Recycled materials make the art room go round

5rh grades working on designing altered books..need old and no longer needed baby board book!!

We are in dire need of board books, but seriously, any book would do. In 5th grade students are working on designing an altered book containing some pop-up elements.

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Where's my child's art work?

I recently had a parent ask me why more art work is not going home weekly stemming from the art program. I see all kids at Murch 45 minutes a week. Each unit I introduce my take up to 4 weeks, sometimes more. A unit is a set of lessons based around one media. An example unit with a media might require (1) exploration with the media in our sketchbooks, (2) reflection on what we learned and created a shared resource wall and begin planning steps for a final project in that media. Lessons 3-4 often entail working on our 'final projects'. This may differ some from more 'crafty' art lessons that look good but carry little individuality and very little value in terms of building skills. When done, the project may be used to be displayed in the hallways or sent home. At this rate, parents may get work about every 4-6 weeks. But by no means, does this mean learning is not happening. I post on this very blog at least twice a week and at most three times daily with pictures and 'glimpses' of what is going on in the studio. In addition, I have an open door policy in my classroom. I welcome all parents to come and observe their children and the class during their child's art class. So, please take advantage of this and come join us and see for yourself what we are working on. My focus in the art studio is exposure and skill building in various true art media and building of ideas and concepts that stem from within the child and lessons that are meaningful to the child personally. I have a full curriculum for all grades posted right at my door. Please contact me if you have any questions at Miriam.Cutelis@yahoo.com.

Board books needed for 5th grade refurbished pop-up non-fiction book creations. Also, pillow stuffing needed for 3rd grade African-inspired printed pillows. Drop off donations in the art room.

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This weekend please save your 'trash to treasure' items for me.....

We are working on several 3D projects in school now that require some 'trash to treasure" items. See the list below.....maybe you can help us. Thanks again for the families that have already brought these 'treasures' in.....I do not take your support for granted at all! I will be at the Corcoran today for an amazing professional development for all art teachers in the District. Can't wait to post those pictures today.

* old keys

* broken toy jewelry

* beads

* buttons

* Magazines catalogs

* tops to small bottles

* marbles

* those tiny raisin boxes

* doilies

* old stamps

* broken costume jewelry

* pieces of broken toys

* puzzle pieces

* Gift wrapping

* Greeting cards

* Wallpaper paper

* seashells/pebbles

* old/broken holiday ornaments

* small glass or clear plastic containers.

* game pieces

* Small plastic animal (broken okay)

* Party favors (broken okay)

* candy wrappers

* small gift boxes

A big thank you to all the Murch families who have donated yarn for our puppet heroes....

I have had a ton of Murch families drop off yarn for our puppet hero project. Thank you very much!

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Recycled/Throw away items needed in art room

1. In second grade we are making paper mache puppets and found out we are very low on 'hair'. If you have yarn or string in any 'hair color', please drop them by the art room.

2. In 4th grade we are studying the vessels of the Anasazis and need balloons to make paper mache vessels. I will most likely pick some up this weekend, but if you have any from a part party, I'd love it!

3. In 1st grade students are looking at 17,300 year-old art found in the caves of Lascaux, France. If you have any colored chalk we can use for this unit, please also drop by the art room. We would also need to borrow several mortar and pestles (see image below).

Families, thanks in advance for all your help.

Thank you VERY MUCH to the mystery parent for our HUGE cigar box donation....we will use them all soon!!!

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Parent volunteers-all you need to know

I have had many parents approach me about volunteering in the art room. Parents are ALWAYS welcome to volunteer in the art room during times their child comes to art class. If interested in volunteering just e-mail me at Miriam.Cutelis@yahoo.com and let me know you're coming. Normally you can help maintain the class on task, or sit by a child who might need extra support. You can always also sit by your child and do your own art, help wash brushes or help hang, label or photograph art for the blog. Kids love showing off their parents to their friends and it also gives parents a great opportunity to get a feel on the class culture. Look forward to meeting you soon.

Love My Murch Parents!!

I just had to put out a huge thank you to Ms. Lisa (Lilly's mom) and Ms. Galen (Oliver's mom) again for going out and getting me various cans of spray paint for our stenciling class with 5th graders. I also want to send a huge thank you to all the parents who wrote me asking if I still needed spray paint. Wow!! I love my Murch parents. I do not take all your support for granted....not for a minute. Have a wonderful weekend!

Supplies needed for art (a visual list)

Dear Murch Families,
I'm sure by now you have received my letter about what supplies your child needs to participate successfully in the Murch art program. Please send in the following items if you have not already done so: If you are not sure, please ask your child or email me and I will check.

