best friend Angela. We see things that we could make on our own, and we confidently take notes, snap pictures, and discuss the media, the process, technique, and then walk off feeling quite pleased with ourselves that we can make the same thing, for a lot less. Of course you can guess what happens! We never do make the piece of jewelry/recycled bottle top earrings/funky painting or whatever it was we saw that caught our interest.

Dale Chihuly at Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew

The other day I saw a really exciting idea for using recycled water bottles and making some really cool art out of them. I have been a huge fan of Dale Chihuly for years, and the picture I saw was actually very exciting and looked a lot like his glass sculptures, not some kitschy/crafty project that looked like a pre-school craft gone badly wrong.

I saw the picture on Pinterest, but it is from a blog called "Share and Remember" (http://shareandremember.blogspot.com/2011/04/plastic-bead-mosaic.html). I thought it was very interesting that the only things that were needed were Sharpie markers and a heat gun, and of course a way to cut the bottle.

I thought I would give it a go yesterday. It took less than half an hour, which is great for someone like me who needs instant gratification! (I could never get into stippling, I just don't have that kind of patience!) I was very excited about the possibilities of how this could transfer into the classroom.

Emily's great concoction

I wonder what large two liter bottles would look like cut up and transformed. My art teacher friend Emily saw my post and

cut up a large two liter bottle and posted the picture (left).

I can't wait to do this with my students. I think huge pieces would make a great visual impact. I may even change around the units I already have planned so I can do this earlier. (I told you I was impatient.)

Chihuly at Kew, 2006

Dale Chihuly's website (http://www.chihuly.com/) has more on his artworks, exhibitions, and installations. If you have ever been to the Bellagio in Vegas you have seen a Chihuly!

On the day that I saw the Chihuly exhibit at Kew Gardens I was in the middle of an EF tour with students in London. We had a few hours free time, and told the students we would meet them at a certain time, and not to be late. My friend Angela (of afore-mentioned shop-and-gloat experiences) and one of my art students, Nicole, raced to the nearest train out to Kew, in the suburbs of London. The website for the
exhibit said that "Gardens of Glass: Chihuly at Kew was the
first exhibition of its kind to be held in Europe, with its
spectacular sequence of organically shaped and glass
sculptures set throughout Kew’s 300-acres garden landscape
and inside its glasshouses. The exhibition was specifically

Chihuly at Kew, 2006

designed to respond to Kew’s living collections, landscape,
architecture and vistas and the visitors' experience altered
dramatically from day to night and from season to season."
(http://www.kew.org/chihuly/index.html)

We literally raced around the huge gardens, trying to see
all of the pieces that were placed around the gardens.
Without a doubt, our favorite were the huge pieces placed
in boats on a pond, and the loose pieces that were left to bob

Chihuly's "Sun"

around on their own, at the mercy of the wind and water. It
was one of my favorite exhibits to this day that I have been
to. Of course the fact that I was sharing it with Angela
made it even more enjoyable.

We made it back to London to meet the students, we were only a few minutes late. They had all been shopping and were excited about their purchases. We were thrilled about our amazing morning, (I still remember that morning with great fondness) and I have had a love affair with Chihuly and his glass ever since! I'll post pictures of the sculptures once we are done with them.

See interviews with Chihuly here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Light!

2012-01-20T19:53:00.000-08:00

I love light and color! I took Alec to soccer practice last week and walked a minute over to the river. The herons were all feeding in the fading daylight, it was so incredibly beautiful! I was really wishing my Dad could have seen it, he would have loved it. There must have been about thirty or so birds, all dive-bombing the water in their search for dinner.

This little putt-putt boat slowly appeared and I loved the silhouette it created. I only had my iPhone with me, but I think it did an OK job here!

This is a street in Norwich, in England. It was just before Christmas and we'd had a drizzly day. As the sun went down and the lights came on the pavement began glowing with reflections.

When I took the photo I was thinking of one of my (many) favorite paintings, Paris Street Rainy Day by Gustave Caillebotte.

Evening sky over parking lot in Jacksonville!

I have been neglecting my blog for the last 6 months and have decided to continue updating it with my musings, links and random stuff!

Thanks for stopping by!

2011-06-29T10:47:00.001-07:00

I saw the group off this morning, and asked someone to text me as soon as they got in to the US. Hopefully they have made it made it ok!

I will post a few more pictures but I am sure you'll be seeing lots in the next few days. Thank you for entrusting your wonderful children with me, they were lovely! Here's to the next Grand Adventure!

Sara

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Location:The End....

Made it to London!

2011-06-28T11:49:00.001-07:00

We got to London last night after seeing Stratford and Oxford yesterday. Rainy day in London!

Everyone is shopped out, and I think they are ready to go home! More later!

Sara

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We made it to Wales!

2011-06-26T13:26:00.001-07:00

We took the ferry from Dublin to N. Wales today. I am coming down with a cough....and spent a lot of the day sleeping on ferry and bus! I didn't get caught up like I said I would, sorry! Hopefully I can write some on the bus tomorrow. We are off to Stratford and Oxford tomorrow.

The kids are excited about our arrival in London tomorrow night!

I hope none of you are too adversely affected by the smoke that we have been reading about!

Best,

Sara

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Location:Holywell,United Kingdom

Playing cards on the ferry

2011-06-26T13:13:00.001-07:00

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Location:On the Ulysses ferry!

Failte

2011-06-26T13:11:00.001-07:00

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Location:Leaving Ireland

Beaumarais Castle

2011-06-26T13:08:00.001-07:00

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Location:Wales

Wales!

2011-06-26T13:07:00.001-07:00

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Location:Holywell,United Kingdom

Pooped!

2011-06-25T12:18:00.001-07:00

Dublin!! Briefly, bus tour of Dublin; St. Patricks; Book of Kells; Phoenix Park; lunch; Archaeolgical Museum; Art Museum; Irish Stew at a pub, shopping.... = too pooped for details. We're off to Wales tomorrow on the ferry, so I'll catch up then! We had a GREAT day, and I am SOOOO proud of these kids! We are having a wonderful time and it was warm and sunny today! Life is good. Talk to you later.

Sara

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Blarney Castle

2011-06-24T15:19:00.001-07:00

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Location:Blarney, Ireland

Dinner at thePortobello Pub

2011-06-24T15:17:00.001-07:00

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Location:Dublin

The view from the 'ladies view'

2011-06-24T15:15:00.001-07:00

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Location:Ireland

Rain....and a wet Blarney Stone!

2011-06-24T14:33:00.001-07:00

Friday

It's a very wet, drizzly day today! It's been raining ALL day so it's a good thing we are on the bus most of the day. We left the hotel at about 8:45 this morning and had a two hour drive to Blarney Castle. The kids were excited about kissing the Blarney Stone. They didn't realize they had to lie on their backs (in the open ramparts at the top of the castle-still raining!) and lean over, tip their faces back, grasp the two bars and kiss away. The Stone of Eloquence ensures that you will have the gift of gab! (i think most of them had it already! Lol!). Cameron had a fun time exploring the dungeon.

