Spring Break Re-cap

Spring NCSU game

This year, spring break was the best! We did a stay-cation and found lots to do in our hometown of Charlotte,NC. I planned a special outing and lunch out with the girls for each day of the week. My favorite time was just painting my butt off this past weekend with the pouring rain outside for a whole afternoon! WOW! Got to do that more often! I was soooo happy painting and in the zone for hours!!!

Enjoyed beautiful azaleas at WRAL gardens, Raleigh. A family tradition

Visited the Jim Hunt library where a robot get your book! Very bright colors, looked like Google head quarters.

Bike Ride at Reedy Creek Park, Charlotte with a picnic lunch

Visited Why not an American ark, petting zoo in Monroe, NC. A favorite for the week!!
They had every animal imaginable!

Painting wooden Easter eggs, crosses and bird houses. (love Micheal's arts and crafts for this)
The girls painted for hours!

Happy Spring everyone!!
Keep calm, just paint!

Dana

Spring is here!!! Monet's Waterlilies and Matisse Cut Outs

Yea!!!
Finally, spring is here after a long winter and very chilly temps here in the Carolinas. I painted a backdrop for my 1st graders who are learning about the artist Claude Monet. They used cool colors for the water and drew water lilies with pastels. As a final touch, they added a pond animal such as a frog, alligator or dragonfly. These were so fun to make! At the same time, my kindergarteners were practicing their "cut and turn" skills as I call them with scissors and made curvy cut outs like the artist Henri Matisse. The bold colors on the flowers really pop in the hallway! Love it!
What are some successful lessons you have done with these 2 artists. Message me and let me know. Comments welcome!!
Keep calm, just paint


Dana

Doodle for Google

Hello everyone!
We've been busy in the art room getting ready for spring. Blossoms to come soon featuring some inspiration from famous artists!
About a month ago, I introduced my students to the "Doodle for Google" contest. The theme was "If I could invent one thing to make the world a better place..." We watched videos from the doodlers (artists at Google) and even participated in a live video chat! The students were challenged with this theme and had to think of solutions to the world's problems today. The best part about this contest has really brought the world to my students living in their tiny community here in rural NC.  I get so excited watching their faces light up in amazement as they see how art can be a career choice for them one day. Even at Google!
Here are some of my favorite entries that I will send off soon. From there, 50 finalists for the grand prize will be chosen. I've got everything crossed for my talented students! So proud!
Say a little prayer for my students and wish us luck!

-Dana
Keep calm, just paint!

 

 

ART CAMPS AVAILABLE with Mrs. Peele!

 Mrs. Peele’s

ART Camp

 

Dear  art student.....

You are invited to a special art camp this summer with me. If you are interested, please let me know as soon as possible as space will fill up fast. I have chosen you because I see something spectacular in you as a future artist.

This summer, you have a chance to grow each day as you learn skills that will take you to next level.  We will learn art history through different materials and daily research. Please have your parents fill out the attached form and return it to me with payment. I promise you will enjoy every minute we have together in the comfort of my personal studio and home. I look forward to having you!

Mrs. Peele

Camp Times:

Elementary: Rising Kindergarten-5^th grades 9:30-11:30

Middle/High School: 1-3pm,

Week 1: June 16-19, Let’s DRAW!!! Anyone can draw if they learn to see like an artist. This is a week for concentrating on the basic skills for drawing and learning to draw like Leonardo DaVinci, M.C. Ecsher and other master artists. Students will learn how to “Draw on the right side of the brain” and practice techniques to further their experience based on their learning development.

Cost: $80 (includes materials)

Week 2: June 23-26, Let’s Paint!!!From watercolors to Acrylics and everything in between, lets mix and study and the masters this week. Sure to be a hit with everyone!!

Cost; $90 (included materials)

 

Camp Location:

Mrs. Peele's house

(please email to sign up and for directions)

 

About the teacher: Dana Peele

Dana Peele lives in Matthews, NC and teaches for Union county public schools.

Shortly after moving to Charlotte, she quickly painted murals for local moms and celebrities under the business name “Peelepaint”. She has been a taught art for 16 years and has 2 children of her own, Katie and Charlotte. After teaching for 2 years, she received her National Board Certified in Early Childhood Art.

