2014 Museum Showcase

A few weeks ago I received the information from the Los Gatos Museums for the show they will be having in 2014 that is open to any high school student in Santa Clara County.
Yes, this is the show that used to be the annual Los Gatos High School Art Show, which has morphed to be a juried show over the years.
I will include all of the necessary information here, but if you want to go straight to their website, you can find it here.

The Art 4 students know that this is a required assignment.
I think it will be for the Art 2 students as well, but haven't fully fleshed out how it will work yet. It won't be dealt with until second semester so I'm not that concerned.

If you are in Art 3 and want to make a killer piece for this show, I can safely say that it would be worth some extra credit for you.

Keep in mind a couple of things, such as:

• there is a due date for you to submit a pic of your piece in Feb. (the 14th I think)
• if the piece is accepted it has to be ready to hang
• if this is a canvas you work on, I have plenty of wire to put on the back
• if it is a work on paper, I haev 11x14 and 16x20 frames that might work for you, so standard sizes of paper will help - keeping me in the loop and talking with me will benefit you

Aside from the assigned (or not assigned) class piece, you can always do more. I believe you can submit up to 3 pieces per student, but again, I would direct you to the above image and/or the above link.

I will help you, but much of it will need to be done on your own outside of class.

I will also say that I strongly encourage you to make art for this. It is a good experience on many levels, it looks good on your transcript if you need it to, and it is just fun to make art and to showcase your abilities.

Art 2 + Update (the ec is for all adv art students)

Yeah, I know, the end of the semester is approaching way faster than any of us would like.
Well, I want another break, but I feel the pressure of finishing the semester strong and continuing to get a lot of stuff done.

So here is what you, Art 2's, need to know for the remainder of the semester.
First, keep checking the calendar to keep up with the due dates.

We will work on our advertising project for a few class periods, and you have until Tuesday, Dec. 10th to finish it. That is 4.5 hours of class time - give or take.

You must:

• make it visually appealing
• include hand-drawn typography
• encourage students to take art - or at the very least, pique their interest
• use different parts of ads/ad styles from your assigned decade for inspiration
• have thumbnail sketches in your sketchbook
• print out some inspirational pieces and tape them into your sketchbook

Know that I will be looking at your sketchbooks as you work and I will be looking at them for a grade on Friday of this week.

Extra Credit for this semester will be due before you leave class on Monday, 12/16.
You have two options for this extra credit.

• take a study drawing you have completed this semester and have a do-over;
• meaning, think about what didn't work; how can you make it better; was it the idea you liked, but the execution suffered; was it just straight up rushed; etc.
• you must include the original study drawing as well as the new one, side by side
• take one of the ideas from the back of your study drawing sheet (section 5) that we haven't gotten to yet, do one of those topics.

I will say this though: they need to be awesome. For real.

If I am giving you extra credit I expect you to really go above and beyond. Wow me. Turning in your average pencil line drawing isn't going to cut it. If you turn something in I will give you extra credit, but I will give you more extra credit the more fantastic it is.

Also know that you may get class time to work on this, but don't count on it. We still have other things to cover that are not yet on the calendar so you will probably need to count on doing the extra credit outside of class.

AICC Exhibit, 2014

The Arts In the Council Chambers exhibit is on its way. 

I just received the details from the town and now have many more items on my to-do list. In a good way. 

The reception is on Thursday, Feb. 13th. 

As usual I will be giving you extra credit for this. I will also be asking for volunteers to bring some refreshments, so start hitting up your parents soon. 

The reception will last from 6-7:30, so mark your calendars. 

How To Be Creative | Off Book | PBS Digital Studios

Pretty much everything about this is well said and well done. Many things I have tried to instill versions of in you. Creativity is much grander than we often give it credit for.
It isn't just "art" for example, that is just our focus for it. 

There are a lot of key factors that will help you get and feel more creative. Take a look. 

Maybe even take some notes.

Art 2 Today

Art 2's, in case you missed class today, these are the instructions that were on the board. 

As you (should) know, we are beginning our stencil portrait project. Let me know if you have any questions. 

The Pumpkin Patch is Coming

You know you look forward to it every year, and it is almost upon us once again.
The annual glass pumpkin sale is coming up in just a couple of weeks on the front lawn of the school. Yes, your purchase helps the art department directly; yes, your purchase helps a local artisan directly; yes, your purchase gets a gift of something unique for someone you know (note, this someone may actually be you).

If you are a student I know how you can get some community service hours (hint, the flier above is it).
If you want more information, you can find out about the Magical Glass Pumpkin Patch here.

It's good for you, it's good for me, it's just plain good. Really. 'Nuff said.

t-shirt design opportunity

The annual LG vs Saratoga football game is coming up and the Leadership class has asked you awesome folks for some ideas.

Here is what I know:

• the t-shirt will be black (which will be one of your colors, obviously)
• you can use up to three colors (black will be a "fourth" color)
• the designs have to be turned in by 9/18 - that is next week :(
• judging will be on 9/19
• you can write and/or draw just about anything you want
• you can draw the design out on printer paper or art paper or the computer or whatever, but simple 8.5 x 11" printer paper is more than fine (not bigger, por favor)

Did I mention everyone at the game will be wearing your design? Pretty rad.

Did I also mention that designs are due BY the 18th?

Ok, good, enough said.

...about being an artist

Things I wish someone had told me about being an artist
I see some great stuff on this site, and it confirms what I already think so regularly it's almost scary.
For example...

Some insight/thoughts on all that is AP

Here is another article I found through the interwebs of KQED.

If you have had conversations with me as a student, you know I have some strong opinions about how some academic situations are handled. 
In short, I think - overall - that too many of you are taking too many AP classes and that some adults (uh, parents...sometimes) put too much pressure on you to do more more MORE.

I get it. Really.
My kids were a product of many of the AP classes here at LG. Most of them were good classes. Not all, but most. There were some very good experiences had.
Even as it states towards the end of the article, these classes can sometimes be way better than to be bored to tears in a "regular" class.

But this depends on the subject and the student combined - along with other factors.

Bottom line, they aren't for everybody. But even broader than that, I truly don't believe they really benefit students in the way most people think and want them too.

If you could only hear the teachers bemoan about the quantity of content they "have" to cover. Frustrating, yes. And you wonder why your workload is so vast.

Legitimate quantity isn't bad. Practice is good.
But isn't depth just as important? Or curiosity? Or self-directed learning? Or...

At any rate, for now I will cease my rambling so that you can read this:

New Report Challenges Beliefs About the Value of AP Classes

It isn't very long, so treat yourself.

Great Video About a Bay Area Artist

In the Studio with Meryl Pataky | KQED Arts

Saw this great little interview while searching for an interview I had heard on Forum recently. Very interesting/cool, and from a local one.
Check it out.