Near the castle was the Blarney Woollen Mill. We had a lovely lunch inside the old mill then had some time for shopping. The rain was cold, drizzly and miserable, and I'm so thankful we did the Ring of Kerry yesterday when it was sunny!

We just stopped at the Rock of Cashil for a break and photo op. We will be on the bus another few hours, then we will arrive in Dublin late this afternoon. I'm trying to get us tickets to the King Tutankhamen exhibit for tomorrow- it's on in Dublin and all the kids want to go see it. Tomorrow we will also see St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Book of Kells and have a tour of Dublin. Then the next day it's on to the ferry and over to Holyhead, Wales.

Margaret is our tour director and she is very efficient, funny, and has some great stories to tell.

Hopefully I'll have better luck with internet tonight and can post this and yesterdays, and post some pics!!

Later-

Sara

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Land of Legends, Myths, Faeries and SHEEP!

2011-06-23T12:52:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful day today! After breakfast we went on the "jaunting cars" which are horse and carriage rides. We went through the lovely Killarney National Park and saw deer, incredible mountain views and the 6th century Ross Castle, where we stopped to take pictures by the lake. Our horse was called Napoleon (Bonaparte not Dynamite!) Many of the kids said that was their best part of the day!

Then we went upon the Ring of Kerry And stopped at a Bog Museum, had lots of great photo op stops, and drove through the mountains; seeing lots of sheep, cows, celtic hillforts, and stunning water views. We loved seeing the leprauchaun crossing sign, and hearing the story of the fairy trees. The kids really enjoyed it, although it WAS cold!

We were back for a 6:30 dinner and now the kids have all gone in with the other kids in the group to an Irish music singalong.

This is really a sorry accounting of the day, but I am exhausted and the Internet is really spotty. Tomorrow we leave Killarney and head to Dublin by way of the Blarney Castle.

I hope all is well at home. We are NOT missing the hot weather! It's not cold cold but can be chilly at times!

Take care-

Sara

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Location:Killarney, Ireland

Top Of the Evening To You!

2011-06-22T14:26:00.001-07:00

10:05pm

We made it into Shannon with little to no fuss - most of us were sleeping. We were met by the EF bus driver who brought us from Shannon to Killarney in about 2 and a half hours. Beautiful stunning vistas and huge puffy clouds, rolling green hills and beautiful scenery.....and some great stories from Newton the bus driver.

We arrived at our REALLY nice hotel at 7:15. Dinner was at 7:30. Delicious- squash soup, chicken and mashed potatoes and veggies, folowed by chocolate profiteroles. Mmmmmmmm.

After dinner we had a group leader meeting, and discovered that the Windsor Castle tour may not go, there weren't enough signed up. We are going to see some live Irish music tomorrow night. GUESS who is in Dublin for a stay???? That's right! KING TUT and all his treasures! Actually, not king tut, just his treasures.....but still, that's amaaaaazing! We are very excited! We may also get to see a show in London.

The kids are playing cards again. It's 10 pm and I am fading fast. My phone is not getting service for some reason. I'll try and work on that tomorrow!

The grand finale is..... We saw a RAINBOW over the green hills while on the bus! I told Cameron to jump out and catch the leprachauns....but for some reason he stayed put.

Ring of Kerry tomorrow- beautiful mountain scenery and water!! Now- SLEEP!

Sara

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Location:Killarney, Ireland

Here we go, here we go, here we go!

2011-06-22T05:30:00.001-07:00

2:35am. On the plane. Somewhere over the pond.

I still haven't slept. I love Virgin Airlines but hate flying at night. Especially when there is a door right next to me, with a staircase leading down. Flight attendants were going up and down all night- and of course the door doesn't shut quietly! Off to the side somewhere was a Russian lady chattering away for a looooong, loud time. I finally asked her nicely to be quiet. It's so hard for me to sleep sitting up. I hope the kids did well. Cameron, me and Tracy ended up 20 rows in front of the group. The kids are all together. Soooo, rough night sleeping through the longest day of the year, BUT we did get a cool goody bag, with a pen, night mask, socks, and toothbrush/toothpaste. Also, when the flight attendant asked for lights to be turned off for takeoff, she said "cabin crew, lights to 'romantic'"- !!!! That was worth the price of admission! Also on the brighter side- we're landing in less than an hour. ENGLAND!!! <3

HEATHROW AIRPORT

We made it from terminal 3 to terminal 1, did the customs thing and then ate. The kids are now playing cards on the floor. They are being so sweet and including Cameron, which ofcourse he loves! we are heading over to our gate to board the flight for Shannon. I think most of us will be out very soon on that floght, we are dragging! Dr. Miller says she's still alive after being searched at Newark!

Everyone's fine......I just asked them all if anyone had any special messages and they all sort of grunted and went back to this noisy card game in the middle of Heathrow! Good sign, they aren't homesick yet! Cameron says to tell Daddy Sara N was feeding him icecream at lunch. Didn't even have to wait until Friday.....

Ok that's it for now...it might be a while before I write again. Oh.....Alexis just said to " tell my mommy I said hi!"

Talk to you later......

Sara

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Location:Cranwell Rd,,United Kingdom

2011-06-22T01:47:00.001-07:00

Made it safely to Heathrow! More later! Kids are GREAT! ;)

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Newark!

2011-06-21T16:17:00.001-07:00

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Location:Express Rd,Newark,United States

The Adventure Begins!

2011-06-21T16:02:00.001-07:00

Monday June 21st 2011

We are just about packed! Cameron is in the shower, I am finishing up throwing the small things in the bags. I'll be meeting everyone at RDU tomorrow at 12:30. We fly to Newark, then will wait for the Virgin Atlantic flight at 9:20pm. The weather here in NC is in the 90's, and feels like the 100's. The weather in Ireland right now is in the 60's! What a drastic change. I am very excited about driving the ring of Kerry again and being in Killarney. I always enjoy seeing the reactions of the people I travel with.

Tuesday June 22nd

We have arrived in Newark after an uneventful ride from Raleigh. It was a bit bumpy which Cameron loved! We were spread out all over the plane, but most were near someone or sitting by someone. We got to Newark and took the train to Terminal B, grabbed something to eat in the food court, and are now sitting at Gate 55 waiting for our Virgin flight, which departs at 9:20. The girls are all playing cards on the floor, it's great seeing them all get along! Sean is jamming to music....Jayne is journaling, and Tracy is relaxing. We are READY!!! After the week long tour of Ireland, Wales and England, Cameron and I will be heading to East Anglia to see my Mum and Dad.....woo-hoo!!

I'll post some pics from my phone and then I'll post from Heathrow when we've landed!

