Tuesday, October 1, 2024

René Magritte and Surrealism with Oil Pastels













In our latest middle school art project, we explored the work of René Magritte, a famous surrealist artist, by recreating one of his most iconic paintings, The Son of Man. But instead of placing an apple in front of our faces, we each chose something that represents our own personal interests. This allowed us to not only learn about surrealism but also express our individuality in a fun and creative way.

Who Is René Magritte?

René Magritte was a Belgian artist known for his contributions to the surrealist art movement. Born in 1898, Magritte's work often combines ordinary objects in unusual or dreamlike ways, challenging viewers to see the world differently. His paintings are filled with mystery, illusion, and thought-provoking imagery. Magritte liked to blur the lines between reality and imagination, creating art that makes us question what we see and how we interpret it.

One of his most famous pieces, The Son of Man, is a self-portrait of a man wearing a bowler hat, with a green apple floating in front of his face. Magritte explained that the painting represents how we always hide part of ourselves from others, no matter how much we try to show. This theme of hidden identity resonated with many of us as we considered what objects would represent our own interests.

Our Project

In this project, we used oil pastels to create our own versions of The Son of Man, but instead of an apple, each student chose an object that holds personal meaning to them. Some examples included musical instruments, sports equipment, food or even books. By placing these objects in front of our faces, we paid homage to Magritte's surreal style while also creating art that is uniquely ours.

Oil pastels were a great medium for this project because of their rich colors and smooth texture, which allowed us to blend and layer colors easily, giving our work depth and vibrancy. Plus, they offered an opportunity to practice technique while experimenting with surrealist ideas. Yes, we broke out the baby oil and q-tips to help blend on some.

What is Surrealism?

Surrealism is an art movement that started in the early 20th century, aiming to explore the unconscious mind and present a reality beyond the logical or realistic. Artists like Magritte, Salvador Dalí, and Max Ernst used dreamlike imagery, unusual combinations, and strange juxtapositions to challenge traditional ideas about art and reality.

This project allowed us to dive into the world of surrealism, where things aren't always what they seem, and creativity knows no bounds. The process taught us that art can be a way to express deeper thoughts and ideas in ways that words can't always capture.

By stepping into Magritte's shoes and adding our own twist, we learned that art is not just about what we see—but also about how we see it.

Happy Fall Y'all! Welcome October...1969




 

Monday, September 30, 2024

Fun and Easy Scarecrow Art Project for First Graders | Fall Classroom Activities



Fall is officially here, y'all—time to dive into some scarecrow fun! First graders LOVED this project, and here's how it went down:

Step 1: We started by drawing a simple scarecrow.  
Step 2: Once they were happy with their creation, it was time to jazz things up with fun details! We learned how to draw patches and gave our scarecrows some character with their unique faces.  
Step 3: Next up, the crow! It’s just a few easy shapes, so no stress—easy peasy!  
Step 4: For the grand finale, the kids got to color in their plaid shirts using Kwik Stix (after a quick plaid lesson, of course), then topped it off with painting!

Scarecrow magic complete!

L👀kie!















💜1965



Friday, September 27, 2024

Creative Ceramic Guitars: Fun Summer Camp Art Project for Kids


At our rockin' summer camp, we made ceramic guitars.  Great project for the Christmas tree or just to hang on your doorknob or wall!

How did this go down?

We found a guitar cookie cutter on Amazon!

Cut the clay guitars (make sure you put 2 holes in the guitar so you will have a place for wire)

Fired

Kids glazed

Fired again

Then, the kids wired!

That's That!

Lookie:





That's all, y'all!
💙1965

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

My Friend and Shelby Lynne

 My friend Hallie is heading to Nashville on Thursday to see Shelby Lynne at the Ryman Auditorium. Yep, the same day Hurricane Helene is set to slam middle Georgia with hurricane-force winds and rain. But, come hell or high water, Hallie is hitting the road on Wednesday because that's just the kind of die-hard fan she is.

Hallie’s been obsessed with Shelby Lynne's music ever since "I Am Shelby Lynne" dropped on January 25, 2000. When I say obsessed, I mean she’s probably listened to that album 100+ times. I’ve never met anyone more into music—of all genres. Honestly, I’d love to meet someone who could go toe-to-toe with her in a music trivia showdown.

So, when Hallie found out Shelby Lynne and her sister are performing the entire "I Am Shelby Lynne" album at the Ryman, she had no choice but to leave the cats behind and head to Nashville. What could top Shelby Lynne, the Ryman, and the full album? Armed with a Sharpie, she's checking off two big Bucket List items:

☑ Shelby Lynne
☑ The Ryman Auditorium

By my calculations, Hallie’s in for about a 5-hour-and-13-minute drive (assuming light traffic). But on the way back, Atlanta’s probably going to be its usual chaotic self, stretching the trip out way longer.

Now, here’s a fun fact: Hallie recently did a deep dive into Shelby Lynne’s guitars. Turns out Shelby had a favorite—an acoustic 1967 Gibson B25 that she wrote a bunch of songs on, but sadly, it was stolen over 10 years ago. 

Check out this beauty:

Hallie is a folk artist who runs her gig, The Big Gully. To honor Shelby Lynne, she’s painted a mini guitar with a magnet on the back. She’s hoping to give it to Shelby as a token of appreciation for her music and her incredible journey.

Wanna see it?

Pretty cool, right? One artist sings, the other paints—both sharing their gifts with the world, and in my eyes, both doing a stellar job of it!

Shelby Lynne might be a superstar, but my friend Hallie? She’s the ultimate superfan!

💜1965

Sunday, September 22, 2024

How the Art Teachers Wraps a Gift: Creativity in Every Corner!


Here's a Quick Video to Show You the Process!


For the slow version, look below:





And yes, I mailed it at the good ole United States Postal Service!

A bright, playful package bursting with fun arrives in the mail and was received on Time!

❤1965

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Pablo Picasso Suns


Need a fun and easy art project? Check out 2 Soul Sisters Art Ed on Shopify! 🎨

Click HERE for Pablo Picasso Suns Art Project @2soulsistersarted.com on Shopify!

This Pablo Picasso Sun Project includes everything you need for a creative classroom activity:

🌞Easy-to-follow Art Project Guide🌞
🌞30-Second Artist Bio🌞
🌞Clickable Links🌞
🌞Student Project Handouts🌞
🌞Fun Word Search🌞
🌞Real Student Examples🌞
🌞Step-by-step Video Tutorial for Kids🌞

Here is a quick video of what is included in the Pablo Picasso Suns Art Project:

What are the details?

Supplies: yellow paper, Kwik Stix, oil pastels, or crayons.

We showed fun Picasso videos and a step-by-step guide video from our Shopify store—kids loved it and created amazing art!

L👀K👇

















#PabloPicassoArt #ArtTeacherLife #CreativeKids #ArtLessons #ShopifyArt #elementaryart #KwikStix #ArtEducation #artteachersonshopify #2soulsistersarted #easyartproject

❤1965