Perks of summer ...

One of my favorite perks of summer is getting to visit Poetry Hill Poetry's Summer Writing Program and leading these lovely kids in an art project.  These visits are particularly enjoyable as these kids are wonderfully creative and take my art activities and create pieces beyond my imagination.  I am always awed by their ideas and finished pieces.

picture created using thumb and fingerprints
 (and pen) note how the flowers
feel like they are flying!

This past week we created graphic novel pages/comics using thumbprint art.  Thumbprint art is basically using an ink pad and either your thumb or fingers to make a print which you can then make into ANYTHING by adding lines.  You can also use your prints in a group to create larger shapes and images.  You can see by the finished pieces below that these kids did both.  

I started the session by demonstrating some possibilities and then handing out ink pads and scratch paper to let them play and get a feel for the process.  While they were experimenting I asked them to think about a story for one of their thumbprint characters.  After a bit, I handed out a page with empty 'storyboard's and ask them to create a story using thumbprint art.  The stellar finished pieces are below, many with lovely narratives.  And just in case you too want to play, here is the link to the printable template.  

True confession: thumbprint art is HIGHLY addictive, as you will see by the piece I made for my 'dailydress' blog. 

the adventures of Joey!! climbing, hanging, jumping and more.

the story of a person looking for a place where
they are accepted. 

Lastly, Potato Hill Poetry's Summer Writing Program has one more inspiring week left and if you are local and have a budding creative in your house, I highly recommend that you click here and check it out!! http://www.potatohill.com/summer-writing-program/

a peacock beauty pageant, click to expand and read the captions,
the outcome is priceless. 

story of a mole who gets sick and is helped by other animals
and they all end up living together.

'love birds':  the wedding, making a home, having babies ...

based on the games, apples to apples

a picture of the beach by her house in maine

'how I feel about houses' ... the sun shows its opinions about
different styles of home.

made by Andy Green, award-winning poet and writer, and leader of this program.
He continued playing and experimenting and check out the last panel,
totally thinking outside the box with his bunny ears!!  

as the kids were diligently working away I continued playing on the board,
first creating a Ferris wheel, then putting all types
of characters in the buckets of the Ferris wheel and then a
created the crowd waiting for their turn!
TOTALLY ADDICTING!!

And in response to a conversation about 'weirdness' that we had as we worked on our pieces, I created the illustration below, using my thumb and fingerprints.

illustration for my 'dailydress' blog -EMBRACE YOUR WEIRD!

and as always ...

Follow your Art and Peace

more great art from Potato Hill Poetry's Creative writing program

Before the summer ends I want to share some of the awesome work created by the terrific kids at Potato Hill Poetry's summer writing program.  I had the pleasure of being the guest artist for two more sessions and it is ALWAYS such a treat!! 

Potato Hill Poetry's Andrew Green sets an inspiring environment in which these kids flourish.  By the time I arrive, these kids' creative juices are flowing, making my job just that much more fun.

One week the group was working on written pieces about an imaginary place so I decided to have them create a mixed media map or a travel poster about their place.  Once the map was finished, we folded it up, just like a map, and put it into a cover, ready for a backpack or glove compartment.

The following week I shared my love for the master of color, Henri Matisse.  The Boston Museum of Fine Art had just hosted a beautiful exhibit of Matisse's work and so I thought I would join in on the matisse buzz that was happening.  

I focused on Matisse's later works, his collages. I gave the kids some basic instructions and lots of colored paper and they created some brilliant pieces.  Also to end the session, each writer shared a short story or poem about their collage!! I was over the moon!!!

I am sad to say that the Potato Hill Poetry Writing program is done for this year.  It is truly one of my highlights of my summer!! It is such a treat to work with these creative kids. And an extra special bonus is that Mr Green is alway an eager participant in my art activities which is fun for me and the kids.

'the sisters from Hamilton

I guess all I can do now is to wait for next summer .... 

peace,  virginia

what I'm doing this summer ...

Note the awesome starbucks frappuccino including straw!!!
And the bright & colorful collage that matches her bracelets!!!

Note the top collage skyline with pavement made out of text!! 

The lower left shows the collaged book cover of the journal 

that they use during the week!!! And see how the collaged character 

is wearing the same shirt as the artist!!! 

How I LOVE summer camp!!! I mean what is not to love??? 

long warm days, with friends, arts and crafts?!?!? 

So I am SO happy to say that I have been invited to be a guest artist

 at Potato Hill Poetry's Creative Writing Program for the third year in a row!! (happy dance)

(the 2 above photos are from last summer ...)

click here to register

poet/teacher/writer, Andrew Green.

reception card book- in progress
made of art gallery announcements 

For the past sessions I have lead these wonderfully creative campers in collage, drawing and Zentangle and this year I am planning to make some books, one of my newer obsessions.

spread from reception card book - in progress

So if you are in the area Metrowest/Natick area and you have a little writer on your hands, definitely check out this program.  It is an inspiring way to spend some of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.

a camper's collage from 2 summers ago

Come spend five fabulous mornings discovering the creative writer within. You will work with one or two fantastic teachers who will encourage and inspire you to write as never before. Mornings will be devoted to a variety of genres: nature writing, poetry, fiction, and journaling. There will be group exercises as well as individual guidance during the week. A reading for parents will occur on the final morning.

click here for more info and registration  

peace