Check out some of our current projects happening in the art room and how they’re made!
Check out lasts months post for more info on some of the projects below!
Radial Mandala designs on glass! Students finished up working on their radial mandala designs – so many cool pieces! Check out last months post for more info on this project and keep an eye out for a DIY on this project to be posted soon!
What’s in your cup? Students worked on how to draw cylinders and shade them in. Next they will create a drawing of their cup, decorating it with patterns and designs, filling it with a favorite drink! This project will be created with mixed media!
Impossible Shapes! Impossible shapes are a type of optical illusion – they can be drawn, however, could never exist in 3D form. Students practiced drawing an impossible Penrose triangle, and impossible square, before choosing which one they would like to paint. They also completed a color wheel and choose a color harmony to utilize in their painting.
Acrylic Pumpkin Paintings! Students worked on drawing spheres and turning them into pumpkins. They included light and shadow, completing value scales and working on shading. They drew their pumpkins and mixed their own colors to create shades of orange for their final pumpkin paintings!
Each month I will be spotlighting one of my students – past or present, and their artistic ventures! I work with students of all ages and abilities and you’ll get to learn a little bit about these amazing artists and their work!
Our October spotlight is on:
Matt St.Pierre
My name is Matthew St. Pierre and I am 13 years old. I am going into 8th grade. I enjoy playing fortnite, taking care of my backyard chickens, flying drones, and collecting coins. I also enjoy swimming in the ocean and on swim team, fencing and playing with my golden retriever, Molly.
How long have you been taking art lessons and why did you begin taking art lessons or become interested in art? “I started taking art lessons for school and enjoyed going with my brother and friends. I have been taking art lessons for about 8 years.”
What or who inspires you to create your artwork? “I usually draw from things I have seen. My own experiences and memories inspire me.”
What are your favorite mediums and/ or subjects for your artwork? “My favorite medium is pencil, but I really don’t have a favorite subject. I just like to create whatever comes to mind.”
Is there anything else about you that you’d like us to know? “I have a freshwater tank with a goldfish named Doofus. I am looking forward to adding a freshwater puffer fish who will be named Poofles.”
What is your favorite thing about art? “I like how pretty art is.”
Do you plan to have a career in the arts? “I don’t plan to have a career in the arts, but I know it will always be a hobby.”
How long does it take you to complete your artwork? “It typically takes me about 8 hours to complete a project from start to finish.”
What is your favorite color? “My favorite color is green. When I was a little kid, all I ever wanted for Christmas and by birthday was green things! Lime green has been my favorite shade for a while now.”
Besides visual arts are you into any other art forms? “I like music a lot. I like listening to music based on video games and movie scores. I’ve played violin for a long time and also enjoy classical music. I also kind of like some rap and country music.”
Godzilla, not Sponsored. Acrylic
“I painted this the same day that I watched Godzilla, King of the Monsters for this first time. I painted this on one of the canvases I got after completing a year of lessons “In the Art Room.”
Windmill Street, Acrylic on a leaf
I chose windmills because I think they are pretty. I saw fields of windmills like this on a cross country road trip and they came to mind when I was painting this. Painting on a leaf was somewhat challenging because I didn’t want to rip it.
Sunflower, Acrylic
I painted the sunflower like this because it reminded me of sunflowers we had in a field in our yard one year.
Matthew is always very creative in his work and brings his unique style to each piece he creates! He’s never afraid to try out new mediums or styles of art and has fun working on all his pieces – which shows through!! Keep on creating and having fun!
Check out some of our current projects happening in the art room and how they’re made!
We were finally able to start back with some classes in September!! Check out our first month of class projects! We are still in the midst of finishing up a few of the projects but be on the lookout for instructions to create some of the projects at home!
Radial Mandala designs! Students created a four fold radial design of their choosing by designing 1/4 of their design and then repeating it to complete their full radial designs. They outlined their designs on glass with Gallery Glass black out-liner and are working on adding colored glass paints!
Abstract Wall Hangings! Students created non objective abstract art on 3 fabric panels with Pantel fabric crayons, Tee Juice fabric markers, and Sharpies. They then sewed their fabric together to create one large panel. Our next step is to add a dowel to hang their panel from and adorn them with a few finishing details!
Ceramic Letters & Numbers! Students are in the process of creating a wall hanging with ceramic lettering and numbers! We’ll be glazing and attaching them to wooden boards to hang and display their works!
Embossed Metal Zentangles! Students learned about Zentangles and how to create their own inspired versions. They then created a Zentangle on foil by embossing their design into the surface! They used Sharpies to color their metal and then glued them to a piece of poster board! Check out instructions for creating your own inspired Zentangle here!
Each month I will be spotlighting one of my students – past or present, and their artistic ventures! I work with students of all ages and abilities and you’ll get to learn a little bit about these amazing artists and their work!
