Tuesday 22 July 2008

ILoveArtClub...and my first tutorial


As some of you know I run a Saturday morning Art Club. It started as a favour to a mum at my daughter's school who had an 8 year old in need of a bit more creativity than the school curriculum offered. I have three constant pupils and a number of dropper-inners. I have to say without a shadow of a doubt this is one of the best things about my week. Come Saturday morning I can often feel a little exhausted from my week of commuting in and out of central London, those 6am rises, the manicness of trying to get home in time to collect the kids from their various establishments of education and care but by the time ArtClub is over I am re-energised and buzzing with ideas again. Ms Reva joins us very regularly and enjoys the whole process a lot. We talk about Art History in an accessible way, looking at examples of our weekly topics from the Art World past and present. We've done colour wheels and mixing, mobile making, printing, observational drawing, collages...you name it.

Dad's Hat by M - great sense of colour and shape, don't you think?

In an ideal world I would provide more classes and for different age groups. I am mulling over how I can fit this in with everything else I have on at the moment and hoping it will organically transpire at some point in the (not too distant) future. If anyone has any fabulous ideas please share them!
Mum's Fashion by L
mixed media on canvas
painted collage, stitching, ribbon, buttons, what more could you ask for?

Last Saturday was our last ArtClub for a while as we head off to do our different activities over the summer break. The children had been working on a personal project for some time and we managed to get them finished in that session and staged a mini-exhibition in my living room. The kids were so proud of their finished pieces it brought tears to my eyes (literally...it appears I am a total softie after all) I am looking forward to next term already.

look - stitching! I love this...

seaside triptych by E
- shame about the bad photo -
this is a lovely piece with great colours and a nice simple composition

One of the children asked me to come to her birthday party to do Art activities with the kids there. I thought there would be 10 guests so happily agreed. In the end there were 17 (gulp!) but it all went well. The children had a ball and I did too. After much deliberation we did
tye-dyed t-shirts
(sorry about teeny tiny photo)

painted plates

and a banner for the birthday girl (and boy - the extra guests came with an extra birthday person too!)
I don't have anymore photos of the tshirts unfortunately (hard to photograph AND manage 17 kids along with 4 vats of dye - these photos are courtesy of my friend Maaya who popped along to check out the action, thanks Maaya) but there were some truly fabulous creations


birthday girl with her wonderful plate

And now...drum roll please...my first ever tutorial...

Take some old china plates and a couple of shot glasses (my plates cost £1.50 total, shot glasses 20p each)


Add some 5 minute Epoxy Glue to your set of ingredients



apply Epoxy on top and bottom of glasses in thin layer and press together with plates for 5 minutes (or however long it says on the tube you are using)

to achieve something like ...

ta dah...


this cake stand


add some cakes
(and tea for the grown ups of course)



then unleash the hungry gannets...Bliss!

Of course we took it one or two steps further but you don't need to do that...


unless you really want to

...the idea for this cake stand came from my dear friend Ms D who had bought one a bit like this from a neighbourhood fair...'twas made by an SE London collective called "The Skip Sisters", unfortunately I can't find them anywhere on the web to include a link and I thought the idea far too nifty not to be passed on...

ps thanks for all the lovely comments a couple of posts back about the scorched capelet, yours truly and the shades. Unanimous vote that my co-workers exhibited symptoms of stylefreakery. I may have to share this verdict with them, now that I am talking to them again...

Updated to say I have just had an email to say my upcycled kids castoffs have been featured on The Crafty Crow. So I get a really dinky button to put on my sidebar. Way hay! A big welcome to anyone who finds me from that mention and thanks to Cassi for including me. I love The Crafty Crow, it's full of great creative ideas to do with kids - if you haven't already done so make sure you check it out.

24 comments:

This Girl loves to Talk said...

I have started a toddler art group (my older girls 5 and 7 are at school) so I do art with some kids around my last daughters age 2 i have 1-4 year olds. I was inspired by The artful parent

http://artfulparent.com/blog

but she doesnt seem to be blogging anymore lately..

here is the link to mine

http://comber-family.blogspot.com/search/label/Toddler%20Art%20Group

I do it every second tuesday so I have only done 4 lessons but it seems like i have been doing if for ages!