1. 2 sponges (the ones with the scrubby part on one side is best, but I'm not picky)

2. 1 old (no longer needed) t-shirt to be used as an art smock. Will be happily painted and destroyed over the course of the year. Write your child's name across the front with permanent marker. These t-shirt will stay in school in your child's locker/cubby and children will wear them to art.

3. Last and MOST importantly, send in a composition book that will serve as a sketchbook. This is not the same one as the one your child may need for music. This book will live in my art studio and be returned at the end of the year.

Getting ready for 1st grade texture collage extravaganza

Thanks to the amazing parents at Murch, mixed media projects like these are much more fun. 90% of the items in this mixed media collage project are donated by Murch families.

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2nd graders explore watercoloring wet-on wet and wet-on-dry

This is an image from my Elmo 'projector' ....Last year the HSA bought the art room an Elmo projector allowing me the ability to share enlarged images of my live demonstrations on a huge screen. This has truly revolutionized the way I run my class. Thank yuo HSA!!

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Ms. Cutelis' collage obsession

I have been obsessed with these Fiskars squeeze punchers for a while now. I must have about 20 of them now and love making collages with them with my kids. This past week they were on sale at 40% off at Michael's and I again, bought a few to add to my growing collection. You too can enjoy these at home....here is a list of what you will need.....

First, you will need a few punchers. (They are found at Michael's...they are about 12-16$...make sure you take a 40% off coupon below)....I always google for the coupon online and print them before I go to the store.

Then, I get all the catalogues, magazines I have been getting in the mail and sit on the rug with my kids. They love punching just as much as I do...

Then you will need a gallery wrapped canvas...."gallery wrapped" just means that the staples are in the back.....I buy a 7 set 12x12 canvases at 19$. Again, use your coupon.

Last, you will need a flat brush and glossy Mod Podge glue. The glue will be used as a glue and a sealant. Meaning this will go under and over your cutouts...

Now is when the fun begins.....below are some of the creations I've done this past year....

Michaels Printable Coupon: Click here to get the most recent coupon.

Thought I'd pass this along...being a super creative idea and all

Parents Mike Hefner and John Wix have kindly offered to produce another thank you banner for the teachers! The one that they did last year is still hanging outside of the principal's office. If you'd like to participate, simply email a photo of your child directly to Mike at :mike@202design.com by 8pm this Sunday May 8th. Thanks Mike and John!! I love that banner it brightens my whole day every time I see it.

Need help building metal shelves

I am seeking help from anyone in the Murch community who might have strong 'IKEA' genes. I have ordered and received three wire metal shelves funded by the HSA (that's you....my awesome parents!!!) and would love some help building them. If you are free the week of April 11th, please contact me at miriam.cutelis@yahoo.com .

Recycled items needed in the art room

I have updated out list of recycled items needed in the art room....click HERE to go to the list.

What I most need this week are magazines.....if you have any, please send some in with your child. Any type of magazine/catalogs will be fine....we use them for printmaking and helping keep our prints clean. Thanks to all your help in advance

Smocks, smocks, smocks

Although we have informed all families in the fall about this, I must again remind all families to make sure their child have a large paint t-shirt in their child's cubby/locker. I cannot guarantee your child's clothes staying clean without a smock. To teachers, the children need to come into art already wearing their smocks so that we can use those 45 minutes making art. If anyone out there have extra shirts, please donate them to the art room. They will be put to use on kids who do not yet have smocks.

What I do with all those egg cartons?

I must thank all the Murch parents who have been dropping off recycled 'supplies' for the art room. Here is a sample of what I do with the egg cartons. I cut them so there are 6 cups per palette. Then use black, white, red, blue, yellow and brown......

Keep them coming!!

1st graders play with organic and geometric shape to create a unity based collage

This is an image of a work created by Victor Brauner. We used our amazing HSA-funded ELMO to look closely at this art. Brauner was a Romanian Surrealist Painter who lived from 1903-1966. This work has abstract images of human beings in which geometric and organic shapes are used.

The great benefit with using the ELMO allows us to really get up close to the work, no matter how tiny they look printed in a book. The children loved all these depictions of humans and animals.

Below is the kids' rendition inspired by Victor Brauner.

Children used colored construction paper, and varied fancy scissors to create both geometric and organic shapes to create a human being. The artist below is cutting out his person on the second day of this project.

The 2 types of shapes. Children were shown various shapes and they had to tell me where it went.
Below is the work completed. Looks very much inspired by the Brauner work we looked at.
A wonderful Murch parent donated these amazing set of wavy scissors. The kids enjoyed making organic shapes from these scissors.