virtual Archives - Claire's Creative Adventures

Spring Ahead!

Springtime is the land awakening! The March winds are the morning yawn. -Lewis Grizzard

Celebrate spring by creating a bright colorful, robot puppet with your kids! Then in the afternoon, take the robot puppet outside and put on a puppet show!

Robot Puppet

Supplies:

Scissors, Glue, Markers or Oil Pastels and Water Color

Dowel or Carboard Tube “(we used the white tubes around wire hangers which you can score for free from most dry cleaners)”

Brads, Cardboard, Duct Tape

Fun Options: Gems, Buttons, Tissue Paper, Scrapbook Paper

“Choose a shape for the head” or “cut a 5×5 square.”

Use oil pastels to decorate the head and paint watercolors over for an awesome effect. Then glue the fun options from gems to scrapbook paper for added detail.

Follow all the steps for the body, arms and legs that you did for the head.

Glue the head to the body. Use a hole puncher or toothpick to punch holes where the arms and legs need to connect to the body. Then add a brad to connect each piece- the robot can now move and groove!

Take the dowel or cardboard tube and duct tape it to the back.

Create a fun puppet show with your creative, colorful, spectacular Robot!

-PC and Craft: Make Robot Puppets, Meri Cherry Art Studio

Don’t take a break from Creativity! 5 ways to stay Creative this Spring (Parents and kids!) Creative problem-solving for families in need of educational entertainment:

In-Person Summer Camps: Kids will explore all types of art media. Outdoor Courtyards are used for sketching and outdoor art! (weather permitting) Daily easel painting, dry art murals, free-choice art stations, storytelling + inspiring art processes to tantalize and engage every age and skill level! Learn/practice simple French and Spanish. June to August/ Full week or once-a-week options/ Age Groups: Late 3-6′s/ 7-11′s /Mornings or Afternoons. LIC & UES locations. Click Here to Learn more!

2. Spring Break Camps: OUTDOOR PAINTING, MOVING AND CREATING ARTStory Adventures. Ages 4-9. Introduction to French and Spanish! Daily Art and Movement in Outdoor Courtyards + Drawing, Painting, Sculpting, Multi-Media *Friday field trips to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Begins March 22-April 2, Monday-Friday*In-Person@1157 Lexington @ All Soul’s Church. (2 hours) 9:30-11:30am / 1-3pm / 3-5pm. $550 per week/ Limited to 6 spaces for safety. Reserve a time as a Pod. Click Here to Learn more!

3. April/May Classes: Outdoor and indoor creative & inspiring art development (in-person) programs: Inquire Here and share your scheduling needs & location: Click Here to Inquire.

4. Personalized Private Classes: A great way to stay practiced and learn new skills! Painting, Sculpting, Drawing, Multi-Media, Photography… Tell us your interests! Click Here to Inquire

5. Virtual ARTStory Adventures: (Siblings receive a 50% Discount!) Socially distant learning: 1 hr. Zoom classes with jam-packed ART KITS and added DIY video extras to choose from (for in-between classes) like additional drawing lessons, dance, movement and experiments. Monthly series. Happening NOW-May. Join us for anIntroductory Week: and receive 2 classes + Art Kit with all Drawing, Painting, Crafting and Building supplies… for only $97! Check it out & join us: Our next Adventure begins in 2 weeks! Click Here to Register!

St. Patrick’s Day

Prepare Early for the holiday with this awesome drawing project!

Supplies: Paper/Pencil/Colored Pencils/Markers
Quality family time, draw “St. Patrick’s Day folding surprise” together! Watch the whole video to see “this week’s Challenge-Time! Happy Early St. Patrick’s Day!

-PC and Project: How to Draw St. Patricks Day Folding Surprise + Challenge Time

We took inspiration last week from Alexander Calder’s mobiles and stabiles to create our own version of these Kinetic Art sculptures! We learned all about our line and shapes family: creating straight, curved and angle lines in our wires & pipe cleaners. Then connected these lines to our shapes! We were then introduced to the brand new medium of plaster wrap! Just dip in water & smooth with your fingers onto the surface. Our shapes were finally brought to life with a bit of watercolor!

