Art Made Easy

Latest Episodes:

Family Art Nights: AME 043 Mar 01, 2017

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Hosting a family art night can be the best way to build support for your art program, boost parent involvement and advocate for your program within your community. In this episode, I share my experiences with my own family art night both as a parent and as the organizer. I walk you through what worked for me, how I set up the event, what projects were successful ( and which ones weren’t!) and ways to incorporate fundraising. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: How to set your intentions for the event and why it's important What a family art night can offer families in regard to a community building and bonding experience How a check-in table can get the parents involved (and informed) The benefits of a hostess How to choose the right art projects for your event How to create an Art Board for self-guided art exploration How to manage wet art projects LISTEN TO THE SHOW: Subscribe to Art Made Easy and receive new episodes directly on your phone via your podcast App. Note: If you have an iPhone, subscribe in iTunes. If you have an Android phone, subscribe in Stitcher. SHOW NOTES: Symmetrical Butterflies Foam Printing Antique Flower Still Life Paint Brush Rocket Mural Project Circle Painting Project

How to Engage, Inspire and Create Art Room Magic with Sally Haughey: AME 042 Feb 22, 2017

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On today’s episode, I’m talking with Sally Haughey from Fairy Dust Teaching. If you’re not familiar with her work, you really need to check out her blog, Fairy Dust Teaching. Sally and I chat about the best way to engage young children in the art making space. You’ll learn why the method Sally uses is just so important and effective with not only young children, but ones of all ages. This episode is for anyone who struggles with finding the right balance between a creative art-making space and behavioral expectations. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: How Sally decided to become a teacher based on her own struggles and her children’s struggles in the public school system How she saw the arts change the lives of at-risk children Why Sally says TRUST is the most important thing when it comes to classroom management for at-risk children How and why songs hold children’s attention better than anything else What three things Sally does when children enter the art room How Sally teaches art projects with a wide range of ages How Sally addresses poor behavior with the children in the classroom What is the difference between Reggio and Waldorf-inspired art and how Sally uses both in her teachings How Sally gauges the rhythm of her classroom in order to maintain a positive flow LISTEN TO THE SHOW Subscribe to Art Made Easy and receive new episodes directly on your phone via your podcast App. Note: If you have an iPhone, subscribe in iTunes. If you have an Android phone, subscribe in Stitcher. For all the budding singers out there, DOWNLOAD SALLY'S ART SONGS PDF to get you started.... Just click the blue box, enter your name and email and I will email you the PDF. Make sure to check your junk mail (or promotions folder in gmail). SHOW NOTES: Fairy Dust Teaching Website Teacher Resources on Fairy Dust Teaching

How to Talk to Administrators & Parents About Your Art Program: AME 041 Feb 15, 2017

Show notes

One of the hardest parts about being an art teacher is advocating for your art program. Feeling vulnerable to budget cuts, constantly aligning with new standards, accommodating everyone’s perception and expectation of what art should be can be very challenging. Recently I asked the Sparklers to share what their biggest struggles are right now in the art room…I love questions like this because it really gives you insight on how people are feeling and what their current struggles are. And the most fascinating thing for me is that everyone can relate. Today’s episode addresses three very common struggles in the art room: reduced class time, art project expectations and explaining or defending art techniques or art philosophies. You may be surprised what all these struggles have in common and how to best eliminate them from your day. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: Why one of the hardest parts about being an art teacher is advocating for your art program Like children, no two art teachers are alike How as a creative you do have the capacity to think outside of the box to solve problems Why you should look at changing your perception of the problem - instead of battling the administration How the amount of excitement you show will affect the engagement of the children How your children are your advocates, and the way you talk to the parents through the art Questions to ask yourself to help define your art room intentions How your end-of-the-year art show will answer every question that parents and administrations have about your art program How the Four Agreements have transformed Patty's life LISTEN TO THE SHOW Subscribe to Art Made Easy and receive new episodes directly on your phone via your podcast App. Note: If you have an iPhone, subscribe in iTunes. If you have an Android phone, subscribe in Stitcher. SHOW NOTES: Letter to a First Year Art Teacher AME 001 The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) by Don Miguel Ruiz *affiliate link

