What do you think of this nine year old

Art Camp

Day One

We started each day watering the gardens. 

It was great to have help!

This is Avery and she came for a visit this week.

We had a 4 day/night all inclusive Art Camp.

Following is my documentation of our projects. 

On the first morning while I was getting set up, Avery watched my video demonstration of the making of this piece of mixed media art.

This fun video titled, Collage Layers with Napkins, was inclued in most of my online classes.

You can watch it now on my Vimeo site.

Since Avery watched the video, I did not make a demonstration piece.

I just watched, answered questions and gave instruction.

first layer of papers

second layer of butterflies

painting edges

adding layers of paper napkins

stamping the word "and" to layer onto her collage

Day one project.

Wish and Dream

Day Two

early morning sunshine

paper layer and transfer of house fragment

we're gonna paint a face

That face!

a self portrait in progress

She Looked and Smiled by Avery Thomas

a self portrait

She Wondered by Sharon Tomlinson

a portrait demonstration

After lunch when I needed to retire to the chair zone, I gave Avery an 8 x 10 canvas board and told her she could paint anything she wanted to while I rested.

She had one question, "What does a dolphin look like?'

Me, "whaaaaaat?"

I quickly thought to suggest she google 'dolphin'. 

And that's all I heard from her until my rest period was over and she ask me to join her.

Neither of us had much of a clue how to paint waves so I taped her brush onto the end of a bamboo stick to force her to get looser with the paint.

She was such a good sport about it and it was kinda fun.

The Dolphin by Avery Thomas

Day Three

we sculpt with Sculpey clay

Avery made a red bird and a blue bird that she gifted her parents with.

I played with Sculpey clay too and this is my bird.

She is a Garden Palace bird.

the beginning of an art journal

Avery's first time to use a needle and thread.

She discovered that she loves sewing and we are planning a sewing camp in the future.

We used a yellow file-folder (cut down) for the cover but then decided to cover it with fabric.

This is the front and she stamped her initials on it.

Day Four

On day four Avery worked in her new art journal.

This is the drawing she did of the dolphin reference she found on her Google search.

She used carbon paper to transfer the drawing to the canvas and saved the drawing for her journal. 

Before stamping the cover, she practiced on a little scrape and then stitched it into her journal.

While Avery worked in her new journal, I made a folder for her to keep the extra papers and things she will use in her journal when she goes home. 

I used an old hanging folder.

After cutting off the hanging bars, I closed the sides and decorated it a bit. 

And sometimes she gave me this look.

I meant to tell you in the beginning that she is a bright, happy, smart, fun, freckled, precious little nine year old with the most brilliant mind I have witnessed in a nine year old. 

But I'm thinking you have figured that out too. 

Ever since Avery went home, I've been at Chair Camp.

Do you know what I mean?

I call her Day Dreamer

This is about this little Sculpey doll, Day Dreamer

First, Jenny and I painted funky faces on a little wood panel.

We had intentions from the beginning to paint a face and then use Sculpey to form her likeness. 

Jenny brought the Sculpey with her for us to play with because I didn't have any and haven't played with Sculpey in so many years. So many years that I forgot the one thing I did not like about Sculpey.

First, I guess you need to know that I have a compulsive need to put a final finish on any and all of my art. And that is where Sculpey and I do not get along.

The problem is it gets sticky and I don't remember ever getting past that and so I stopped playing with it years ago.

I painted the face while Jenny was here and when I realized it was STICKY, I put it down.

After Jenny was gone for a week, I decided that I had to finish her and conquer this STICKY situation. 

So, I gessoed the unpainted body and then painted it with my Golden acrylics. 

I started experimenting.

Gesso = not sticky

Golden matte medium = not sticky

Other Golden mediums = sticky

Lascaux acrylic Fixative = sticky

Finally, I thought to try Golden Polymer Varnish (gloss) = NOT STICKY!

I gessoed over the face that I already painted for a second time while Jenny was here and repainted it. Then I used the Golden Varnish and it is amazing how lovely she feels. 

One other thing that I remember, I love Sculpey or any kind of clay.  I get totally lost and in the zone with the soft malleable earthy stuff in my hands.

Thank you Jenny for coming and bringing your Sculpey and convincing the security guy at the airport that it was harmless!

♥