Need a SPRING BREAK CAMP? March 22-April 2, Monday-Friday* Ages 4-6 /7-9. In-Person: Location: @1157 Lexington @ All Soul’s Church)

Week 1 & Week 2 / Choose AM or PM: (2 hours) 9:30-11:30am / 1-3pm / 3-5pm: Indoor + Outdoor art activities + *Friday field trips to the Metropolitan Museum of Art

A full ARTS experience: Daily Courtyard Art and Movement, Drawing, Painting, Sculpting with exciting Multi-Media building of 3D Stories!

Click here to Contact us to Inquire or Register Now: (Limited Spaces/ 6 children per time/ Pods most welcome with a 6-student reservation.) $550 per week

Or join us for virtual ARTStory Adventures!

ArtStory Adventures includes abstract art games, drawing storybook characters, crafting with mailed art kits, storytelling, exercising, dancing, and so much more! Everything is digital and your kids can go at their own pace-3 hours of content: Monday through Friday!

Or Click Here for 1 hr. Zoom Classes or get (discounted) Digital only access to these monthly activities ($188). Or Try Introductory Week: 2 classes, art kits plus all videos for only $97!

Happy President’s Day! Did you know….?

“The oil-on-canvas painting illustrates George Washington, then a general in the American Revolutionary War, crossing the Delaware River with his troops on the night of Dec. 25-26, 1776. The crossing immediately precipitated Washington’s surprise attack on the Hessian forces in the Battle of Trenton in New Jersey….

Although the painting depicts a scene from the American Revolutionary War, the original was actually painted in 1851 in Germany — 75 years after the Battle of Trenton, says David Parrish, professor of art history.

German-born artist Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, who was born 40 years after the battle, painted “Washington Crossing the Delaware” in Düsseldorf.”

-PC and Information: Purdue University, Did you know ‘Washington Crossed the Delaware’ Painting?

Red, White and Blue Recycled Egg Carton Boats

Supplies:

Half of a cardboard egg carton/ Red, White and Blue Fabric (keep kids busier longer with paper or napkins and markers)

Brown yarn/Scissors/Glue/Small Stick,

Lego Figurines or Animals

Easy craft to keep your kiddos laughing and playing for hours! First, cut out large triangle and then wrap one of long edges around the craft stick. Second, cut out six mini flags out of the fabric. If you want this craft to take longer then get out construction paper or napkins, and markers for the triangles. Third, cut the brown yarn and then hot glue from the bottom of the carton to the top of the big flag. Make sure the string is tight. Fourth, glue the mini flags to the string. Finally, add your animal or lego characters to your boat and let them float on the floor. You can totally get these wet, just know that it will probably sink!

-PC and Craft: 11 Crafts for Kids to Keep Them Busy During Lockdown, Heart Handmade

Join our ARTStory Adventures!

All-in-one Digital & Live ART Classes in Drawing, Sculpting, Crafting, Imagination & Stories of Adventures! (Bonus short movement and dance videos included.) Click HERE to learn more.

https://www.hearthandmade.co.uk/crafts-for-kids/

Spread love with FUN HEART PRINTS & recyclable materials today: Make your cards with Bubblewrap Prints!

Happy (Pre) Valentine’s Day !

Enjoy this super easy (and free!) card-making project with Bubble wrap makes cool prints on cards with paint! (or any recyclable material with texture)

Kids LOVE popping bubbles in bubblewrap! Keep them busy & their fingers strong with this fun printing activity- while using up packaging to boot! (or get a sheet from UPS or Staples.) Don’t have bubblewrap handy? Look around the home for textured materials to cut into hearts!
Materials: Scissors; marker, white or colored paper; paint brush, paint or ink pad, paper towels or newspaper + bubble wrap

Pop all the bubbles first on the bubble wrap! Fold a piece of paper in 1/2 or in 1/4. On a flat surface, lay down newspaper or paper towels. Then, with a marker, draw a (large) heart shape onto the bubble wrap that will fit your folded paper. Cut the bubble wrap heart shape. Next, place layer of paint on the bubble wrap with a brush, and then lay it carefully face-down onto the paper, press with out moving and lift. (Set aside for more prints of various colors!) Finally, Write Happy Valentine’s Day! To: ___________ From __________ on the front or the back. Add stickers, glue and glitter or a message as to why you LOVE them!