Our September spotlight is on:
Liam St.Pierre
My name is Liam St. Pierre and I will be 11 in September. I am homeschooled and am entering 6th grade. I live in the woods with my 2 golden retrievers, my sister’s cat, and our chickens and ducks. I love living in the woods, because there is just my family and me and we can go exploring. I enjoy swimming, fencing, art, playing video games, going to the beach and swimming in the ocean with my friends and eating tacos and burgers
Five Keys
Pastels
“I started taking art lessons with Miss Jenell about 6 years ago, because my big brothers were already taking lessons and I thought it was interesting. I remember one of my earliest art projects was making origami frogs that actually hopped! When I get an assignment, I use my imagination and a picture of what I want to make just pops into my mind! Then, I just start creating it.”
The “L” Bot
Acrylic
“This is probably one of the pieces I like the most. I like it because it looks like the robot is actually standing up.”
“My favorite mediums are colored pencils and pens, but I also like acrylic paint, and pastels. I have entered quite a few art shows with Miss Jenell’s help and it’s always fun to go and see my work on the wall! It usually takes about 8-10 hours to complete my projects.”
Sunset Leaf
Paints on an actual leaf
“This one was hard. I drew inspiration from magazine pictures and added the sunset and boat from my imagination. Painting on a dry leaf is very hard because it is so fragile.”
“I like a lot of forms of art, but I don’t really like abstract art because if I look at it, I always try to find something in the picture. I feel mad at myself if I can’t find something realistic!”
A Different Galaxy
Paper, paints, pastels, pencils
“It’s hard to see in the picture, but this piece is made of layers and layers of frames so that you can reach your hand into the middle of the galaxy. It’s a 3D final product that I really think is cool.”
“My favorite color is blue- green… kind of like a mix of aqua and teal… more blue then green…. I’ll call it telaqua! In addition to visual art, I also have been playing the piano for about 4-5 years.”
Liam is imaginative and positive with his artwork and creations! He is always able to take an idea or project and add his own creative and unique twist to it. Putting forth his best efforts into his artwork, while still having fun, he creates happy pieces of art for viewers to enjoy! Nice job Liam! 🙂
Each month I will be spotlighting one of my students – past or present, and their artistic ventures! I work with students of all ages and abilities and you’ll get to learn a little bit about these amazing artists and their work!
Our August spotlight is on:
Ella St. Pierre
My name is Ella St. Pierre. I am 8 and a half years old and I’m going into 4th grade. I like to paint on the easel in my room, talk to my friends, go to the beach, swim, and jump on my trampoline. I also like to play board games including chess and Connect 4 and I love to play with my cat. Besides, visual arts, I like to sing and dance… and sing while dancing! I also like culinary arts. When I grow up, I want to be a surf instructor and a YouTuber.
“Party of two”, Acrylic Paint
The robot was having a party at night and no one came. He got sad, but remembered that God was at the party. This is a reminder that you can have fun even by yourself. Sometimes I look at this photo and think about the fact your never alone but with God.
How long have you been taking art lessons? “I have been taking lessons for 4 or 5 years. I started taking art lessons because my mom signed me up! But I am really glad she did. It’s really fun.”
Who or what inspires you to make your artwork? “I look around and get inspired by things I see or things that pop into my head.”
“Meteor Shower”, Remnant of my old lipstick
What are your favorite mediums or subjects for your artwork? “Pencil…. not colored pencils, but pencils, are my favorite medium. I also like puffy paint and I like to draw or paint with unusual items, like old lipstick or makeup.”
Is there a certain style, or type, of art that you’d like to someday try? “Someday, I’d like to try sculpting with clay or throwing pottery.”
“Night Sky’s”, Paint
What is your favorite color? “My favorite color is pastel yellow and pastel green.”
Is there an aspect of art you don’t like and why? “I don’t like pastels because my pastel projects end up messy. I also don’t like colored pencil because of its texture and the detail.”
“Ocean Waters”, Stamp-making
Why do you think art is important? – Why is it important for you? “The arts are fun! They are fun to learn and when I mess up, I laugh at it.”
Ella is creative and imaginative in her artwork! I’m always excited to see what she comes up with next – whether it’s her unique use of mediums, or the originality of the scenes, characters and subjects she creates within her artwork! Keep up with all the awesome artwork Ella! 🙂
Brighten your garden with a colorful hand painted paver! Paint just one or paint many and create a fun path through your garden!
What you need:
Cement Paver – The ones I’m using are 12″x12″
Outdoor primer
Pencil
Acrylic paint – I used Apple Barrel Craft paints in Bright Blue, Bright Yellow, Bright Red, Black, & White. You can also use Patio Paints for longer lasting results!
Krylon indoor/outdoor, gloss sealer
Step one: Prime you paver – I used an outdoor primer, brushed it on & let it dry.