Sara

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Location:Express Rd,Newark,United States

Painting Links

2011-04-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/optg/hd_optg.htm
Painting in Oil in the Low Countries and Its Spread to Southern Europe

Drawing and Painting Using a Grid

2011-04-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

http://drawsketch.about.com/cs/mechanicalaids/a/grid_drawing.htm
Drawing Using a Grid

Why Portrait Drawing Using a Grid is the Best Practice?
http://photoportraitpainting.com/why-portrait-drawing-using-grid-lines-is-the-best-practice/

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/optg/hd_optg.htm
Painting in Oil in the Low Countries

NHS Art Video

2011-03-26T20:08:00.001-07:00

I was searching for some photos a while ago and discovered that I had an odd collection of old photo's that hadn't been sorted. Many I hadn't seen in a while, so I decided to throw them all together in a quick video. I posted it on Facebook in my Art Edventures group. Here are some of the comments from former students..... hope you enjoy.... here's to the next ten years. If I last that long.

*Alycia Kniskern It was so sweet and I teared up a tiny bit...I loved it
*Kyle Puff goodness a lot of that stuff seems so longggggg ago haha
*Brittany Fantau fantastic, beautiful, amazing.
:)
*Bethany Fulford Ahhhhh I'm gonna cryyyy! I want some of those pictures! haha
*Sarah Bayless Aw this was really sweet! So many memorieeees! I can't believe that picture of me with the looooooong RED hair :D
*Justin Mitchell AWESOoOoME! Too many great memories lol. I'm glad I got to see even more great work from my peers and past and present students :]
Thanks Mrs Gant ♥
*Chanel Lee Man....I had tears!!! But I LOVED IT!
*Chris Thomas The fine arts department at NHS is a grand tradition in the making; and I'm so proud to have played a part in it.

Rick Steves Travel Philosophy

2011-03-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

My thoughts, exactly.

www.ricksteves.com (Used with permission.)

Travel is freedom... one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Travel is intensified living, with maximum thrills per minute. It's recess, and we need it. Experiencing the real Europe requires catching it by surprise, going casual... Through the Back Door.

Affording travel is a matter of priorities. (Make do with the old sofa.) You can travel simply, safely, and comfortably anywhere in Europe for $100 a day plus transportation costs. In many ways, spending more money only builds a thicker wall between you and what you came to see. Europe is a cultural carnival, and time after time, you'll find that its best acts are free and the best seats are the cheap ones.

A tight budget forces you to travel close to the ground, meeting and communicating with the people. Never sacrifice sleep, nutrition, safety, or cleanliness in the name of budget. Simply enjoy the local-style alternatives to expensive hotels and restaurants.

Extroverts have more fun. If your trip is low on magic moments, kick yourself and make things happen. If you don't enjoy a place, maybe you don't know enough about it. Seek the truth. Recognize tourist traps. Give a culture the benefit of your open mind. See things as different but not better or worse. Any culture has much to share.

Of course, travel, like the world, is a series of hills and valleys. Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something's not to your liking, change your liking. Travel is addicting. It can make you a happier American, as well as a citizen of the world.

Our Earth is home to nearly 6 billion equally important people. It's humbling to travel and find that people don't envy Americans. Europeans like us, but with all due respect, they wouldn't trade passports.

Globetrotting destroys ethnocentricity. It helps you understand and appreciate different cultures. Travel changes people. It broadens perspectives and teaches new ways to measure quality of life. Many travelers toss aside their hometown blinders. Their prized souvenirs are the strands of different cultures they decide to knit into their own character. The world is a cultural yarn shop. Back Door Travelers are weaving the ultimate tapestry.

Join in!

–Rick Steves

Used with permission from Rick Steves, www.ricksteves.com

Adult Travelers!

2010-10-15T18:18:00.001-07:00

If you are an adult considering traveling on a tour, you already realize that this trip is great value for money. I wrote the following after a particularly whiny and trying trip with a very picky and inflexible traveler:

*Meal portions in Europe are smaller than they are here. Breakfast will consist of bread rolls or toast, jelly and juice and coffee. Soda, tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages are not included with dinner. You will be expected to pay if you desire this. Water is available at every meal and is safe to drink. Lunch may be as high as $15-$20 for a simple meal.

*Your hotel room may be much smaller than you are used to. The hotel may be old and worn. The hotel industry in Europe is older (sometimes centuries!) and is NOT the equivalent of the American industry. Many hotels do not have AC or elevators. You may have to climb several flights of stairs to reach your room. While comfortable, the European hotels are not as large or modern as American hotels. Please be aware that the walls are also older and thinner and not entirely soundproof. Please be quiet in the hallways and not overly loud when in your room. Be aware that you are sharing space with others.

*You may be expected to share a hotel room with participants from another group. If you are an adult you may be paired with adults from our group or another group traveling with us. Adult rooms can not be changed when on tour. Adults can pay extra to have a room to your self. Every room does have its own bathroom.

*You will be expected to be in good physical shape! You should be able to withstand hot and cold temperatures, walking/climbing stairs and hills in hot or cold temperatures with mild to medium exertion. You should be ready to be on the go from early morning to late at night (and be ready to take in huge amounts of exciting art, history, and cultural learning!)

*Big cities do pose some dangers. The biggest that you need to worry about is pickpockets. You may also encounter people trying to forcefully sell you souvenirs. There are a lot of scam artists on the streets! Be alert. Hold your bag close to your body when in large crowds.

*At one point, you will be tired, cranky, your feet will hurt, your whole body may hurt, you may be desperate for a bottle of water. (Maybe all of these at the same time!) Bring comfortable walking shoes!

*This is a STUDENT trip. Everything is geared towards students. If you are an adult along for the ride, you will also experience the same great value for money, and will be expected to stay with the group except for free time. You will NOT be expected to chaperone students.

*Be prepared for lots of waiting. You may have one to three layovers in airports, some with hours to wait. (EF books airline seats in bulk, so we will receive the seats that are available for our route. This may mean we have to pass through a specific airport or have several layovers.) We may have to wait at the airport for another group that we will be traveling with.

*If you sign up to go on this trip, it is assumed that you are seeking to experience cultural differences, new adventures and different customs, foods and habits. You will be outside of your comfort zone. Please realize that people who are faced with the unknown, unfamiliar or something out of their control can get overly aggressive or grouchy. Travel moments can be frustrating and trying. Please think about how you will react when you are faced with some difficult situations, food you may not like, a hotel room you may not feel comfortable in, or delays that you have no control over. Nobody wants to travel with someone who whines all the time.

If none of this bothers you- then you are ready for adventure!

Please plan on being open-minded, not openly rude; polite and grateful, not rude and thankless; think safety but don’t be scared; and be open to new ways of doing, thinking and acting. We will be exploring a different country with different customs, a different language, a much older history, and different food. Different can be good for you!

Exploring these differences will help you see beyond the borders of the US, will help you understand global connections and nuances; and will help you to become a global citizen who is aware, tolerant, and open-minded.

WELCOME TO OUR GRAND ADVENTURE!

Back to School= A Blank Piece of Paper!