PC: The Best Ideas for Kids

We can’t wait to see you live in the classroom! One of our favorite V-Day projects was creating beautiful works of art like Jim Dine: Monotypes et Gravures!
“Did you know that a monotype is the proof of a painting made on a metal, glass or plexiglass plate?

-artland.com

Click here to check out our more Jim Dine art projects!

Check out ARTSTORY ADVENTURES!

**Enjoy cold winter days with this creatively comprehensive monthly series: Story-Based Travel & Cultural Exploration via Virtual or Live Artistic Development in Drawing, Crafting, Sculpting and Building**. Direct endless energy… as Movement & Dance bonus videos enrich the adventure!

Take your 1st Trial Week of ARTStory Adventures! and receive one of our comprehensive ART KITS delivered to your home! (Watercolor pencils, crafts, dry erase and more!)

Perseverance through the Pandemic

During the Pandemic, we challenged ourselves; persevered in the thick of it and created online classes! Here is an example of an art project from one of our online classes in May, 2020. We put on our filmmaker thinking caps and became graphic designers to create our own version of a 3D Movie Poster. Frozen 2!

We learned NEW characters… Nature’s elements! (Earth (GIANTS) Fire (BRUNI) Water (NOKK) Wind (GALE. Click to learn more about this.

Also, we learned Art Themes: Opaque vs. Transparent/Translucent; Warm vs Cool colors, plus how movies build Characters- and represent them in advertising.

Here are the posters the students created at home!

You can create other collage posters of your favorite movies! All you need is paper, glue, and cut up images of characters & elements in your movie. Add any 2D or 3D thing that reminds you of the movie.

Share with us your poster designs and we will share it on our Facebook and Instagram pages! Happy Poster Designing!

Check out this video of siblings, Macaire and Cam Everett who create beautiful chalk art! They make their neighbors and family smile during the pandemic season. How can you bring a smile to your neighbors?

Valentine’s Day is coming up! Give the gift of ARTStory Adventures! 20% off now all classes! Check out our Social Media sites for more information! Instagram and Facebook

January Wishes and Colorful Wonders

January is always thrilling and exciting as we cast our sites on new things ahead! Here’s a few art projects to keep your kids dreaming, wishing and motivated to continue new art projects through the end of January!

Wishing Wand
Supplies: Cardstock Contact paper, Scissors, Assorted Sequins and Glitter, Lours, Marker, Stick/Dowel, Pencil, Ribbon or Wired Garland

Cut out two stars with Cardstock Paper, then take the contact paper and cut it out two times. Make them the size of the star. ****Leave enough room so that the contact paper can be glued to the star later. Decorate one of the contact paper with assorted sequins and glitter lours. Then glue the edges of the contact paper together. Finally, glue the contact paper to the edges of the star. If you have any edges of the contact paper that extends outside of the star then just cut around and re-glue the edges. Last but not least, Set Goals and Resolutions: Write around the outside of the star goals and things to look forward to.
For example:“FRONT: In 2021, I want to create, earn a new belt, go to the beach. BACK: Learn to read, illustrate, start eating dessert after breakfast.”
-New Years Centerpiece and Wishing Wand, Dancers4Life

Alcohol Ink Coasters

4 tile coasters (the non-porous and shiny kind
Ranger Alcohol Inks ( several colors of choice)
Rubbing Alcohol
Felt
Black Paint
Mod Podge Glue ( or glue of choice)
Paint brushes
Wax paper or something to protect you work surface ( these inks stain…trust me – I learned the hard way !)
Spray Sealer

First, lay down wax paper on the table, then place the coasters on top. The wax paper will protect the table from spilled paint staining the table. Second, use a paint brush to rub the alcohol on the coasters. Third, place the colors in order of what you want to use first. Then start dropping the paint on the coasters. If you have any white spots then just add more color to it. Fourth, paint the sides black or any color of your choosing. Fifth, cut squares out of black felt. Leave it until you coat the bottom of the coaster with mod podge or glue. Then you can stick the felt to the bottom. Finally, use the spray seal over the paint side and allow it to dry overnight. Enjoy your finished colorful art project!

-PC and Project: Instructables Living

Fun Facts about Alcohol Ink!

