Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Studio Visit: Anna Schrage PS1


Anna Schrage Performs a Painting

Anna  Schrage is an artist. She was born in Germany. She lives and works in New York City. Anna creates videotapes of herself while she is painting. Her idea is to "perform" her painting process for an audience, like a dancer, or, a musician. As she explains, “I am looking for an exchange between the artist and the audience, like performing artists do on stage." 

Here are some stills of Anna painting, taken from one of Anna's recent videos.






















Project
This is a project inspired by Anna Schrage's "performance" art that you can do at home: Use your "point-and-shoot" camera to make a video of yourself doing a painting. Talk about what you are doing. Talk about the materials you are using, the paints, the markers. Do you feel this is like a  “performance?” Do you want people to applaud when you finish your painting?

Monday, September 12, 2011

Studio Visit: Puppet Horse TED




Here is a most amazing, life-size horse puppet. It is made of wood and very thin fabric. Two people make it move from the inside; a third person works it from the outside. It is very life-like. It walks and runs. It snorts and breathes. Its ears turn. People ride on it.

The puppet was built by a very talented puppet company called Handspring.

These photographs were part of a video at TED, an online conference that features presentations by people in the arts and science. See the link to TED below.




Project
Pretend you are a horse. Use a large, thin scarf to cover yourself. How would a horse move? How would a horse sound? Make up a story about a horse. Make a video about your horse.

Here is a link to TED and this video about the horse puppet and the company that made it.


Thursday, September 8, 2011

Studio Project: Watercolors 1

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This is a story about two four-year old friends, Sophia and Lucy painting watercolors on a rainy day. You can try this at your home.

Project: "Watercolors"



The art materials you will need: 
(You can find them in most supermarkets.)
A pan of Crayola washable watercolors
A package of Crayola paint brushes
A box of Crayola washable magic markers
A box of Crayola washable glitter pens
A sketch pad 9 x 12” (?)
A roll of Scotch tape (easy release)


You can set up an art studio on a large dining table.

This is how the watercolor playdate at Sophia's house worked:

Sophia said to her friend Lucy, "let's do art." She proceeded to take out the pan of Crayola watercolors and art materials we had bought that morning at the supermarket.

Sophia put the art materials on the big round dining table.

She tore off some paper towels. She would put one under her painting to protect the table and use one to  dry her brush.

She gave two towels to Lucy.

She filled two small bowls with water and put them on the table.

She set out two brushes and the pan of watercolors.

She put the magic markers and the glitter pens on the table.

She put the sketch pad on the table.

She tore off two pages and gave one to Janie. 

They were ready to paint.

They sat down at the table.

Sophia dipped her brush in the water and stroked the purple watercolor.

She painted a few purple strokes on the paper.

Lucy wet her brush and painted a few strokes of red.

Sophia looked over at Lucy's painting and said, “That’s beautiful.”

Sophia washed her brush. She took some blue and stroked it on the paper.

She said “Lucy, look at this blue.”

Lucy looked at the blue and said "It's beautiful."


Sophia washed her brush and dried it on the paper towel.

She wet her brush in the water and then dipped it in the green.

She put long, curving, green strokes on her painting.

Lucy put long, curving, red strokes on her painting.

Sophia washed her brush, and took some red.

Lucy washed her brush and took some yellow.

Sophia looked at her painting and said, “It’s a rainbow."



She let the paint dry a bit.

She took a red magic marker and drew some curly lines on the rainbow.

She opened a glitter pen and dribbled a line of glitter on the rainbow.

Lucy drew some lines on her painting with a blue marker and added a line of glitter.

Sophia opened the roll of Scotch tape.

She tore off some small pieces and stuck them to the tops of the paintings.



She mounted the paintings on the kitchen door.



The girls stood back and smiled. “It’s an exhibit,” Sophia said.

They were very pleased.

Sophia took the bowls of muddy water to the sink.

She emptied them and filled them with clean water.

She put the fresh bowls of water and some clean paper towels on the table. 

Sophia and Lucy did some more paintings.

Lucy dipped her brush in the bright blue color.

She said "Sophia, look at this beautiful blue.”

Sophia agreed. She took some of the bright blue on her brush and said “It's beautiful.”

Lucy's baby sister, Emma, a lively 2 year old, and her Mom, joined them at the table.

Baby Emma wanted to paint too.

She pointed to the blue and said, “Booo.”

Sophie found a brush and some paper for Emma.

Emma's Mom showed her how to wet her brush and dip it in the paint.

Emma painted a stroke and giggled.

Sophie taped all of their new paintings to the kitchen door. Beautiful.

The girls stood back and admired their work.

Just then, Sophia's Mom announced that it was dinner time.

The girls did not want to stop painting,

but Sophia said “We can do art again soon.”

Lucy said “Yes, let's do art again soon.”

Baby Emma pointed to the watercolors and said “Booo.”

artbusnyc project

Plan a "watercolor" playdate. Invite a friend to come to your house. Buy some Crayola art materials at the supermarket. Invite your friend to do some watercolors with you. Put the art materials out on the dining table. Paint some beautiful watercolors. Tape them to a door for an exhibit. Invite people to see your exhibit. Talk about your paintings. Take photos of your exhibit. Save your art in a portfolio. Save your photos in an album.