2010-08-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to a new school year everyone! I love the time of year when brand new sketchbooks are available and new pens, pencils and supplies (and sales) are everywhere! I even love the SMELL of said supplies. When I was younger and my parents would go into a bank in England I would grab lots of the colored blank deposit slips with built in carbon pages. My Dad would bring home old stamps from the office. My sister and I would use these supplies to play "office" for ages- stamping the forms and writing and playing.....such fun! Nowadays I go in to Staples or Office Max, Target or Wal-mart and practically salivate at the over-abundance of supplies.

White paper and new books has always signaled new beginnings to me. I start my new visual journals in January only because I can then write the year on the side. (I know..a bit OCD...don't ask.) Everything else in my life starts over when school starts again. In Belgium, growing up, it was called the "Rentree des classes" (back to school!). One of my FAVORITE things to do was to choose my "Journal de Classe" which was basically a homework agenda. It was cool to fold each page over when you were done with it so you could easily find the next page. I guess my love affair with paper started a long time ago!

New beginnings this year include a daughter who has moved into her first apartment, a son who is entering high school and a son entering 2nd grade. As for me- I am starting my 21st year of teaching art! It only counts on the books as the 19th though so I still have about 12 to go before retirement! I do still love doing this though- from my Coastal students to my high school students (on and off line!) I enjoy sharing my love of art with them.

I am also working hard on my blog to fill it with my favorite links and pages, so when someone asks about the trip to Greece next summer, I can say "look on my blog!" Links- look on my blog! Current events in the art world- hopefully,... on my blog!

I have also set a goal to walk/run a 5k with my best friend in September. Hopefully the health benefits of this training will give me more energy to keep up with the new soccer seasons that both boys are about to embark on!

Life is good. I hope we all have a wonderfully exciting year, full of discovery, learning, creativity and imagination!

NHS FALL SEMESTER students please click here: Click for information form.

CCCC students please click on the form in the Icebreaker information in the Getting Started folder. Thanks!

50 Ways to Use Wordle in the Classroom

2010-08-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE for 50 ways to use Wordle in the classroom!

Hello, my name is Sara, and I am addicted to technology.......

2010-08-06T20:32:00.000-07:00

The good news is....I don't want to be cured!

Check it out- Technology in the classroom is not a new idea!

I attended a three day online symposium this week that was offered through the NC Virtual Public School. It was both overwhelming and tremendously exciting- overwhelming because I want to be able to absorb everything and put into practice as much as I can, but there is a LOT of it! It is exciting because I am so very interested in learning about all of the new technologies that NCVPS is putting into practice. Sometimes I wish the f2f schools moved as fast, but understand that when you are dealing with huge budgets and staffs and other constraints sometimes it is hard to keep up. I do think Onslow County Schools does a great job with keeping up with technology...OCS and NCVPS are moving at lightning speed!

Today I am going to share some of the great sites and tools I learned about with you....and if anyone is actually reading this and wants to participate, I would love for you to join in and voice some ideas. (See below.)

Tomorrow, I am going to send all of my family members a simultaneous call using DialMyCalls.com. This will be my first practice all using a "blast" that will reach them all at the time that I designate. (7am? Haha... just kidding!) You have all seen this with the calls that the schools make to reach lots of people at one time. Did you know that YOU can do it, for free?

My family members will all receive a recorded message from me that is less than 30 seconds. This is a great way to reach all of my online students, parents and DLA's that I must contact on a weekly basis. I can touch base with them and let them know what deadlines are coming up. I can even use this with my f2f students at Northside.

In the first week of school I can have students create Wordles that we can post online or on a bulletin board. I have played with this great tool many times (my online Coastal Art Appreciation students do one and love it! They often share it with their children if they have kids....) I am going to use it more with my f2f students.

Some other sites that I have yet to explore include Voicethread, sharing safe, educational YouTube videos in a safe environment at schools which block YouTube at SafeshareTv, , creating a quick poll at PollEverywhere.com and others which include jzip, wallwisher, quizlet, grooveshark and google voice. I can't wait to go exploring and plan for incorporating many of these in my online and f2f classrooms.

One thing I have done is re-open my Twitter.com/saragant account! I had one over a year ago, and just didn't use it- I was thinking about it in a more personal sense. I didn't even think about it in a professional sense. So- now I follow Shu, one of the technology guru teachers at NCVPS, and I follow other professional organizations and people that influence how I work and interact with others- and learn! Of course the personal links are important too! Richard is one of my oldest and dearest friends from when I grew up in Belgium- we went to school together from Kindergarten to 12th grade! Now I am following him, too, on Twitter. I can also send a tweet out to all of my online students and remind them that an assignment deadline is coming up. I can use it ALSO for my f2f students.

Have you figured out the theme yet? The tools and technologies that I am learning about and using in my online world carry over into the f2f classroom. This blended modality is becoming more and more popular. The presentation that caused the most excitement with the 300 plus educators that I was online with was by far the Mobile Apps presentation. (Have I mentioned how much I love my iPhone?! I am so very grateful that the bus driver in Rome whose bus I left it on returned it to the group...talk about GRATITUDE!)

Dr. Bryan Setser, the executive director of NCVPS has tasked us with coming up with a way to incorporate lessons using smart phones and touch iPods into our virtual classrooms. I have a few ideas already, but I have decided to poll YOU, the blogosphere, and Facebook world, and NHS family, and Twitter pals, to see if you have any suggestions! As you know, creativity shared is creativity squared, (?!! just made that up, don't know if that makes ANY sense, but you know what I mean!) so please put your thinking caps on and head on over to my Google doc and throw some ideas out for me. I appreciate it! Click here!

(Don't worry, nobody will see what you write except me!)

Oh yes, and.... see you on Twitter? "saragant" Tweet me. :)

Thanks for stopping by.

Paris Coupe Mondiale!

2010-07-13T03:11:00.000-07:00

Alec and Lisa and I made it to the Avignon train station just in time to make the train, having walked the mile or so from the nearby bed and breakfast where we stayed. The train ride passed quickly and comfortably, and before we knew it we were in Paris. We checked in at the Paris Renaissance Marriott, grateful that our husbands travel a lot, allowing us to claim award stays in very expensive rooms!

We caught the RER to Paris from LaDefense and headed for the Louvre. Lisa wanted to see the glass pyramid. It was so hot that we sat by the fountain and then sat IN the fountain which was refreshingly COLD! Bliss! We headed over to Pompidou center area, ate at a cafe then wandered around for a bit and watched the street performers at the Pompidou center. We had intended to go to Sacre Coeur but did not feel like doing all that climbing! Then we found a cafe that had about 5 screens set up- a crowd was already gathering and getting seats ready for the game, and they were passing out balloons, hats, and other fun stuff. Alec had a blast! I had been rooting for Holland until they started playing dirty, so I was happy they won. There was literally hundreds of people gathered around outside the cafe, it was great!