“Alcohol inks are an exciting new medium in the art world that allow a free flow of expression with a variety of techniques. Artists who specialize in alcohol inks have developed styles that range, from representational art that captures the natural world, to abstract art specializing in serene and gilded designs.“

“The powerful punches of color, use of non-absorbent surfaces, and ability to maintain a clean seal with resin have allowed alcohol ink art to captivate a wide range of art enthusiasts. This artwork is a beautiful way to decorate your walls, as well as all manner of household objects. Alcohol ink artists are famous for their versatility in substrates, as they paint glass vases, jewelry and metals, and functional wooden pieces. No matter what substrate they drop their ink onto, the pieces always come out looking stunning.”

“Louise Christian uses alcohol inks to paint natural scenes, such as forests, trees, flowers, and mushrooms. Her painting range from impressionistic to realistic. Her techniques make use of bold, bright colors and unique textures. To create her full desired vision, she mixes the media by drawing over her paintings with ink pens.”

-PC and Article: Artists Who are Famous for Using Alcohol Ink, Smart Art Box, 2019

Contact us about our art classes to keep your kids busy throughout the year!

Happy Kwanzaa!

Kwanzaa means first fruits of the harvest!

Thankful for the harvest this year has blessed us with. Food to fill our stomachs and time to spend with our loved ones whether near or far!

“Everyone can use these [explained] principles below…to be a better human being!”

-(What is Kwanzaa and How is it Celebrated?, Inside Edition: Youtube)

^{Seven principles of Kwanzaa are Umoja: Unity, Kujichagulia: Self Determination, Ujima: Collective Work and Responsibility, Ujamaa: Collective Economics, Nia: Purpose, Kuumba: Creativity, Imani: Faith.}

Kwanzaa Kinara

Supplies: Paper Plate, Markers, Scissors, Construction Paper, Popsicle Sticks and Glue.

Watch the step-by-step video on how to color around the edges of the plate in a fun, colorful pattern; write the holiday greeting, cut slits in the paper plate, color the craft sticks, cut out Kwanzaa candle flames and glue the candles to the paper!

Click Here to Watch!

Again Happy Kwanzaa and may the year be prosperous!

Halloween Art Party Throwback

Let’s get into the costume, candy giving spirit of Halloween! We will be hosting a Halloween party with lots of spooky, creepy crafts. More details coming soon!

#throwbacksunday

Slime Artwork

How to age-appropriate Slime? We believe one medium can be ameliorated to multi-level learning through creative programming…. And here’s how!

While the mixture of the Slime is the same, the Art Challenges we present are not.

Combining museum-inspired work with an art education for any age- with keen age-appropriated challenges is what makes this curriculum unique. While making art, children are inspired by the art of NYC and the world, even recognizing major artists and styles at ages 3 & 4 years old.

For example, when Joseph Cornell exhibited at the Met., Claire knew this was a great opportunity to keep her slime-crazed students happy– by having them design apothecary-style Joseph Cornell boxes with a wide array of high-end papers and materials, including chalkboard paper and white acrylic markers to write their own French words. Then she took them to the museum.

Assemblage Art: Joseph Cornell-Inspired Shadow Boxes

Using found objects & a decoupage technique, students made shadow boxes for their slimes(!) with an apothecary look, a signature aspect of Assemblage artist Joseph Cornell. Assemblage Art is a form of sculpture comprised of any organic or man-made material/ found objects & assembled together to create a piece based on each child’s choices and personalities. We brainstormed, collected, arranged and layered to visualize aspects of ourselves and to construct a memory in a box.

Students’ addition of white charcoal pencil, Chinese ink, brushes, calligraphy, letters and words (also French!) helped us to also discover the fun in designing their shadow boxes!

Fall Classes are Upon Us: Inquire Now

Or Read more about our Growing Class Offerings:

Art Adventure (Ages 3 to 8), Rendezvous: (Art, French and Lunch): (Ages 3 to 5), Art Adventures Studio: (Ages 9 and up), DanceArt Expression: (Ages: 3-8), Drawing Adventures: (with Jonathan Lex and various professional local artists): (Ages 9-12) & (Ages: 13-15), Music Adventures (Ages: 2-3), Music & Art Adventures (Ages: 2-3), Global Adventures (Ages: 5 and up), Social Justice Art History Class: (Ages: 10-15), Digital Photography and Social Media Class with Social Justice (Ages: 10 to 15), Monthly Art Workshops for Parents & Children (Featuring Visiting Artists), Bubbs Ross: Painting (and tasting) for Adults.