Thanks for your inspiration.. I found you via the crafty crow!!

Gina said...

Art club sounds like great fun and some fabulous art work has been produced. I'm about to take over the Young Embroiderers group at our Guild in September so might have to exchange some ideas!

Unknown said...

you clever clogs, you. That's an amazing cake stand!!!! I've seen a lamp base like it, bit strung (kind of) onto a metal pole, and have been coveting it ever since.

x vInTaGe VioLeT x said...

WOW WOW WOW - i love cake stands and that one is fantastic - i'm going to have to make it now{betz white has a great tute for one too}arty party looked fun - will you do another?
well done on crafty crow off to take a peek now.
enjoy your summer break x

Sharyn said...

Your art class sounds fantastic - very inspiring! And thanks for the great cake stand idea, so simple but so clever!!

Locket Pocket said...

I'd love to run an art class like that -it sounds great!

And that cake stand tutorial is fabulous - I have to try that! Lucy x

angharad handmade said...

I would love to come to your art club - it looks and sounds fantastic, and I know it would be right up my girl's street! Lucky girls and boys - I bet they have such a lot of fun.
Great tute too, and well done on the crafty crow feature!

sewtakeahike said...

Very cute and a great idea for a very unique cake stand!

Anonymous said...

I love the cake stand. Thanks!

Shelly G said...

I love the cake stand tutorial.

I would love to start a little art club for some three year olds around here...(same age as my daughter Hope) but I have no idea where to start.

I used to have craft parties for my older kids... when we lived where we knew a lot of people...

shellys.hut@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

ohhhh cool cake stand!! I love art classes.... I used to run some through work and it really inspires you. Well Done!!

fi said...

i love the cake stand!what a flippingly brillant idea!thanks :)

Apryl said...

love the tutorial... you should put it in a seperate post though and list it on the side so people can access it at any time. I may do that when we move.. any excuse to go thrifting.

I think your art club is fantastic. If we werent so far up north I would love to attend never mind my son.

I think you should do a crafting club/night for gownups.. gocco printing, sewing circle, it could be a lovely little crafting get together...

Knit Sew City Girl said...

The art clubs sounds great! I use to teach origami at my local summer scheme whilst at University and I had a great time.

I think the cake stand is a wonderful idea.

Mary

Ayama-chan said...

Thank you for the tutorial. I am so going to make one and when I get the ohs and ahs dust my lapels and say I made it, after a very clever lady showed me how. Seeing that I am in the playgroup set at the moment and feel embarassed not having anything decent to present the homebaked goodies on, I am so very pleased that you showed me how to make a stunner that if it gets damaged, can be easily remade. You are a legend. Can you come to Singapore every Saturday with your lovely pair and do your art club here. I have a nice pool.... ;D

KittyKat said...

See now I am going to have to nick some of your ideas for entertaining little rant for the hols.

I love, love, love the cake stand.

Charlie P said...

Are big people allowed at your art classes too? please? They sound about a million times better than school art lessons were :)

Jackie said...

You have my utmost admiration...kids on a saturday..voluntarily!!!!???
I love the cake stand. I wonder how high is maximum height...mmm

Anna - Three Sneaky Bugs said...

Fun all around! Love the cake stand. I'll be keeping my eye out for any thrifty dish finds.

I would so love to run a kids art group. Some day. In the mean time I just enjoy participating in Jen's adult version.

Kyoko said...

Hello!
How wonderful that you teach art! When I was a child, my school was far too not-creative and I always wanted some sort of arty activities but never had one. All the art created by the children are absolutely gorgeous! Kids are very lucky to have you! :D
Also congratulations for having your upcycled kids castoffs featured. They are so cute!
By the way, I have linked your blog to mine.. hope that's OK!
Have a wonderful week.

Things Hand Made said...

The magazine Clothpaperscissors always has great ideas for mixed media project that could easily be adapted.

NotYetTheDodo said...

That tutorial is COOL! :-) Love it and will make a cake stand - just need a cakey occasion!

susan said...

ooo such a pretty project!!
thanks for sharing it

Anonymous said...

First time I can catch up with your blog after the hols, it' soooo lovely. The pic of you and the girls on the stone castly if just fab. The cake stand is beautiful and thanks for mentioning the skip sisters). Lots of love, Dags