creativity

Things have been INSANE since we got back from Tassie. I'm still recovering from being unwell, and I've been very, very busy.  But I actually have quite a few exciting creative works to share....

 The last two weeks has been all about the PTA gala paintings that the art department is required to do. I have had ideas for MONTHS about what I wanted to do.  Unfortunately we only got the canvases a few weeks ago and so it's been a MAD RUSH to get things done.  This work is "the singapore flyer" done by my 3  4th grade classes.  I still have a bit of touching up to do on it, and I'm hoping to finish it up tomorrow.

The reason I was so busy last week, was because it was show time for my KG1 classes and I had to get them their "African animal masks"; put the animal onto the head bands and staple them together to fit each and every child (all 198 of them!). I also had to take photos of each of them for their next round of digital portfolios.

I'm so proud of this project.  The kids LOVED them, and they all looked fabulous wearing them for their performance.

We talked about what animals lived in Africa (and they drew African animals from pictures), we talked about the colours used in African art (not pink and purple- a struggle for some of them).  They watched some youtube clips of the lion king stage performance and we talked about costumes (their unit was on music and movement).  They decorated the head bands with zig zags and triangles (I showed them some examples of African designs), and then they got to embellish their masks however they wanted.

I love how some kids went so way out with their embellishing, while others were quite tame.  These are just a few samples.

I went into work on Friday to watch their performance and helped the kindy teachers out.  I was so glad I did.  I find teaching this grade EXHAUSTING, but I love these kids so much.

My grade 1 class produced some fantastic work last week.  This project was designed by the teacher I co teach grade 1 with.  The kids cut out shapes for eyes, nose, mouth etc with coloured paper and stuck them onto the paper, and then created "picasso inspired" faces over the top using oil pastels.

Saturday I had a lovely time finishing off some long standing projects: I finally finished Ella's embroidered pillow.

 I made this embroidery piece into a wall hanging.  I used some batting and did a bit of machine quilting too.

I also started work on another piece for the gala.  This one I need to finish tomorrow too.  The other two that I have finished I (DOH) forgot to take photos of before they were picked up on Wednesday.

 On Sunday I dragged Ella down to the mural for a bit more painting.  We only have 2 (TWO!!!) more sessions with this with the kids.  And we have A LOT to do still.  So Ella and I spent 4 hours on it, and two of her friends came down to help too.

While progress is being made...the tree is done...there's still quite a bit to do.

This wall is always the wall I work on when I do weekend sessions, whereas when we do our Thursday CCA with the kids we usually work up the other end which is closer to being finished.

While I was there on Sunday, the woman who facilitates this project asked me if I'd be the artist facilitator for a kite painting workshop on this Sunday.  Although it is the worst timing and I'm tired and sick, it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up.  So I am doing it.  I had a meeting with her after work on Tuesday and got to do a practice kite, which was fun.

The community will come in and decorate the kites, but then they will go on permanent display.  I find it fascinating that these community centres host all these amazing creative workshops and it's mostly all funded by the Singapore government.

One of my favourite things that they've been doing is their t-shirt crocheting class that they have on Monday nights.  They get all the old t-shirts from parades etc (which is fab because they get lots of the same colours) and create various crochet displays.  The guy (!) who heads it up and makes all the frame work etc (amongst a heap of other stuff) is by day an engineer for an airline and by every other spare minute a volunteer jack of all trades.  (I have a bit of a crush.)

 I'm loving being around creative people.  It's going to be a busy weekend with me needing to mix paints on Saturday (and I'm subbing at school tomorrow), and facilitating the workshop on Sunday all day (along with 3 maid interviews in the afternoon when I get home), but I think it will be worth the experience.  Matt's away in Tassie this weekend, so I really wish I'd done the maid interviews a few weeks ago.  I did 4 today (along with a gazillion loads of washing, dishes, sweeping etc), and we just really need to get someone in quickly.  I can't believe that it's only 6 weeks until we leave for the US for the summer!!!!

But in between all the unpleasant stuff I did today, I also managed to make this, which makes me very happy.  I had a little bamboo plant that a friend gave me in there but, true to form, it died and I decided today, as I was cleaning up, that it was time to throw it out.  The little pot is quite cute though, so I washed that up and created the best indoor plant for me....one that can not die!  A crocheted cactus.

I suspect there may be more of these to come...