SMocKing for the ART badge....

A couple of weeks ago I had a wonderful experience of helping out a Girl Scout troop earn their art badge!  It was a abbreviated SMocK session but in the end 11 Girl Scouts created still life-ish paintings of flowers in a vase.  I mention "ish" because although we are amazing artists, sometimes enjoying the process is more important than painting 'flowers in a vase'.  So, we swirled, we twirled, we scooped and even painted with twigs!

This wonderful organization has been inspiring young girls for over 100 years, building courage, self-esteem and pride for who they are as young ladies.  It was my own special treat to SMocK 'em and be a part of their journey.

Check out SMocK Facebook for more snapshots of the painting session:
https://www.facebook.com/smockgetiton






















 



















 

see you soon!

xoxo, SMocK you.

SMocKing on a snowy day in Chicago....

SNOW DAY FUN!

It's a snowy day in Chicago and the schools declared a snow day.  After sippin' on some coffee and catching up on some school work, I decided to declare a painting day.  Aside from the blizzard outside my windows, I know spring is just around the corner...or corners.  To get into the spirit the, slowly, upcoming season, of bright blooms, fanciful colors and a Spring SMocK Party, I decided to pull out some smaller canvases and paint blooms in simple vases.

These little paintings are 8x10 canvas done with acrylic paint and compeleted in order of sequence.

make something.

xoxo, SMocK you.

SMocK on Craft Gossip

It has been almost a year and thanks to a wonderful friend, 

SMocK Chicago is coming into spring on a full swing!

Check out SMocK on the Craft Gossip website and book your next party with SMocK!



inspiration, Jim Dine's hearts



check out www.smockchicago.com

and get it on.

xoxo, SMocK you.

SMocK Challenge!

A Creative Challenge

Part of what stumps people from creating something is what to do.  As an art teacher I hear this quite often in my art room. "I don't know what do to!!!!", said, of course with a passionate whine.  Currently, my 6th grade students are designing and executing independent projects.  A bit of a selfish act, I must confess.  After 6 years of teaching them all they need to know about art (well, as much as can be squeezed into an hour a week), I decided to put myself in "time out".  I declared my students' independence in their art making and my liberation of telling them what do to.  Incredibly enough, 6th grade students do not like either option. 

For the amount of work they are responsible for completing, they are taking this creative challenge quite well.  Even expressing enthusiasm and personal investment.

Now, I challenge you, your students, your children and your friends....
make something everyday.

Step ONE: One sketch, doodle, drawing a day.....spend 10 minutes, 30 minutes...5 hours.  Just draw....on a napkin, on a piece of paper, in you daily a calendar, in a meeting ;-)

Step TWO: take a snapshot

Step THREE: share your drawing.  Post your artwork on the SMocK Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/smockgetiton

Take the challenge and see what you discover.

xoxo, SMocK you.

The tree of life.....or something close...

SMocK Party

Theme:  Trees

In the middle of January a friend decided to have a SMocK party just for the fun of it!  It was a splendid idea to help ward off the winter blues and just do something different on a weekend.  There were about eight friends who gathered in the basement, drinking wine, eating appetizers and gossiping about who did what.  OH! and they did a little bit of painting!

The theme was trees and every SMocKer used their own abilities and infused their own character into their interpretation of a tree.  It was really awesome to see everyone's personalities come through in the branches of a tree!

What is really interesting is capturing the progress of each SMocKer.  The featured SMocKer started off incredibly hesitant, with the "I can't paint a tree" attitude.  As the evening progressed, she was the only one who really became invested in the process.  You didn't hear a peep.  All along, she was 'playing' around with the paint and even flipped her canvas over.

There were two techniques that I demonstrated.  The most popular was applying a background was of color, to simulate a sky and then adding the shadowy tree.  The most challenging part of painting a tree was controlling the brush to achieve those tiny branches at the end of a limb.  I termed the technique "twiddling" the brush.

In the end, a tree is a tree is a tree is a tree.  

Beautiful and unique.

Check out all SMocKers paintings and party photos at 

our Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/smockgetiton

xoxo, SMocK you.

SMocKing!!!

This wonderful SMocKer thought she could not paint a tree....WRONG!

Pajamas, polish and painting....just what a girl wants

Julie's Pajama and Painting Birthday Party!

Sometimes girls just wanna have fun! What better way than partying in your pajamas and painting your favorite nail polish.
Birthday girl Julie chose just the perfect theme to celebrate with 10 of her dearest friends.  Lots of giggling and talking about the latest news at the elementary school.  

 Of course, the festivities would not have been complete without birthday cupcakes, frosted with the most hot pink on the planet! The girls did an awesome job and had a lot of fun.

 

For more snapshots, visit SMocK on facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/smockgetiton

see you back in the

SMocKroom!