Step two: Draw your design onto your paver (you can also use stencils or templates).
Step three: Begin to paint your design! I like to start with my background and work forwards.
You may need to apply more than one layer of paint with certain colors – if this is the case let layers dry between new coats!
If you want to blend colors it’s easiest to do so while the paints are still wet – brush back and forth to help blend colors!
Create effects with your paint – like splatters for stars or texture by “flicking” your paint!
Fill in your foreground with base colors…
Add your details! Leave your stepping stone as is or add in some whimsy with additional lines, colors, & patterns!
Step four: Finish your stepping stone by sealing your paint with krylon indoor/outdoor gloss sealer!
Check out the video below for more ideas or join us for a stepping stone class to create your own!
Be sure to send along a picture of your finished stepping stone! 🙂
The fall schedule of classes is now available here! Tux, the art room kitty, is excited to get back to having some classes in the art room and being able to “help” out on some art projects! In celebration, enjoy some Tux coloring pages! Pages are downloadable below!
You can download all these pages below! Be sure to send me a photo of your colored in pages – I’ll add them to Tux’s fan art page! 🙂 Also check out more info on Tux here!
Each month I will be spotlighting one of my students – past or present, and their artistic ventures! I work with students of all ages and abilities and you’ll get to learn a little bit about these amazing artists and their work!
Our July spotlight is on:
Haley Clark
My name is Haley Clark, and I just recently turned 16 years old. I started home schooling in 7th grade, and I absolutely love every minute of it. This upcoming school year I will be going into the 11th grade. I’ve always loved the arts because I feel that I really can express myself through dance, music and my art work. I’ve been dancing since I was 3, and I can definitely say that dance is my passion. This year I was even given the opportunity to teach dance to younger kids at my dance studio. My goal is to become a Radio City Rockette. I even danced with them this past fall at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. I have been taking art with Ms. Jenell for the past 3 years working on various types of mediums including textiles, painting & pottery. Growing up, my dad was always amazing at art. I think somewhere along the road, I wanted to try my hand at it. Being able to express myself through bright and uplifting pieces of art just inspires me even more to create. Being able to express myself through my art is something that is very special to me.
Title: Tarzan and Jane Medium: Acrylic paint Description: “I’ve always enjoyed animated movies and Tarzan is one of my favorites. I decided to use my love for art to paint one of my favorite scenes from the movie. I not only wanted to recreate the characters themselves, but the mystery of the setting behind them.”
What are your favorite subjects for your artwork? “I absolutely LOVE to paint Marvel movie characters and Disney characters and animals etc.”
When you’re making your art do you like to listen to music? “I always listen to music while painting! It really inspires me to be creative. My favorite group is Maroon 5.”
Title: The Antique Keys Medium: Pastels Description: “My goal for this piece was to make the keys look as antiqued as possible. I wanted to recreate an aged effect. Using pastels, I feel that I was able to achieve this visual effect.”
How long does it take you to complete your artwork? “The time it takes to complete a piece of art really depends on the piece itself. The painting I have been working on and completing at home usually take 2 to 3 hours.”
Do you enter your art in any shows or contests? “I have entered my art in several contests and/or shows with Ms. Jenell. Some of the shows have been in Chincoteague VA as well as at the Ward Museum in Salisbury.”
Title: Sunflower Medium: Acrylic paint and textiles Description: “Using wire and fabric, I was able to turn a normal acrylic painting of sunflowers into an eye catching 3D piece. To the best of my ability, I created a 3D sunflower that was as similar to my painted sunflowers as possible. My mom loves flowers, so I guess you can say she was my inspirations for this piece.”
Is there a certain type of art you would like to try in the future? “I would love to experiment more with various textiles.”
Haley’s upbeat and fun loving nature comes through in her artwork – bringing a sense of joy to the viewer! She has an openness in trying new mediums and techniques. This, along with her positivity & natural ability, cause her to be successful in artistic endeavors. She also has a unique knack for sharing and encouraging these abilities in others, creating inspiration as she follows her passions!
Each month I will be spotlighting one of my students – past or present, and their artistic ventures! I work with students of all ages and abilities and you’ll get to learn a little bit about these amazing artists and their work!
Our June spotlight is on:
Dorothy McCormick
Dorothy is 17 years old and is beginning her Senior Year of High school. Although she has been taking art lessons since she was 4, she started taking classes at In the Art Room at age 12. Dorothy enjoys creating works inspired by her life experiences however she has also created many works featuring wildlife. As someone who loves blending colors, her favorite mediums are colored pencils and watercolors. Dorothy spends anywhere from 2-15 hours on each piece. Since she devotes so much time to her projects, she has entered several art competitions and is a 7 time “Junior Duck Stamp 1st Place Category Winner” and 1 time state “Best in Show.” She has always been interested in the arts and is a classically trained vocalist and guitarist. Due to her love of singing and songwriting she hopes to pursue a career in Christian Music. Dorothy looks forward to continue taking lessons this coming year, as she believes art is one of thee greatest forms of self discovery and expression.
