I took Friday off to do both of the boys’ art lessons.  They involve quite a bit of work and preparation so getting ready for them is not something I look forward to.  I have to send messages to my partners and coordinate our lesson plans, but when the day does come, I do enjoy it.  I walked the boys to school in the morning, then Connor and I went to line up with his class.  A few of his classmates came up to us and cheered for Art Vistas.  The other mom was not feeling well, so I knew I had to do all the talking for this lesson.  Right after drop off, another mom and I gathered the materials then quickly headed back to the classroom.  The teacher already had the kids sitting on the rug ready for us, so I began the lesson.  The topic this month was texture.  I reviewed some previous and the new elements with the class, and showed them a few of the drawing techniques, ie. stippling, hatching and cross-hatching.  For the hands-on project, we had the opportunity to take the class outdoors and have the kids draw a landscape.  It was so cute that the teacher had the kids all sitting in a straight line, and the kids enjoyed  this change in scenery.  They were content being little artists drawing with the clipboard; they used the techniques taught and made incredible artwork.  The weather was nice, and we had a good time out there.

   I went home for a couple of hours, then it was time to head back to prepare for Logan’s class.  The other mom and I were all set up at the cafeteria, then the class arrived.  The topic of the lesson was Non-Objective Art.  I began by discussing with the kids how Non-Objective Art is different from abstract vs realistic art, and shared some famous artwork as examples.  Then after the other mom explained the project, it was time for the kids to make their own non-objective art.  They were taking their time using geometric shapes and lines for the design and then using vibrant colors to fill in and complete their artwork.  The teacher gave us extra time as many of the kids were determined with their creation.  At the end of the class, we also had the kids paint the clay masks they had made a few months ago.  It was a bit stressful when a few of the kids could not find their pieces, and one was still missing at the end.  We also used up all the time to the end of the school day, and finally wrapped up just few minutes before the bell ring.  But we were productive and the kids made lots of great pieces at the end.

    My legs were so tired by the time the boys and I walked home; I had more than 12K steps.  Later It felt great to relax while the boys were on the computers.  When Stuart finished working, we headed out to enjoy a dinner and a cocktail to end a good Art Vista day.