Her concentration in college was clay and painting but she regularly works in other media on a daily basis with her students. Her hobbies include: cuddling with her dog molly, martial arts, biking, playing with her kids, reading art blogs and painting for local art shows.

________________________________________________________________

Student Registration Form                                 (To be returned with payment before camp)

Name:__________________________________________DOB_________________

Rising grade:________________         Parents:________________________________

Address:______________________________________Phone:__________________

________________________________________

Emergency contact:_____________________________relationship:______________

Phone:___________________________

Please list favorite art materials or interests:__________________________________

Please choose: Week 1:______, Week 2:_______

$80                        $90                             

Total:$_______  Checks made out to Dana Peele.

The REAL life of an art teacher!

No joke,
This is the real life of an art teacher.... cleaning!!!

ok, not a great pic, but anyway...
 
It's 9:30 pm and the kids are finally tucked in and I'm still what? What's that I see? Yes, my dishpan hands once again after cooking a gourmet meal for my family. As a sweep the countertops for the 3rd time and  reflect on my day... how many times have I wiped a table, floor, chairs, countertops, sinks and yes, a kids face with paint on it?

 And instead of sitting down to relax, here I am again, cleaning.

Good thing I'm a little bit of a clean freak or I would never make it as an art teacher!

First thing this morning, a kindergartener dumps paint and water all over the place. I have several kids tip toeing around with buckets of water as I plead with them... "please be careful" "walk slowly" "no, not there" "leave the water" "put it down"  "beside the sink" "yes there" (as I feverishly slosh water around with the cheap brown towels the school supplies. No bounty here! I feel the stress closing in on me as I'm all alone with up to 26 of them each class period.   "help me.."

Next, I have my fifth graders walking in with no time in between (due to spillage) to draw on nice clean tables... right..

Later that day, yet again during a clay lesson, and then an oil pastel lesson, I'm wiping tables!
When I get home, no wonder I get a little testy with the fam.

Life is busy. I love the satisfaction of seeing a clean room. A clean space. And yes, a clean counter.

But reflecting on my day, I also see, life gets messy, just like art gets messy sometimes. If not, you're not living!

What are your cleaning tips for balancing work and family? I'd love to hear your ideas.


For now,
Keep Calm, just paint..... 
my cleaners are coming this week!! Yippeeeee


-Dana

Computer paint fun

Fun with painting on the computer

 

Well, I didn't break out the paints exactly today as planned, but managed to pull off some fun painting for the first time on my computer. Just playing around with colors. What do you think? I have to admit it is quite addicting!

 

 

 

Abstract marshlands

 

 

Pink marshes

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!

 

 

Keep calm and paint! Without the mess this time.

 

 

Dana

Winter Olympic Fun!

Hi everyone!
I'm back! I have had so much fun with my students on the days we are in school with creating Olympic inspired artwork! My first grade classes are drawing winter animals such as snow leopards, arctic foxes, penguins, polar bears and arctic hares. We read the book ,Where Snowflakes Fall, by Claire Freedman and Tina Macnaughton and discussed winter animals and their habitats. The illustrations are just gorgeous in this book!
Next, we studied olympic sporting events and drew an animal in action. I love the way the students dressed their animals with scarves, hats, mittens, ice skates and snow skies. Too funny! Next, I cut on the animals and attached them to the scenic mural in the main hallway of our school in their various poses.

My fourth graders had the opportunity to create their own  pictogram for the winter olympics in art. First we practice gesture drawing and each student modeled a "pose" or gesture of a sporting event.  After getting the feel of how to show action with our gesture lines, students created their pictogram with the quilt patterns seen in the Russian folk quilts.  We looked at the Sochi 2014 designs and how the random patterns and bright colors enhanced the pictograms this year. Students used the patchwork designs inside their pictograms and cut them out and mounted them on a color that would "pop".

The rest of the related arts team at Rock Rest is currently working on reports, music and olympic games in their special areas. I think the students are getting a great cultural experience by studying Russia and there are many Olympic hopefuls among us at the elementary level.

Enjoy the Snow! I'm making snow cream with my kiddies!
Happy painting!