Are You Ready?

"Out-of-the-Blue Monster", mixed media monotype, c. Nancy Mitchell, 2010

Hi there!

Is it just me, or does it seem like the school year came around ‘out of the blue?’  This here is a fun little mixed media monster monotype that I recently made, and it seemed appropriate to post it here.   I want you to know that these prints were originally  inspired by my 6th grade students from last year -who are now big ole 7th graders

You guys remember, don’t you?  How you love to swirl lots of paint around on a slippery piece of palette paper at clean up time and then press or print it onto some nice white paper?  And then we’d all try to guess what it looked like (kind of like a Rohrschach test)?

Well–the monsters came out of that process   You might be happy to know that I’ve been selling them pretty regularly at the Visionary Art Museum gift shop (The Sideshow), and that all proceeds go to benefit professional artists in Haiti recovering from the earthquake!

Like all the teachers at Patapsco, I’ve been really busy getting the room ready for all of you.  We have a NEW printing press, more silkscreens, lots of clay, paint, charcoal, ink, drawing pencils—and everything else we want to get into this year to make new creative discoveries, advance our skills and HAVE FUN!

See you MONDAY!

I SPY comes to the Walters!

Hot off the Press from The Baltimore SUN:

Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos and Toys in the Attic

Award-winning author and photographic illustrator Walter Wick, creator of the “I Spy” and “Can You See What I See?” books series, has a keen interest in puzzles, games, science and illusions. Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos and Toys In the Attic, running Sept. 19-Jan. 2, 2011 at Baltimore’s Walters Art Museum, is the first museum retrospective of his work and will feature several of his handcrafted, meticulously detailed installation models accompanied by large-format color photographs of the illustrations from his books. Together they will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the artist’s creative process and a window into the puzzles and illusions for which he is so well known. See some of those sculptures and images here.”

What? August Already?

"Two More Monsters" c. 2010 Nancy Mitchell

Well, I can hardly believe it, and I know you can’t either!  I’ve been thinking about my students and my room and all the fun we’re going to have and the art we’re going to make!

I just added a new page called ART CLASS Q & A.  You’ll find it with all the tabs up top here on the home page. It is the last tab of the list.  I encourage you to read it, especially if you are an incoming 6th grader!  If anyone, student or parent, has a question they’d like answered directly, type it into the comment section at the bottom of that page.  I will publish any answers, so check back often!

Don’t forget–We have GREAT local museums and galleries in Baltimore.  The Walters and The Baltimore Museum of Art are always free.  This is the perfect time to go.  There is a new medieval manuscript show at the Walters based on the theme of Games and Play. (“Checkmate! Medieval People at Play.“) It was so cool to see a centuries year old manuscript of people throwing snowballs at each other.  Check it out–it will put a smile on your face!

Enjoy the rest of the summer!  See you soooooon!!