Sparkler Spotlight & Small Studio Advice: AME 040 Feb 08, 2017

Show notes

Since the creation of Deep Space Sparkle’s Members Club (join waitlist) last June, I’ve made it my goal to help serve and support teachers on their path as art teachers. One of the newest features of the membership is the Sparkler Spotlight. This is where I share members stories on how they became an art teacher, what they struggle with and where they find their inspiration. I’m excited to announce that my first spotlight is member Kristina Massey! Kristina has her own art studio called Corbie Arts in Washington State and teaches after school classes to a small but growing number of students. She joined The Members’ Club to reduce the amount of work she spent in creating a curriculum for her classes but now is wondering how to best use her time in building a business. In this episode, we’re flipping the format and Kristina is asking me the questions! If you are a studio owner or teach after school art class, listen in as Kristina and I chat about artsy business stuff. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE: Why it is important to identify the intention of your class and attract the people that you want to serve How to educate parents on the style of art that you are using to teach their children How we are living in a time where everyone is revisiting or reconnecting with their creative side How teachers can make more of their time to create more profit Why as an entrepreneur you need to experiment with things to find out what changes are necessary in your business Why if you find one social media platform that is working for you, you have to “double down” on that one! LISTEN TO THE SHOW Subscribe to Art Made Easy and receive new episodes directly on your phone via your podcast Ap. Note: If you have an iPhone, subscribe in iTunes. If you have an Android phone, subscribe in Stitcher. SHOW NOTES: Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists: 52 Creative Exercises to Make Drawing Fun (Lab Series) by Carla Sonheim Jasmine Star Creative Brand Strategist Creative Bug online creative classes Art Made Easy Episode 39 with Meri Cherry

Success Secrets of a Process-Based Art Studio: Art Made Easy 039 Feb 01, 2017

Show notes

After hosting pop up art classes in her garage, art teacher and blogger Meri Cherry listened to her intuition and opened her first art studio in Southern California. Eight months later, Meri serves her creative community by offering everything from toddler art sessions to family art nights. Learn how Meri created a thriving business and an art studio of her dreams. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: How having children changed Meri’s career path How her business was able to take off after she was able to give herself permission to go for it Meri’s biggest piece of advice for pursuing your dreams If you should go all in or take baby steps in opening your own studio How Meri differentiates between fine art and a more process-based art Why is it important to give children the unstructured time of process art What is pacing and Meri incorporates that into her art classes based on age Why Meri recommends Instagram to advertise her studio classes What are the top two platforms for advertising LISTEN TO THE SHOW Subscribe to Art Made Easy and receive new episodes directly on your phone via your podcast Ap. Note: If you have an iPhone, subscribe in iTunes. If you have an Android phone, subscribe in Stitcher. SHOW NOTES: The Complete Artist's Way: Creativity as a Spiritual Practice by Julia Cameron The Mind Your Business Podcast with James Wedmore & Phoebe Mroczek Meri’s Blog Meri’s Facebook @mericherry (across social media)

Same Project, Different Results: Art Made Easy 038 Jan 18, 2017

Show notes

Does this sound familiar? You teach a lesson and it goes terrific: the students understand the concepts and are totally engaged, but then you go to teach the same lesson at a different school, and it fails. The students don't grasp the concepts and want to do their own thing. What do you do? This was the discussion last week inside the Members Club Facebook group. First time art teacher, Traci Ann wondered why this happens and how it can be avoided. If you’ve taught art for any length of time, you know this happens and that it happens to both seasoned and brand new teachers. This week’s episode addresses what to do when a proven project doesn’t work out so well and how you can pivot to ensure that your students get the most out of their time with you. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: Why it is important to assess your classes’ strengths and abilities How to alter the lesson plan based on the outcome of the assessment How negative thoughts about the class room teacher’s management plan can affect your teaching abilities and/or outcome of your projects My advice when a lesson plan gets out of control (and how to regroup and start over) How to acknowledge problems or critique children’s work How to think on your feet when a project is not going well for a numerous amount of students Why it is important to be on the lookout for how students can help you refine the process of how you are teaching certain projects Whether or not templates should be used How to be mindful or the length of each project and the attention span of the children LISTEN TO THE SHOW Subscribe to Art Made Easy and receive new episodes directly on your phone via your podcast App. Note: If you have an iPhone, subscribe in iTunes. If you have an Android phone, subscribe in Stitcher. YOUR TURN... What's your strategy for dealing with projects that don't go as planned? Share your tips, strategies an experience so we can reassure all of the new art teachers out there that this will happen and it is fixable!

