Capitol Trip

It's field trip season apparently. I seem to be easily convinced to chaperone, my kiddos still love their mama enough to have me along on school outings.

Here is a peek at Oregon's Capitol building in Salem (but you knew that, right?).

We climbed 121 steps up an iron spiral staircase to see the infamous 'gold man' who lives on top of the dome. He's a big guy, if you stood on his foot, your head would barely reach his knee! It cost $70,000 (completely raised by 4th graders) to gold leaf him most recently.

I fell in love with the ancient carpeting, circa 1936, on the senate and house floors. One side was a repeating pattern of Oregon's state tree, the Doug Fir. The other side was all golds and yellows with a pattern of a salmon and bundle of wheat to represent Oregonian's livelihood back then.

Everywhere you went, the building was constructed with a deeper meaning in mind. Doorknobs had the state seal pressed into their brass surfaces. Names and murals were painted on walls even the type of woods used in each chamber held a certain meaning.

The only downside to the trip was the hour plus bus ride packed to the brim with over 60 10 yr olds. I had headphones, thank god, and MyGirl to share them with. :)

Visit the Portland Japanese Garden

Last week I got to chaperone MyBoy's trip to the Portland Japanese Gardens, the best field trip ever!

The Japanese Garden was like M.C. Escher meets Nature.  It is built on five acres at the top of a forested hill.  You have to hike up quite a ways to even get to the front gate.

Then you enter and are surrounded by intentional but subtle gardenscapes, a tea house, a wisteria arbor, hundred year old japanese maples, and koi ponds.  Each stone is placed for a purpose; flat ones for the tortoise and longevity, tall pointy ones for the heron.  Stone steps and narrow stone bridges meander up and downhill across trickling brooks.

Being there, even with a huge group of sixth graders, was so serene.  I cannot wait to go back again, just the four of us.

Art Smart

Remember those posters I made for the fall carnival?  Well, after that project, I was asked to help teach the after school art program!  Years ago, I taught watercolor classes part time to teens, so I figured this would be a fun opportunity, and one that I could really help with.  So I was given free reign to come up with four different projects.  As an extra bonus, my two kiddos get to attend for free.  :)

Last week we worked in oil pastel and watercolor and masking tape.  I taught the kids about using 'resist' techniques to control the paint...they were so into it!  We only have a bit over an hour, and these kids couldn't paint enough!  Some of them made at least three paintings, and they all were really inspired by the process.

>>>How To:  Abstract Watercolor Painting Using Resists


Materials

Cold pressed watercolor paper
Oil pastels
Masking tape
Brushes
Water

Method


Tape the paper to the table to keep it from buckling.  Before painting, first use masking tape and oil pastels to create your design.  Using generous amounts of watercolor paint and a 'wash' technique, paint over your design.  Watch as the oil pastel and tape control where your paint goes.  Let your work dry a bit, and then take off all the tape.  Notice the clean white border around your paper, and the clean white paper that was hiding under any other tape lines!




It's a shame that art is always the first thing to be cut from a school's budget.  These kids are so lucky to have volunteers willing to come in after school (and once a month during school) to make sure there is still art in the curriculum!  I am very happy to be involved, and so appreciate the other moms and volunteers that make these programs a success!

Fall Carnival and Volunteering

Volunteering.  I try to volunteer a lot in my kid's school, mostly so I know what my kids are talking about when they tell me about their day...but also because my mom was a teacher and I know first hand how under paid and over extended teachers are.  Can you believe my kid's class sizes average 25 to 30 kids per teacher?!?  I could never do it day in and day out, teachers are amazing people.

Most recently I volunteered to paint the posters advertising our school's first ever Fall Festival.  It is a fundraising event, and it should be lots of fun.  I spent a morning painting up a storm in the garage, and it made me feel great to be helping out, especially because I love volunteering my art skills.  :)

I'm hoping to volunteer for the 'Art Smart' program as well...you know keeping kids from eating the glue, mopping up spilled tempra paint, and handing out safety scissors....I can totally do that.

I dropped the posters off this morning and was met with true appreciation, which is a good step in the right direction, since we are new to the school.  I left with more paper and paint, and will kick out another batch before the big night.

Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.  ~Author Unknown

What inspires you to volunteer?