Mentor News

One of the great things that PHS is doing this year is a little something called Mentoring. As teachers, we are given a homeroom which becomes our Mentor Group. I have a awesome group of juniors. They are all bright, friendly, and extremely cooperative. We meet once a month to dicuss all kinds of things, like job shadowing, testing, college...you name it and we can talk about it. I have encouraged them to come to me with any questions, complaints, comments..anything!!! I think this is a wonderful program that seems to really be ok with my group. Today we met and talked about the student handbook, testing, and college scholarships. We had a little beach party and it was a lot of fun! Next month we are getting online and looking at ACT test prep. I'm thinking a fall theme!

Art 1 Contour Line Drawings

These are our first projects in Art 1...Contour Line Drawings

New Photos from Photography Class

New Week...New Assignments

This weekend, I spent a lot of time online looking the perfect comforter for my bed. As I am scanning all of ebay and overstock, I am noticing how very geomtric and "artsy" bedding has become. Textile designers are constantly changing thoughts and ideas as they have to keep up to date in terms of style and design. Instead of flowers, textile artists are are broadening their ideas with tone on tone block designs or bright colors in circles and squares. The colors are beginning to fall into warm and cool color realms as well as neutrals. You would be amazed at all of the places art shows up that you least expect it. Next time you are out at the mall, after you have done A&F, head to one of the department stores and into the bedding sections. Look around, see what they have in terms of color and design...and please refrain from laying on the beds, the staff at the stores don't look highly on that!

This week photography will be visiting the Art Center for the Photography Show! We will be taking ideas from the many styles of photography and learn a little about filters. Our theme for the next project is "our town"

Art One and Exploratory will be working on shattered images. This assignment deals with grayscale and contour line.

Drawing class is still working on our object shadings and Advanced students are really starting to go on their architectural assignments.

Van Gogh...What a Guy

Today the Art 1 classes were finishing their contour line sunflowers. We got online and researched Van Gogh. His life was pretty amazing. Most people know him as the crazy guy who cut off his ear and gave it to his "girlfriend" or as the dude that painted Starry Night.

But ya know, there is a lot more to him. He only painted in the last 10 years of his life and he died at 37. In those 10 years, he painted over a 1000 paintings. You do the math! Heck I can't get some of you to paint one picture in a nine weeks! His painting style was not popular at all when he was around. No one wanted to buy anything from him. And now, one of his self portraits sold for over 71 million dollars. Amazing. I don't if you know when he was born and I don't care that you know when he died, but what I do want you to know about this guy...he was young and not well respected...he was a genius with line and color...his famous works include Starry Night and various haystacks and sunflowers...his pictures all have a great sense of movement...and he was a Post-Impressionist Artist.

Don't forget, while you are online, check out some artists!

Welcome Back!!!

It is exactly 3:12 pm and I am happy to say we have central air again! The room was over 90 degrees this morning and let me tell you, it was no fun at all here! And even better news, supplies are slowly starting to come in, so the fun it just beginning!

We have started a few short projects this week since it is early out. For those of you in the photo class, please remember to check on get a flash drive for your pictures. Your 18 pictures are due on Friday. We will put them into a powerpoint on Monday for presentation.

Art One students are finishing up a contour line project on Van Gogh's sunflowers. Thursday and Friday will be art history on Van Gogh and a little computer research.

My painting and drawings students, don't forget to take your time on your drawings. We are "relearning" shading. Sometimes we just rush through it so fast that we forget how very important it is! Remember left to right, top to bottom.

And finally for all you advanced students...projects are supposed to be based on architectural elements. Take your time finding the one thing that will interest you most. Invest your time in this project, as it will be in your portfolio! remember, any questions, please ask...don't say I never explained it!