Alec and I took the underground channel tunnel train, the Eurostar, from Paris to London yesterday afternoon. Took the Tube to Liverpool St station, and then the 5:30 train to Diss, which would have had us in at 7. Unfortunately someone committed suicide on the tracks somewhere along the route and they closed the line for about an hour. Poor soul, it was very sad. Alec had a little 3 year old girl sitting near him, they kept each other amused most of the way!

Finally arrived to mum and dads last night after a stop for fish-n- chips on the way back. Bliss.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Provence!

2010-07-11T00:06:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note before we head out to the TGV train to Paris. Avignon is wonderful, even more so because there is a festival going on right now! We went to see the Roman aqueduct the Pont du Gard yesterday. We didn't get to see the lavender fields though. There is so much to do here, I would love to rent a place and explore for a few weeks! I love the sound of the Cigales.....the cicadas. They are deafening!

We saw the Germany Uruguay game last night from a cafe that had huge misting fans that were pleasant to sit in front of. They had some similar ones in Rome.

We are off to Paris to see the final and spend a day before heading to England tomorrow- under the sea on the channel tunnel train!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Avignon

France

2010-07-09T04:17:00.000-07:00

Part Deux of my adventure has begun! Alec and I took the train from Rome day before yesterday, and arrived in Cannes late Wednesday night. We slept for 11 hours! We met up with my sister Lisa and we walked down to the waterfront and the famous waterfront. We passed shops such as Gerramo, Loius Vuitton, Gucci, Dolce et Gabbana, etc. Within minutes of arriving on the promenade Alec was having his picture taken with Chewie and Austin Powers- the cardboard cutouts that is! The beach is stunning. Further out was the huge cruise ships, then there were the glittering yachts, the sailboats, the motorboats, and the tubing and paragliding rides. We settled for an hour on a paddle boat! It had a slide on it, so Lisa and I paddled and Alec went in and out of the water. I had ALL my stuff with me since the robberies in Italy, so here I was, in a paddle boat, slightly off the coast of Cannes, with a bag containing my iPad, my Canon, all our train tickets and passports, and wallet/money! I got a bit nervous when the waves started coming off the motorboats that were pulling the tubers!

We finished that up and went searching for restaurants that didn't cost a small fortune. Cannes really is the playground of the rich and famous! We had a lovely dinner then walked back to the hotel. We are excited about watching the World Cup final in Paris on Sunday!

Meanwhile we are on the train to Avignon. If you ever learned French you may remember the old Childrens nursery rhyme "sur le pont, d'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse". Weeellll....I can't wait to dancing on the old bridge! It's actually HALF a bridge now, haha, but it's still danceable!

The papacy also moved to Avignon in the 1200's, for about 70 years, before St. Catherine brought it back to Italy. The Italians aren't very happy with her for that. I was surprised at how resentful they are of the Vatican. So we may see the Palais du Papes, the Palace of the Popes. This region also attracted many artists, from Cezanne to Chagall and Matisse. There are mountains that go right to the sea, and beautiful cypress trees. For some reason I am inspired to buy a lemon tree for our back deck when I get back. I love the Mediterranean colors.

A bientot my friends, until the next update!

Sara

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:On a train in the south......

Home Sweet Home

2010-07-08T06:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome home to all of the travellers! I am glad you made it home ok. I have noticed that it is funny how a single second can change everything, just like the world cup commercials say. We had some unfortunate robberies take place at our last hotel in Rome. I noticed today that I too had some jewelry stolen. I left my iPhone on the bus that took us to the airport yesterday. Luckily the bus driver returned it, but I did not know this until I ran into someone that was with us on our tour at the train station. As horrible as all of this was, I am so very thankful that everyone made it home safely and no one was hurt on our trip!

I want to thank all of the parents and travellers, and especially Kim, for helping out!

Alec and I spent yesterday on the trains from Rome to Cannes. We are at our hotel now waiting to see my sister Lisa! I'm looking forward to seeing the world cup final in Paris on Sunday!

Please feel free to email me at saragant@aol.com!

Take care,

Alec and I miss the group already!

Sara

Roma!

2010-07-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

We had a great day in Roma today! We went to the coliseum, went to the Vatican and then found our way to the restaurant by the river. On the way home we were treated to a wonderful impromptu concert by the NC crowd! What great fun! The best part of the day according to Morgan- Alec acting like Radio.....Austin- dinner, no, Sistine chapel!! Brittany- the amazing architecture of St. Peters Square!! John- exploring the Vatican! Aubrey- drinking cold water out of a communal Roman water fountain! Layne- I don't know!! Hmmm!! I really liked dinner! Tori- feeding pigeons in front of the largest cathedral in the world. Michelle- the Colisseum!

We had a fantastic day! The last day is tomorrow and we leave for Pompeii at 7:30am!

Sent from my iPhone
S. Gant

E-mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties by an authorized state official.

2010-07-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

At the Roman Colisseum before our long day in Rome!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Rome

Siena

2010-07-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

This is the famous Campo, or square, of the medieval town of Siena. We had an amazing day today in this town, and ended up back in Florence in time for some people to watch Germany trounce Argentina and others of us to run to the Uffizi to see Botticellis Birth of Venus!

Let me tell you a bit about Siena. There has been a horse race run in this square for hundreds of years-almost a thousand! It's called the Palio and is an amazing race. The kids can tell you all about it- or you can google it. We missed it by ONE day!! We got there today and they were cleaning up, and lamenting the loss or celebrating the victory, depending on where they were from. We saw the white horse being paraded around and the procession of people from the winning contrada- or area! We then went to the Cathedral where everyone was literally stunned with amazement at the gorgeous artwork. Poor Brittany has been suffering from a cold and after giving her some Dayquil this morning I was so glad she perked up enough to keep telling me how glad she was she got to experience this!

I am going to ask my husband to call each parent of a student that is with me and ask you a question for me. I am so very proud of these kids, they have all bonded in such a fun way and there is no us/them division between the kids and adults. We all hang out together a lot of the time. I heard Layne say tonight as we were all walking back to the bus after dinner that she just loved everyone in our group! She was VERY excited that Germany won..she is wearing a Germany jersey now!

Tomorrow it is off to Assisi, which is still in Tuscany. We have been enjoying the views from the bus. I have tons of photos of cypress trees!
We will then drive to Rome and perhaps have a Rome by night tour. Then the next day is a jam-packed day in Rome and around the Vatican. Then the next day will be our last in Pompeii. They have already been saying that they don't want to go home and that they want to come back and live here one day, which is GREAT!

I have to go- I could write a lot more but I am in a smoky internet cafe and feeling ill!

Thanks, parents, for entrusting me with your delightful child...I am loving sharing their grand adventure with them!

More tomorrow from Roma, I am PRAYING for WIFI in the new hotel so I can use my ipad finally!

Ciao, Sara

Grand Canal, Venice

2010-07-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

I was taking more photos with my good camera but need my iPhone to upload these photos. I'm charging the iPhone on the 4 hour drive to Florence tomorrow (me and Claudio are good buddies now!!)