“I Am a Garden”
Work: I Am a Garden
Date: Completed October 2019
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Description: This piece was inspired by the importance of self-care. Just as gardens need to be gently cared for and cultivated, we need to care for and cultivate ourselves. With the right actions we will flourish.
Work: Cuteness Overload
Date: Completed October 2018
Medium: Acrylic on Chalkboard
Description: For a period in my life I had a strange fear of petting zoos. However, in the fall of 2018 I visited one and absolutely fell in love with some alpacas there. Ever since then, Alpacas have been a symbol of conquering fear for me; so I decided to paint this as a reminder.
“Cuteness Overload”
“A Soldier’s Footsteps”
Work: A Soldier’s Footsteps
Date: Completed February 2020
Medium: Graphite Pencil
Description: This year I entered the Young American Creative Patriot Art Contest. It features the story of my great-great uncle who fought in WWII, including: the battles he fought in, the medals he earned and his infantry’s standard.
Work: The Ugly Duckling’s Antithesis
Date: Completed March 2020
Medium: Ink and Watercolor
Description: Normally when painting waterfowl I pick a bird I consider beautiful. However for the Chincoteague Migratory Bird Art Contest, I wanted to do the opposite. So when I came across the “Horned Grebe” with its spikes, sharp beak, and seemingly red eye, I knew it was perfect. However, I soon found out that these unsightly birds are quite cute as ducklings, and realized: this is the opposite of the Ugly Duckling
“The Ugly Ducking’s Antithesis”
Dorothy’s dedication and determination in her art – whether it’s creating a piece for a contest or expressing herself, help her to continue to reach her artistic goals! Her natural talent and abilities are strengthened by her persistence. She has a passion for self-discovery that is sure to inspire others as she continues in her artistic journey!
Painted furniture is a fun project I like to partake in! I love the process of taking an old piece of furniture and giving it new life – it’s amazing sometimes how much a coat of paint can transform something! With painted furniture, I enjoy creating pieces that are distressed and shabby chic as well as pieces that are more fun with colors and patterns!
The first step to my painted furniture process is finding the furniture – which can be just as fun as painting 🙂 I find many pieces at yard sales, flea markets, or thrift stores. The best ones are raw wood or ones that have yet to be painted. Pieces then get cleaned up and sanded down.
Once pieces have been sanded, I use Sherwin-Williams multi-purpose primer to cover the piece with. If I’m doing a shabby chic or distressed piece I sometimes just use chalk paint without painting the piece with the primer first – but for the most part each piece gets a primed with this paint!
After the primer is the fun part – figuring out what to make the piece look like! If I’ve decided to go distressed and shabby chic then it usually only requires a coat or two of paint on top of the primer – I sometimes use chalk paint for this but I typically use interior latex paint, BEHR, being my favorite brand for this. Once the color is dry, I distress the piece by hand sanding areas where I want some of the primer (if I’ve included this step) or original wood of the piece to show through. For the most part this means I’ll sand around the edges of the piece or if it has any defining groves or details in the wood I’ll pick them up by distressing with the sandpaper.
If I want to do a shabby chic/distressed piece with a drawn/painted element included, I will paint the subject it on after the color coat and before distressing – this way it will be included in the distressing!
If I’ve decided to take the piece in another direction – the more fun looking, crazy colors & patterns, they still get primed first. Then I’ll usually draw my outline for more detailed subjects and start to add some base coats of paint. From there I just keep layering and filling in with the colors and patterns I’ve decided on. Most of the time these designs get a final outline in paint as well. I typically just use a matte acrylic craft paint for all the designs and patterns.
Finally the pieces get sealed. My favorite thing to use is Minwax Paste finishing wax – I use it on so much stuff 😀 It’s a soft wax that’s rubbed onto the finished piece – it comes in a natural color or a special dark color. The special dark adds even more of a distressed look to pieces as it has a slight brown tint to it. Once the wax has been applied the piece gets buffed by hand. For some of the more colorful pieces where I don’t want a vintage or distressed look, I’ll use a clear coat sealer on top instead – typically a gloss, interior/exterior, non-yellowing, UV resistant, spray sealer!
Some pieces I add other elements to as well – such as the chess pieces (made out of polymer clay), or the cow and dog on the ‘Hey Diddle Diddle’ chair (which were knobs from Hobby Lobby) and switching out hardware on furniture with doors or drawers. Or the anchor & crab chair have painted fabric seats.
Painted furniture is also one of my favorite classes to have! It really is a lot of fun and I love how a piece can look totally different with just a coat of paint! 🙂
