Annual Art in the Council Chambers Exhibit

It's January (barely) so that means it's time for me to drop off oil paintings in the Town Council Chambers. I will say that they look fabulous, but of course you know I am biased.

Next week is the reception for the exhibit and I definitely would like to visit with you while you gawk at all of the goodness on the walls. I also am offering extra credit to the students that show up, so that's a good perk for them.

Since it is a reception, and teenagers are involved, it would be fantastic to have some parents volunteer some food and beverage items. You can do that HERE.

The exhibition is of a random selection of oil paintings from the Art 2, 3, and 4h classes so I think you'll be impressed by their diligence and hard work.

More information may be found on the Town AICC website. I hope to see you there.
The time is 6-7:30...in case you don't really feel like clicking the above link.

Have a wonderful weekend.

They aren't printing a physical postcard this year, so here is a copy of the image I sent them for the virtual one they will be emailing out.

If you have any questions please let me know. 

Vans Custom Culture 2016

Once again I have the templates for the Vans Custom Culture competition in my hot little hands. If you want to see some ways other school have interpreted the four themes Vans assigns each year you can click HERE.
If you want to see a few that have been done here at LG, scroll down.

The final designs on the shoes aren't due for a while, but I would love to have a group of you super amazing students start brainstorming now. I'll find a way to make it work for some assignment substitutions however I can, so let's talk if you are even remotely interested.

Daily Sketchbook 1/28

Today you have, basically, the same directions as on Tuesday. Go to he same place in the library and continue on your drawing. Make it more accurate and more detailed while drawing for the same amount of time and being back within the same amount of time.

Again I will be looking for quantity and quality. 

Have fun. Go. 

Daily Sketchbook 1/26

Lets continue that whole drawing from observation thing from last week. Your task is this, QUICKLY walk to the library and position yourself at a table away from a computer. Begin drawing your environment.

Are there people there? Are there tables? Are there bookshelves or the circulation desk? 

Draw all of that. Be as specific as you can. But make sure to block in a full composition before you worry about details. 

Set your timer and draw for 14 minutes. I will be looking for how productive you are. 

You should have his read, get to the library, draw, and be back within 22 minutes of the bell ringing. Some of you are great about getting started right away, but some of you are still challenged with your efficiency. Go!

Daily Sketchbook 1/22

So you see the sub here today, right?
Please do what you know you are supposed to and be kind and courteous and appropriate with your time. Some of you are more on top of this than others, but as usual you should know that it is your responsibility to help make sure your peers are doing as you all know they are supposed to be doing.

Your daily sketchbook for the day...

I want you to position yourself at your table group so that you can see another table of students working in another part of the room. Please spend the next 15 minutes after you finish reading this to draw, from observation, a table group in another part of the room.
Your drawing should include the people, tables (or at least the table tops), and any other important information (pencils in hands, sketchbooks, etc.)

Might I suggest beginning in a gestural fashion and only worrying about details after you get everything blocked in???

Addendum to the Book I Mentioned

Remember at back to school night (you parents out there), and I mentioned the great book by Frank Bruni called Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be? Well HERE he is in a video talking about a new report that is out.
Very interesting interview. Personally I just hope this is part of a changing tide. I would say it is time to be on the front end of this, really.

Daily Sketchbook 1/20

I have a book at home by Tom Kelley and David Kelley with the following paragraph that I can't help but share.

Please read it and let it sink in. 

"With creative confidence comes the desire to proactively guide the course of your life, or organization, rather than be carried along on the prevailing winds. Roger Martin, dean of the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, once told us hat what stuck out to him about designers is that they always act with intention. While others may unconsciously go with the default option, design thinkers make everything a conscious and original choice: from how they arrange their bookshelf to how they present their work. When they look around the world, they see opportunities to do things better and have a desire to change them. Once you start creating things, whether it's laying out a new garden or starting a new company or writing a new piece of code, you start to realize that everything has that intention behind it. Everything in modern society is the result of a collection of decisions made by someone. Why shouldn't that someone be you?"

After reading this passage I want you to open up to a new page in your sketchbook and create a large-ish shape on the page. Within that shape, creatively and uniquely copy the above quote. When you are finished, photograph this quote and submit that for today's daily sketchbook.

Daily Sketchbook 1/15

It's been a digital drawing week, so I'd like for you to go get an ipad to finish your daily sketchbook for today.
Please also get a mirror.
Draw a self portrait, as accurately as possible, using the same app as earlier this week*. When you are at the end of fifteen minutes, save your image and upload it to Canvas.

Happy Friday!

*If you do not have Procreate on the ipad you pick, use something like Sketchbook (Express?) or some similar app.