I think everyone got to go on the Grand Canal today. What a fantastic history lesson, art lesson, cultural experience and sooo much more these wonderful kids are getting!! I love them, we are becoming a little family.

Murano Glass

2010-07-01T16:13:00.001-07:00

Checking out the amazing glass!

Venetian Glass Factory

2010-07-01T16:11:00.000-07:00

We all wished we had....oh, a couple of thousand more dollars so we could buy some of the gorgeous glass!

St. Mark's Square, Venice

2010-07-01T16:09:00.000-07:00

VENEZIA!

2010-07-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

What an incredible day we have had! I am pretty sure I am speaking for everyone when I say today was magical! We were on the bus by 7:45 for an 8:15 boat ride across the Laguna to Venice. We approached the Piazza San Marco, disembarked and had a one and a half hour walking tour of Venice.
We walked across little bridges and canals, around various campos (squares) and marveled at the architecture, while listening to Carlo speak to us. We had whispers around our necks, little headsets that hooked us up to the guide up front, so he didn't have to shout. We will be using those all week. Most of us went on a Gondola ride after lunch, which lasted about half an hour and actually went out onto the Grand Canal for a little bit, enabling passengers to see the Rialto Bridge.

We had some free time which most people used for souvenir shopping or visiting St. Marks Cathedral. Then at 4 we met back up with our guide Carolina and she took us to the Doges Palace, which was fascinating. We saw the incredible meeting room where up to 2000 people once met to discuss Venetian affairs. We also saw the prison and the Bridge of Sighs, the last little bit of fresh air prisoners would breathe as they headed to the prison.

Finally, a lovely boat ride back to the Lido, the resort area we are at, in the blazing hot sun. Kim and Tracy and Tori and I went into the sea for a little bit....it was a bit cold so we only went in up to our bums, but now we can say we have been in the Adriatic!

Dinner was delicious again, and now the kids have some free time before their curfew. Tomorrow morning we are driving on a 4 hour drive to Florence, so I know I will be updating my travel journal then!

I have to add photos from my iPhone, which I am having a hard time charging. (Long story....) I will do that later. I love how well things are going, everyone is so excited and grateful to be hear. I have already heard quite a few people asking about the Greece trip next year. You may have unleashed some travel-loving addicts!

Ciao from Bell' Italia!

Sara

2010-06-29T13:32:00.000-07:00

All 18 have made it on to their flight, Aubrey made it to Atlanta and Alec and I are in Dulles waiting to board our flight to Frankfurt. Hopefully we will all meet up safely in Milan tomorrow morning! Aubrey just made it to Atlanta safely! Off we go- more tomorrow from Italia!

Sent from my iPhone
S. Gant

Blue Skies..........

2010-06-29T10:54:00.001-07:00

Off we go on our grand adventure! The main group has made it to DC safely after a very early morning! Alec and Aubrey and I had lunch at RDU and Alec watched Paraguay beat Japan in PK's. Waiting to board this plane to Dulles, then on to Frankfurt. Aubrey is flying to ATL then directly to Milan. She had my favorite saying of the day so far- we were plugging in our iPods and phones to recharge. She looked around at the charging stations and said "I love the future!".

Camera Obscura

2010-06-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

I'm in Raleigh working on a video editing online course for next year. I have just found some of my favorite clips from David Hockney's Secret Knowledge book promotion. I bought the book when it came out- it makes some very convincing arguments that the Renaissance artists used a camera obscura when they worked, to obtain the truly realistic and breathtaking work that they did.

Click here! David Hockney

Getting Ready!

2010-06-17T18:33:00.001-07:00

I leave for Italy, France and England in less than two weeks so I am
updating and consolidating my blog. I bought a new Canon the other
day, and think I willbreak down and get an ipad this weekend. I will
be teaching two classes when I am gone, so I need to be able to keep
up with e-mail and grading. I also want to be able to post photos,
thoughts, and artful (hopefully!) observations!

I read a great post today by an old friend that I went to school with
in Belgium. I think his comments about the hunger and need to create
are spot on. Thanks Brian!

Http://lomimonk.wordpress.com/2010/06/17/the-drive-toward-creativity

Heading to Boston

2010-05-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
We are leaving in the morning for Boston to see ira graduate from law school on Friday! I'm VERY excited for that reason, but also because I will be able to visit the Museum of Fine Arts!

Alec and I are also counting the days until the World Cup and the trip to Italy! But for now, I'll content myself with exploring the "Athens" of America as my friend John said tonight!

Location:Chandler Ct,Jacksonville,United States

2010-03-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my grand adventures! Students and adults have traveled with me to England, Ireland, Wales, Italy, and France. This summer we are visiting Italy, and I am planning for summer 2011 already! If you register for the Greece trip by March 31st you can save $150! Register now for the trip and monthly auto payments are around $200, a little more if you are an adult. I have a Powerpoint with all information that I can send you. Please don't hesitate to e-mail me with questions. I would like to meet with you before you enroll on a tour. The trip includes round trip airfare, ALL breakfasts and dinners, a two day cruise around the Greek islands, entry fees, and a full time tour director. SEE BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION. Thanks for stopping by- please feel free to check out our other trips and photos, in the links below right.

ITALY UPDATE!

2010-03-09T04:53:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

I want to share the dates for our trip with you! Our confirmed date of departure is June 29th. The tour will return on July 7th. The trip is definitely getting closer once we get dates, and it won't be long before I have hotel and tour director information!

Please make sure you have confirmed your name as it appears on your passport. Failure to do so could cost you a penalty.

All fees should be paid at this time! If you are not paid up by March 12th, PLEASE contact customer service and work with them so that they don't drop you from the tour!

Remember that I told you about the "Italy Tutor 24/7" app that you can download from iTunes. It has worked great for me. At our next meeting after spring break I will have a brief quiz (with prizes!) on basic phrases. Please make an effort to learn some of them!

Our next meeting will be Thursday April 15th- that should be an easy date to remember! I will know the airline by then and will be able to give you information about baggages sizes. I will hopefully have the hotel information, if I do then I will share that with you. This is a MANDATORY MEETING! I will be going over phone cards, money, travel plans, and some on tour requirements. PLEASE PLAN TO BE THERE. If a student can't make it I need at least one parent to be there.

I am currently signing up students for the GREECE and Turkey trip in summer 2011. If you are interested, and you sign up by the end of March you could save $245. ($150 discount now, and $95 repeat traveller discount!) PLEASE e-mail me soon and I can send you the powerpoint if you are interested.

Please make sure you have signed up for the optional trips if you want to go to Pompeii and Siena. IMPORTANT! IF YOU HAVE NOT VISITED YOUR EF ACCOUNT AT EFTOURS.COM LATELY, PLEASE DO SO TODAY! Often EF will leave a message for you there if you are missing something.

I am excited about our grand adventure- we leave in 112 days! Are you saving your spending money?!

