HOLA!!
I AM COMING BACK- REFRESHED FROM A WINTER IN MEXICO-
AND CANNOT WAIT TO BRING IDEAS I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON TO THE KIDS OF NEW YORK CITY!
Me, after drawing a 2000 year old tree in Tule, Oaxaca March 2016
New comers
Scroll through the blog to see the joy of my students and the excellent work they have produced over the years.
(Scroll through older posts to see various ages.)
Read what parents have to say about my teaching:
"Joan is an amazing teacher! I was more and more impressed every week with what the kids were doing. I couldn't believe what they were capable of! Not only did my son's technical skills in drawing improve tremendously, but so did his confidence in his abilities as an artist. Joan is a wonderful, nurturing teacher, and really knows how to bring out the best in the kids.
(M.B. Parent of 3rd grade student, in a Drawing from Observation class)".
"I had heard about Joan from parents of older children, who said things like, "In her class, every child's work looks different," and "this is class my children keep attending year after year." I very much like the focus on independence, each child learning to mix her own paints, look carefully at each color she mixes, consider what she would like to do or what she has done (masses or lines, curved lines or straight, patterns, variations in color), decide when she is finished, clean up her own materials. The class is punctuated by questions from Joan, and answers from the children; it's nice to hear the children's answers become more precise and confident through the semester. I have always liked my children to take classes from local artists, because it seems to me that artists who are absorbed in their own work, bring to their classes a sense of the importance and excitement of creative work, and very clear ideas about its process. This feels very much the case in Joan's studio. It is a delight to look into the class and see the children fully absorbed."
"Just a note to send greetings from Lara and me! We have very good memories of your class... I see your class in her when she writes: what kind of line do you want, what colors, will you add more or stop there-- I see her thinking all these things, and moving forward with confidence." Yumi Seldin, mother of Lara ( Lara's incredible art work on my blog).
Quote from parent of 3 year old (Dash's mom)
Today she was doing some painting at home -- and she so impressed everyone with the way she kept her colors separate and cleaned her brushes when she switched colors and how she mixed her colors in a special palate. Someone asked her how did she learn to do that and she said "Ms. Joan."
What was I doing in Mexico?
Read what parents have to say about my teaching:
"Joan is an amazing teacher! I was more and more impressed every week with what the kids were doing. I couldn't believe what they were capable of! Not only did my son's technical skills in drawing improve tremendously, but so did his confidence in his abilities as an artist. Joan is a wonderful, nurturing teacher, and really knows how to bring out the best in the kids.
(M.B. Parent of 3rd grade student, in a Drawing from Observation class)".
"I had heard about Joan from parents of older children, who said things like, "In her class, every child's work looks different," and "this is class my children keep attending year after year." I very much like the focus on independence, each child learning to mix her own paints, look carefully at each color she mixes, consider what she would like to do or what she has done (masses or lines, curved lines or straight, patterns, variations in color), decide when she is finished, clean up her own materials. The class is punctuated by questions from Joan, and answers from the children; it's nice to hear the children's answers become more precise and confident through the semester. I have always liked my children to take classes from local artists, because it seems to me that artists who are absorbed in their own work, bring to their classes a sense of the importance and excitement of creative work, and very clear ideas about its process. This feels very much the case in Joan's studio. It is a delight to look into the class and see the children fully absorbed."
"Just a note to send greetings from Lara and me! We have very good memories of your class... I see your class in her when she writes: what kind of line do you want, what colors, will you add more or stop there-- I see her thinking all these things, and moving forward with confidence." Yumi Seldin, mother of Lara ( Lara's incredible art work on my blog).
Quote from parent of 3 year old (Dash's mom)
Today she was doing some painting at home -- and she so impressed everyone with the way she kept her colors separate and cleaned her brushes when she switched colors and how she mixed her colors in a special palate. Someone asked her how did she learn to do that and she said "Ms. Joan."
Well, painting of course. Practicing Spanish. Enjoying Oaxaca.
AND
Giving workshops at a wonderful fine art school-Casa de Cultura, to students, and their teachers. Since these were new students that I would have for one hour only, we focused on color mixing, using only the primaries and white; how to keep colors clean, etc. (This is the way I start with ALL students, as I never give out other colors).
Followed up with a presentation on the importance of autonomy in the art of young children and a slide show and exhibition of the color charts produced.
Autonomy is often seen as secondary to skills- when it is the heart of artistic creation and should be nurtured from the beginning. Art is expression, after all.
Check out the photos. Parents of NYC students will recognize the charts- the Oaxacan children loved
I have decided to show a bit of the process here, as well as the kids at work, and their results. Enjoy.
Autonomy is often seen as secondary to skills- when it is the heart of artistic creation and should be nurtured from the beginning. Art is expression, after all.
Check out the photos. Parents of NYC students will recognize the charts- the Oaxacan children loved
I have decided to show a bit of the process here, as well as the kids at work, and their results. Enjoy.
(This part of the site in progress
 |
| To keep your colors clean- BLOT |
 |
| Mix your colors on the palette |
Decide how big you want your picture to be
 |
| Choose your paper size |
 |
| Keep your water clean |
When you discover a new color, add it to the Color Chart. Tell us how you got it. We'll put your name next to it.
Students working…using new skills
Mixing new colors
Blotting the brush
Mixing on the palatte
So many new colors!
orange, light blue, green
purple
After madly working on this, she looked up and said:
"This is a rock". Yes, it was.
An orange car…
Became a boy
Talking with a student about ideas
How did you get that color?
How do you get gray from the primaries?
Show everyone how you got that beautiful gray for your dinosaur
A Pleased Artist. The whole point.
(Please scroll through to next post while I figure out how to get rid of this gap!)
S
C
R
O
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
(didn't work. oh well. keep going please. BE SURE and click on "older posts" bottom right pages, to see all the work, all the different ages)
