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Student Artists and Easter...

4/15/2017

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Some samples of student's Easter Art.
This is a world wide event! Why is that? 

This year as an art teacher I found Easter so gratifying. It  was so exciting to introduce the real meaning of Easter through art! 

Yes, it is about spring and all the excitement of that. But it's more than wearing a new spring wardrobe. Yes, there are the Easter bunnies and eggs...strange combo if you ask me...but it's certainly more than that. 

At St. Aidan's Christian School we have students from around the world, and we feel it is important for them to be informed as to the customs and reality of Canadian life. In every class from grade one to eight I presented a two pronged art project summarizing and highlighting the real story of Easter. The cross and the Resurrection. I wanted to make sure the students of all ages would be able to create pictures of quality that they had made and that they could proudly hang in their rooms or homes. Not only that but that they would reflect the work of each students personal touch and handiwork. 

I gave them card stock, brushes and acrylic paint. We discussed the meaning of symbols especially the cross. We discussed feeling and emotions what colors represent these emotions. We discussed the feelings they might have about the events of Easter and then let them cover the 8.5 X 11 card-stock with the colors they felt. Wow! We did the same with the resurrection scene. Again, dramatic colors. 

We outlined everything with sharpies, glued on the cross figure they had cut out and covered it all with a clear varnish, which made the colors and brush strokes glisten and pop. The kids were wide eye'd with the results!

It is my way of wishing every student and every reader of this blog a very wonderful Easter Season. God bless you all as we celebrate the beautiful gift of life God brought into human history.
"Let every man and woman count himself immortal. Let him catch the revelation of Jesus in his resurrection. Let him say not merely,
​'Christ is risen,' but 'I shall rise.' "
Phillips Brooks

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My Excellent Saturday!

4/3/2017

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 Who's this? Sorry, it's a secret!
​My work in progress for the Art Show!!
Note: See art show ad below.

How do we do excellent days? How do we even decide on what's an excellent day? How far into the day will the excellent part have to start before the whole day is considered "excellent?" Come with me and help me consider just such a day in the recent past. These are very seriouse life altering questions and we need to get our heads together on this, don't you think? 

This past Saturday was such a day! It began with my wife leaving town to assist her daughter with something important. She would be gone for most of the day. Now that in itself is significant for any husband and can be the turning point, one way or another for the whole day, especially it being a Saturday. For some this might be devastating, for others, well let's just say it could be heaven! Some might even grade the day "excellent" already! I don't think "indifference" is a word that would come into play here. But there is no doubt this has a significant and powerful influence on the kind of day it might come out to be!

Then while I'm having breakfast, my phone beeps, it's a friend texting me informing me that there's a review of my wife Wilma's book in the paper!  And, he says it's an awesome review! Well, I'm all over that, I've already got the paper right there on the table, so in a moment I've found it and I'm skimming excitedly...he's right, it was a great review! 

Now this in itself makes the day! I'm already taking a photo of the article, dictating a text to Wilma, skimming it quickly to make sure my phone didn't hear any words that I'd never say, and hit send as soon as I can. I know she's probably still driving and even when she get's there she'll be all wrapped up with her grand-daughter...this will not be a priority for her for a while.

With that ringing through my brain, I'm on my way to my studio. I have an art show coming up with the opening being May 5, on what is known here in Winnipeg as "First Friday." (It's an art gallery event in the downtown exchange area, where one of the restaurants features a dinner with artists speaking, and offer guided tours of the galleries in the area. My show opening will be at a "gallery" in that area!)

Anyway, back to my point, having a day at the studio, in and of it-self has a high rating for me on the excellence meter for any day! Especially if there's no other pressured agenda like a class to prepare for, or students pinch pots that need to be painted with a gloss finish etc. I'm dreaming of working on my new stuff for the show and to have a clear day to do that is truly a dream come true.
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So it was the fun part where the figures, still in two sections, were dry enough to be hollowed out. I got my drill out and using larger drill bits carefully opened up the insides of the torso and leg areas. After that I opened up the top of the head and hollowed that out. Again, using the drill hollowed out the neck so the expanding hot air would escape to the torso. Then  after making sure there was an opening for the hot air to escape during the firing, I put the two halves together and began the final carving and shaping of the figure which at the end of the day looked like the photo at the beginning of this article. Yes, it truly was an excellent day for me. 

When Wilma got back I invited her to end the day by "celebrating" the book review with an evening out, namely dinner and music at the Prairie Ink Restaurant at the McNally Robinson Bookstore. 

Here's my conclusion, this whole day was an "excellent" day! A day of joy, smiles (see below) and gratitude to our amazing God for what He has done and is constantly doing in our lives. ​

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Crusty's Thoughts.

4/3/2017

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I have become aware that my house trailer has a leak,
oh no, not another thing to put it on my "To Do List"! 
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    Cliff's Creations...

    Hi, my name is Cliff, welcome to my website where I share my life as an art teacher, ceramic artist, photographer, father, businessman, leader and disciple. Basically I'm just trying to keep up with an exciting creative life. Thank you for coming along for the ride. You know, that your reading my blogs will make me a better artist so thank you in advance.
    Later, Cliff

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