As always, if you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Sara Gant

All About Creativity

2010-01-10T06:24:00.000-08:00

Creativity in America.

Click above to read about Daniel Pink and creativity in America. Fascinating stuff! Let me know what you think!

Screen Printing

2009-11-21T08:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.threadbanger.com/post/490/diy-screen-printing-how-to

I went to an amazing workshop in Winston Salem. Vidabeth Bensen is an artist/educator who has traveled the world. The workshop was wonderful because it taught me one of the things I have always wanted to do with students but had never learned: screen printing! Thank you Vidabeth! The video is very general and is aimed at showing my students a general overview to be combined with more detailed instructions.

Painting With Light

2009-11-19T16:42:00.001-08:00

Click here!

and here.....

Please read these sites so you have an idea of what this is all about. You might also want to bring some glowsticks, they look really cool.

Digital Photography

2009-11-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN FOR LOTS OF GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY LINKS!

Just got this amazing link that you should visit if you are at all interested in digital photography! Check it out!

Click here: Short Courses in Digital Photography.

Digital alternatives to Photoshop:
http://www.photopos.com/

GIMP

Public Domain Films: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Public_domain_films http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Public_domain_films

Warhol Painting Sells for.....how much?!!

2009-11-13T17:22:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Brandy for sending me this link!

Screen Printing

2009-11-07T19:56:00.000-08:00

This video will give you a good overview of basic screenprinting. You won't be able to watch it at school, though!

Screen Printing Workshop- Click here

Printmaking Using Photoshop- here!

Printmaking for High School

2009-11-03T17:54:00.000-08:00

Architecture

2009-11-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

Great Buildings- very comprehensive website!
This site is amazing if you are researching architecture.

Lessons

2009-11-03T05:34:00.000-08:00

Perpective

Click here for an Interactive Perspective :Lesson

This site has some great perspective tips.

Click here for high school students two-point perspective city drawings.

Figure Drawing

Click here for a great figure drawing site.

MEETING

2009-11-02T17:45:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

The official countdown has begun! Our first meeting will be on Tuesday November 10th at 5pm. I hope everyone can make it! Please bring $20 towards tips, a small binder, and any questions you may have. I look forward to seeing you there.

Warhol Photoshop Project

2009-10-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE for an easier Photoshop/Warhol project to try!

MASKS

2009-10-21T05:09:00.000-07:00

We will be making masks soon in Art I! It's time to be thinking about your idea. The one thing you are NOT going to be allowed to do is use someone else's idea. That means no Batman, Joker, or Jason masks! You are going to create an original and unique mask!

CLICK HERE for a huge site with lots of links to explore. You will find lots of design ideas here!

Leonardo Da Vinci Painting Found - ABC News

2009-10-14T17:51:00.001-07:00

Leonardo Da Vinci Painting Found - ABC News

Shared via AddThis

Computer ART!

2009-10-13T04:29:00.000-07:00

I am posting this as a response to some college students of mine who feel that anything done on a computer is not art. I am trying to change your mind! These works were done by Sarah, who is 17 years old. She used a Wacom Tablet to draw on the computer in Photoshop, much like you hold a pen or paintbrush. Anyone can hold a stylus, just like anyone can hold a paintbrush or pencil. What she does with the stylus and how she controls it is unique to Sarah. She loves drawing wolves, and has become somewhat of an expert on the subject (in any medium.) Notice how three-dimensional looking they look? They were drawn and then colored in and then highlights and shadow were added to make the bodies look three-dimensional. She didn't use a pattern, or a template, or any tool on the computer that may be seen as "cheating." She made it 'from scratch!' The computer is just another medium for an artist to use. If she drew a wolf using colored pencil, and it looks exactly the same as these do- what separates the works of art other than the use of a medium? The artist and her skill and her originality remain the same.

Moon Mandala Journal

2009-10-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

I started a round-robin altered book group almost a year ago. This is one of the recent ones I worked in. The rest of the group had done such exquisite work in it that I was afraid to touch the pages for a long time! I finally got going and did these pages. The theme had to 'revolve' (sorry!) around the idea of the moon. This first photo (which was actually my last page) was at about 2am and I was tired, and all I could think of was that there were TONS of songs out there about the moon! The second had to do with my love of all things triskell/trinity/three's. (Three photo's posted to my blog!?......) Finally the last one was a card I bought somewhere and have kept because I just love it. I photocopied the card and used the paper. I am not too thrilled with these as I could be....I could have done more detail, but they are ok! The last photo is a rare one of me (I normally hate having my photo taken.) A student was playing with my iPhone camera. This was a day they were working in sketchbooks and everyone was engaged and on task. I had to get involved- so I brought out my sketchbook and worked a little in it.

OP ART

2009-10-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

Op Art started in the 50's and is a genre of art that uses optical illusions to fool the eye. Here are some finished examples from Art I students Morgan P. and Brittany M. Do you notice that all of the pieces have the same thing in common? They all look as if they are going back in the distance. The lines are headed back to a focal point (which sometimes can be a sphere).

Make sure you have a minimum of three spheres. Draw them in first, then put your background in. Be sure the lines head back to the focal point in the distance. This should never be in the middle of your page.

Use black and white checkered designs as well as at least one colored pencil. Refer to the handout for more examples.

Lead pencil should NOT show up! Neat craftsmanship and attention to detail is a must!

Click here to read more about OP ART in Wikipedia.

Click here for great examples- scroll all the way down, great page!

Create a Line Art Drawing from a Photograph

2009-10-09T17:53:00.001-07:00

Photoshop Line Art Tutorial

Photoshop Caricatures

Photoshop Tutorials

2009-10-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

Photoshop Tutorial 1

Photoshop Tutorial 2

Photoshop Tutorial 3

Photoshop Tutorial 4

Photoshop Tutorial 5

Warhol Editing Handout
www.blog2008.thevirtualclassroom.org/wp.../12/lplan_warhol.pdf

Color a Black and White Model Photo Tutorial
http://www.tutorialized.com/view/tutorial/Color-a-black-and-white-model-photo/62918

Photoshop Tutorial

Free Photo Editing Program

2009-10-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

Free Photo Editing Programs!

http://www.photopos.com/

http://www.getpaint.net

http://www.gimp.org

http://photofiltre.en.softonic.com

How to Make a Photo Montage in Photoshop:

http://www.dwphotoshop.com/photoshop/MontageTutorial.php

Memory Project

2009-09-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

This is one of the Memory Project paintings that we sent to the Dominican Republic several years ago. Cassie Cummins is a very talented young lady (former student) who is now serving in the armed forces. This is a picture of the painting when it was in the art room, and a picture of the little orphan she painted with her new portrait. For more information on the Memory Project, click here.

Below, another Memory portrait with its' owner by Meghan, a 2008 NHS grad.

Jacob Lawrence

2009-09-28T17:52:00.001-07:00

CLICK HERE to visit the Whitney Museum Jacob Lawrence show.

