Meet this Artist

Hello Art Class seekers, teachers, and parents of homeschooled youth! I recently moved to the outskirts of Murfreesboro and brought years of experience teaching all kinds of curriculum enhancing art to students of all ages and capabilities with me. I'm excited to be part of this community and am interested in offerring classes that cater to any budget and space!
Some examples of classes I've taught are below. I love leading our students through relevant discussions and then te...aching them practical art skills and about the mediums they are using. I almost always provide all of the materials, along with a worksheet to take home and share, for anywhere between $5-$35 a student (depending on the materials, rent for the space, and length or number of sessions). Parents are always welcome to create their own project as well! All my students are encouraged to find their inner artist's voice, so no two projects are designed to be exactly alike.
If you've got questions, please post them to this thread or pm me... I'm also hosting a Meet & Greet/ class in my new home studio this coming Saturday, Feb. 16th! Stop by if you're able

Even if the weathers "fowl" we can still have loads of fun learning. No matter what subject you are wanting supplemental experiences to reinforce your lessons with, chances are pretty high that I have taught or can create a class for your students. Think about your adding a #CraftWithAnna class to your next science, engineering, math, reading/writing, public speaking, geography, home ec, park playdate etc. Oh, and I also teach cardmaking, scrapbooking, and photography

These kids met once a month for an Art Jam! Cost was $10/student, all materials were included for each 1-1.5 hour long class held at a local civic center. Mediums Explored included acrylic paint, oil pastels, charcoal, and Alcohol ink. I taught the pictured Cartoon Watercolor class, where we learned about how old cartoon movies were created, how to replicate an image, and then we created these vibrant renditions of our favorite characters to take home.

Have a favorite household theme? There is nothing better than a private class in your home where you can create a gallery style display to cherish. And yes, learn while doing! (Isn't it funny how kids enjoy substitute teachers?!)

I have a heart for fundraising! If your group or one you know of would like to #CraftWithAnna to raise money, let me know!

These 1st graders studied a variety of local leaves before learning how to draw their chosen species example in a cartoon style. Our images were made to look realistic with the addition of watercolor paints. We discussed plant structure, how leaves grow and support/feed their tree, decomposition and why leaves change color, as well as how to apply the paint to achieve different effects. At the end of the class we wrote an acrostic poem using the words Fall and Leaf together.

After a brainstorming observation session about native deciduous and coniferous trees, we built a landscape featuring a distinct background, middle ground, foreground and subject using a variety of watercolor mediums including paint, water soluble oil pastels, and colored pencils. At the end of our class, we collaboratively wrote an acrostic style poem using the words, Puget Sound (where I'm from). Students were sent home with pre-printed pocket sized poetry cards to write their own acrostics with their family <3

Rain in SoCal

I thought the song said "they say it never rains in Southern California"? Well, today it is doing just that, although it's still 60* so I don't think this heavy mist really counts :-)
We were able to put our map reading skills to the test, exploring both Disneyland and LA's La Brea Tar Pits museum this week. Or as I thought of them, two of the happiest and saddest places on earth. I mean, shiny happy people one day, and the bones of animals who'd been trapped in ooey sticky black asphalt seeps the next!
We have set out for a southern spell of San Diego; visiting with friends old and not-met-yet (thanks Sophie), maybe The Zoo, & quite possibly a return to Anaheim to rendezvous with GrammaD all being entertainment options to consider for the next week ♡ Thanks to everyone for your continued well wishes and prayers, your faces are missed!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Ventura wrapup

Sunshine in her hands

We checked the weather for back home and other places we've been along our route today, and have decided that we are in just the right place! 75° sunny and the perfect amount of breeze to cool us while we've been picking oranges and collecting stories about our relatives at my great aunt's house in Ventura ♡
 

After a truly delightful and relaxing time visiting my great Aunt Gladys and her daughters Kelly, Mona, and son Jeff, and cousin Brenda, we are braving the crowded highways of Los Angeles on our way to experience the Magic of CA in a completely different way. Well, I'm sure other families attend the Magic Kingdom hoping for an inexpensive day of fun, but I'm going to attempt to give new meaning to the words "cheap entertainment." My mom and dad always taught me that you don't have to spend money to have fun, and I intend to get over the admission price shock and deny the urge to run from attraction to attraction. I hope we get to see a lot, but there is a lot to see...
Homeschool travel lessons for today: we are researching "maps, and how to navigate with them", as well as, "What is Smog?" Something we Washingtonians-since-birth were blessed to live without ♡

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

3-D Painting Inspiration

While doing some "research" on YouTube for a flamingo painting class I taught last week, I stumbled across a fantastic idea from Monte Mart; painting in 3-D. How did he do this? By literally opening the tube of paint and drawing with it on his canvas to create texture that sat on the canvas in the form of painted poppy stems. What a mind blow! Plus, who doesn't feel inspired when you hear that accent (swoon)?

While I didn't use this technique for flamingo legs, it did get my wheels turning... and then lo and behold, my online pal and Community Manager for Education.com, Jessica, sent me this awesome project for creating Salt Dough Paint. What a co-inky-dink! So, without further a-dough (!), here are the instructions Jessica sent me for how you can get busy getting funky as a flamingo yourself:

Activity: 

Salt Dough Paint

 

Looking for a dazzling and unique art project? Here's one you've probably never done before. It's a new twist on painting that will add a little sparkle to any art project. Use a few kitchen ingredients to create a paint paste that glitters when dry and is easy to use. This nifty paint works well for school posters, but it's also great for making funky pieces of art to hang on the wall!

What You Need:

• Tempera paint
• Measuring cup
• Mixing bowls
• Spoons
• Flour (White, all-purpose)
• Salt
• Water
• Poster board
• Plastic squeeze bottles

What You Do:

1. Have your child (or the child within you) mix together equal amounts of flour, water and salt in a bowl to create a paint-like consistency.
2. Now pour equal amounts of this mixture into several bowls. Each bowl should contain a different color of paint.
3. Add a different color tempera paint to each bowl and mix it thoroughly.
4. Pour each color into its own squeeze bottle, making sure the nozzles are replaced securely.
5. Now you and your children can create your very own dough paint designs on the poster board, creating any picture he likes! Remember, it doesn't have to "be" anything... the interest is in the artistic endeavor!
6. After painting, have him set his poster aside to dry completely. Then, hang it up to share with friends and family!

You can find many more amazing activities at Education.com, be sure to check them out!