Daily Sketchbook 1/13

It's another digital art/drawing day for the daily sketchbook.
Please move your chair up to the front corner of the room near the ipad cart (or the tv, we'll see), get an ipad, and wait for me to put the image up for you to draw.
You will be using the same program as on Monday, so maybe you get the same ipad? IDK, just an idea.
I'll time you and tell you when it is time to upload.
Have fun!

For those of you absent today, below is the image everyone drew from.

Great Speaker for Parents

Next week there will be an evening talk given by someone I think you might be interested in.

Julie Lythcott-Haims wrote the book: How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success.

I think I wrote about it before, but I really don't remember. What I do remember is that it is a fabulous book. I have a super busy week, but I have this talk on my calendar and hope to make it myself. I think you will enjoy it, and would encourage you to attend if at all possible.

Details:
Tuesday, January 19th,
7-8:30pm
McAfee Theatre at Saratoga High School

Here is also a link to the book if you are interested.

Daily Sketchbook 1/11

We are going to do some digital drawing again today. We first did this way back in October, so if you don't remember exactly how to get set up, please go HERE to review the step by step.
This will require you getting an ipad to begin with so here is my request.

• Put your phone down
• go get an ipad
• open this page back up in safari on the ipad
• open the requested drawing program (procreate - or if procreate isn't there, use brushes)

Once you have that completed, here is your drawing topic for the day:

Close your eyes and imagine your kitchen sink. Think about the faucet and the objects surrounding it, and its general area.
Now draw that area in as much detail as possible for 15 minutes.

When you are finished, save your image to the camera roll and then upload it to your daily sketchbook assignment in Canvas.

Interested in some Extra Credit?

As some of you know, I am a big Casey Neistat fan. The below video is one of his recent daily vlogs that I thought had some interesting things he said that we as creatives know/go through/experience/feel.
What do you think about what he says?
I'm interested in what you think. For a very small bit of extra credit, watch the video and leave a comment - on this post, below - regarding your thoughts and ideas and feelings regarding what he says. You may even create comments and conversation in relation to your peer's feedback.
I'll be checking back in about a week or so to see what you have commented. Happy Friday.

As a bit of lagniappe, see below. Just because.

 

Daily Sketchbook 1/7

I want you to go back to the pencil drawing that you began on Tuesday, 1/5, and continue the drawing. You should continue working in pencil with the same objects arranged in front of you. Today you will probably get to shading, and will of course pay attention to highlights and contrast and things like that.
I want you to begin this semester with a relatively easy and low key drawing assignment to get back in the swing of things and get your arm/mind moving.

Good morning!

Opportunities in the New Year

I'll go in chronological order since there is one deadline this Friday. Yes, as in two days from now.

Last month there was an opportunity to put up some work in Shuly's Bakery and a total of one person submitted work for it to Tabitha Jacobson ( tabithajacobson@yahoo.com ). That was Grace, and the great news is that she sold the piece that she put up. So that's kind of awesome!

This Friday is the deadline for entry for a one month exhibit beginning on Jan. 16th. Personally I would like to see some of you put your oil or acrylic paintings from last year up there because they are so amazing. Please copy me on the email that you send to Tabitha if you submit a piece for this month. Below are the details:
1. image of your work
2. dimensions of the artwork (including frame size, if applicable)
3. your name, age, and high school
4. title of the piece, medium used, when it was completed

Email all of that to : tabithajacobson@yahoo.com


There is also a great opportunity for an activity that is connected to the NUMU (Los Gatos Art Museum) on Jan. 16th. You can find out all the details HERE, but I will put part of the description below. While you'll need to sign up on their website, you can get an idea here. I will give extra credit for anyone who attends this three-hour activity and can get me proof that you were there. See me if you are confused. I think it is super worthwhile and could be really fun for you.

Learn tips for writing your own artist statement and framing your own artwork. On the way to a pizza lunch, you will see how exhibits are installed in a behind-the-scenes tour of Selfie, opening January 21. Artist Danny Scheible will provide an introduction to the art of Tapigami, in a "Make it Stick" collaborative group activity. Registration is limited to the first 40 students who sign up.

Daily Sketchbook 1/5

Pull out the contents of your backpack or purse.
Ok, ok, it doesn't have to be everything, but you should have at least five to seven items there.
Please don't be too un-fun and take "easy" things like a stack of books out. Keys and pens and cool stuff that is challenging is way better.
Set them on your table and draw them in pencil to create a composition on your page.

If you came to class with nothing - or just not enough - share items with your neighbor. Put your things together and have both of you work from the same thing.

Please make sure you have all of the same stuff here on Thursday as we will be using it again then.

Oh, HAPPY NEW YEAR!