Breaking News in the World of Archaeology!

2009-09-28T17:23:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE for more information about the recent Anglo-Saxon discovery in England.

CLICK HERE to see video about the exciting discovery!

Visual Journal Links!

2009-09-28T04:46:00.000-07:00

Look through these links if you are feeling a little stuck for inspiration!
(Be warned! An art attack may follow.....)

Journal Fodder Junkies

Lynne Perrella- awesome!

Flickr Visual Artists Online

Artist's Sketchbooks Online

Dan Eldon

Visual Journal Inspirations

Artsyville

Design Instruct- Secrets to beautiful pages!

Moosewink Visual Journal Pages

Prices going up.....

2009-09-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our grand adventure! If you are considering joining us on our trip to Italy next summer please act soon as prices are about to go up. Scroll down on the right and find all of the itinerary and price information, and view a video from our last trip to Italy three years ago. It was so great I am doing the same tour again! E-mail me if you have questions. We will have our first official 'all of the group together" meeting sometime in November. Students from any area high school are welcome to attend, as well as any adult who is interested in a great trip for great prices!

The pictures below are from our last trip to Italy.

DEADLINE!

2009-09-19T05:41:00.000-07:00

The requested deadline for signing up has passed, but you can still enroll on the Bell Italia trip! The prices are about to go up, so please sign up this week. Let me know if you have questions! If you are new to the site and are seeking information about the Italy trip, please scroll down on the right and look at the Bell Italia pages. You can see how to enroll, find out prices, watch the video highlights from the last trip, and look at pictures!

Photoshop

2009-09-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

Recent "Line" Photo's

2009-09-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

One of the assignments for my online Digital Photography students was to take pictures that showed the element LINE. A couple of these also show framing, as the students were learning about.
This first one was taken in Dorset, England. When I took the photo (sprawled on the ground) I dropped my train ticket! Had to run back for it when the train came.

This one was taken in Wilmington, NC last weekend. I was thinking about the line assignment.

I took this in Wales a year and a half ago.

I took this in Asheville, NC from the Biltmore gardens. (Framing!)

This was taken a few years ago in Paris. I was standing inside Marie Antoinette's jail cell! I loved the light and the lines of the window and the shadow.

Links for Art Educators

2009-09-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

Cyber Smart Curriculum

http://theteachingpalette.com/

The Teaching Palette- AWESOME!

Tech Learning
http://www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&EntryId=3574

http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/LPview.cgi?core=20
Scroll down to Interior Design!
Great basic Powerpoints

I love the rain!

2009-09-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

I love the sound of rain. It makes me feel more creative and alert. Or just really sleepy!

ITALY 2010

2009-08-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

The deadline for registering for the Italy 2010 trip is September 18th! Prices go up soon after that and we are trying to lock our total number of travelers in early this year. Information, itineraries and prices will be given out at the meeting on Tuesday in room 901. If you can't make the meeting, please let me know if you are interested. You can also access most of the information below. Click on the Bell Italia link. I did this trip several years ago and we had such an amazing time I wanted to go back and do it again. I have several repeat travelers/students coming with me, including several Northside grads/college students!

Please do not delay if you are seriously thinking about going. Autopay can spread out your payments so you have longer to pay- I strongly recommend it!

Please e-mail me if you have any questions! sara.gant@onslow.k12.nc.us

Ciao!

Stonehenge

2009-08-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

Summer Solstice Celebration

This summer we were driving from Dorset to Southampton to Suffolk. I asked my husband if we could detour through Stonehenge. Well, not exactly THROUGH it, literally, but through the area. It was June 27th- soon after the summer solstice. Saturday, at noon. We heard announcements coming over the loudspeaker asking guests NOT to follow the "Dolmen Grove" into Stonehenge. Then we heard the drums and flutes and I watched the procession walk right past me. (See the video below.)

The group walked into the site playing the instruments, and circled the site once or twice before entering. After that it was hard to see or hear much of anything. The man wearing antlers seemed to be conducting much of the ceremony, and I managed to get some great pictures of him. I was curious about their practices, and looked up their website. (http://www.dolmengrove.co.uk/index.htm). According to the website, "Antlers have been worn as head dresses by European Shaman and Native Americans,they can also be found within the oldest religions of India and other indigenous tribes."

I also learned that the group regarded that day, the 27th, as the true solstice day. I later heard someone refer to them all as "barmy" which I didn't like, AT ALL! I think this is THE single greatest problem we face today: lack of compassion, understanding, and a lack of shared faith. These people were not doing anyone any harm. They were celebrating a ritual and a belief important to them. It's amazing how threatened people feel by anything that is different or difficult for them to understand.

2009-08-13T19:03:00.000-07:00

Had to try Wordle tonight, it is a lot of fun! You can create "word art" using pasted text. You can also control font and colors.

Check it out! Wordle

2009-08-13T11:43:00.001-07:00

Incompetech-This site is a generous gift from a talented composer! Kevin McLeod composes music for educational use in schools. Anyone creating videos in school definitely needs to look at this comprehensive listing of royalty free and copyright free music. Free music!

2009-08-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

Digital Media- this is a huge site for technology educators and facilitators with some great links and very useful pages.

Christo and Jeanne Claude

2009-08-13T07:06:00.001-07:00

Christo and Jeanne Claude's website

I first saw Christo in Paris when he and Jeanne Claude covered the Pont Neuf in Paris. (History lesson: Pont Neuf means "New Bridge" in French. It is actually the oldest bridge in Paris, dating to the sixteenth century. Henry IV inaugurated the bridge in 1607. It was the first bridge not to have buildings on it, as was the custom, to allow a unobstructed view of the Louvre!)

In 1984 I was a student in Paris when the Pont Neuf was transformed. I was mesmerized with how the interactions of people and the bridge changed- instead of just driving across, or walking across, people were noticing the surface on which they walked, really paying attention. I walked across the bridge, and watched the divers attaching the long cords to tie the canvas material to the bridge. I walked to the press office and 'obtained' a press pass and then as I walked out I ran straight into Christo's chest! I got his autograph, and was so happy. Unfortunately, I lost it some time later in one of my many moves. So I was determined to see him again when I found out he was coming to Asheville, NC!

I brought my poster of the Pont Neuf and they both signed it for me! Below is a picture of them signing my poster. Look on their website for information about their proposed project in Colorado.

Christo and Jeanne Claude in February 2009 talking about some of the requirements they looked for when selecting a locale for their upcoming project "The River."

Jeanne Claude responds to an audience question that asked which was their favorite project!

2009-08-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

Note to self: get caught up with the rest of the millions of links that I want to put on here!

I am heading to Wilmington tonight for the first of several days of fun with former high school friends. I am looking forward to taking some pics in the old historic part of Wilmington.

I am also getting excited about the next trip I have planned to Italy. June 2010! If you are interested please visit http://traveledventures.blogspot.com and click on the right under Bell Italia.