The Organized Art Teacher: Art Made Easy 037 Jan 11, 2017

Show notes

Do you feel overwhelmed when you look at your stacks of lesson plans and project ideas? Ever wondered how other art teachers store their lesson plans and samples? And what is the best way to store artwork? Start the year off with an organized mindset by hearing how Patty organized her hundreds of lesson plans and stacks of student art. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: Why it’s never too late to organize, regardless of what point in the year it is How mindset plays a key role in successful organization Why listening to how other art teachers do things is a good idea Why identifying your organizational style is the first step to take How different themes can be organized and used later as reference tools What my criteria for throwing things out involves What you can do with teaching samples so that they can be used in the classroom How to effectively divide your lessons on the masters How (and why) organization is moving from binders to being done on computers Why the first day of art class is the perfect time to make a student portfolio, and how do you make one? LISTEN TO THE SHOW Subscribe to Art Made Easy and receive new episodes directly on your phone via your podcast Ap. Note: If you have an iPhone, subscribe in iTunes. If you have an Android phone, subscribe in Stitcher. DOWNLOAD THE ORGANIZED ART TEACHER PDF SHOW NOTES: Evernote Dropbox Pinterest

Incorporating STEAM Projects into your Art Room: Art Made Easy 036 Jan 04, 2017

Show notes

Are you looking to incorporate a few STEAM art activities into your curriculum this year? Ana Dziengle from Babble, Dabble Do is this week's guest on the podcast. If you haven't met Ana before, I know you'll love her. She's the type of girl you want as a friend. And since she is originally from Santa Barbara, I'm claiming her as mine! Ana shares her favorite STEAM projects that engage kids and encourages them to think for themselves. And isn't that what we all want? This episode is perfect for anyone wants to explore a few STEAM projects with their kids. Things you will learn in this episode: How Ana visualized the lifestyle she wanted and was able to make the hard decision to get it How Ana incorporates art and science together The many different aspects of being creative Why being artistic doesn’t mean it has to be through a traditional medium How to entice children with a magical component of art What STEAM projects are and why they should be incorporated in projects Why it is important to choose projects based on the age group of your kids How to step back and let the child’s project unfold without inserting what outcome you think the project could and should have How to prepare your children to not negatively compare their work Why doing projects alongside the children creates a great dynamic LISTEN TO THE SHOW Subscribe to Art Made Easy and receive new episodes directly on your phone via your podcast Ap. Note: If you have an iPhone, subscribe in iTunes. If you have an Android phone, subscribe in Stitcher. DOWNLOAD TWO STEAM BOOKLETS! Thanks Ana for providing two AMAZING activities...these are super cool, folks. To get yours, just click on the yellow box, add your name and email and the zip file containing the two PDF's will be emailed to you. If you use safari on a MAC, the zip file won't open. Try CHROME instead. SHOW NOTES: Ana’s book, Steam Kids Dyed Snow Flake Project from Babble Dabble Do 20 Science projects for Kids from Babble Dabble Do Don't Move the Muffin Tins: A Hands-Off Guide to Art for the Young Child by Bev Bos www.leftbraincraftbrain.com

Beyond Lesson Plans – Modern Ways to Connect & Collaborate in Your Art Room – AME 035 Nov 30, 2016

Show notes

Are you looking for ways to spruce up your art program? Move beyond traditional lesson plans with artist trading cards, a flipped classroom and QR codes. Nic Hahn, author of the popular blog, Mini Matisse, shares how she transitioned to a choice-based art room, how she uses videos to flip her classroom plus she shares the art projects that have been the most successful with her students. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: How working with different age groups gives you added perspective as a blogger How Artist Trading Cards help the learning process for students How her focus on Careers in Art has exposed the children to all sorts of possibilities Why reflection in the art room is needed, and how Nic ties pop culture into the curriculum Why she uses QR codes in her classroom How questions she receives online leads the direction of her blog How presenting the masters of art to her classes allowed Nic to grow as an artist herself LISTEN TO THE SHOW Subscribe to Art Made Easy and receive new episodes directly on your phone via your podcast App. Note: If you have an iPhone, subscribe in iTunes. If you have an Android phone, subscribe in Stitcher. SHOW NOTES: Yuko Larson and Nic Hahn's Trading Cards Bit-O-Bios Art Biography QR Codes Lesson Download Careers in Art Sample Lesson Download Careers in Art See Saw App

How to Handle the Holiday Crush – AME 034 Nov 23, 2016

Show notes

The holidays don’t need to be a time for stressful schedules and hectic classes. Make this season your best ever by determining what your holiday intentions are, how to navigate your school’s holiday celebration parameters and what projects to do with your students that will deliver smiles for all. In this episode, Patty addresses the big issues art teachers face every December: What should you do when your school doesn’t celebrate the Holidays? How to handle children who can’t participate in anything remotely seasonal. How to set your intentions so you can enjoy the season and bring focus to what brings you happiness. A list of non-religious art projects you can do in a short amount of time. How Parkinson's Law applies to teaching art LISTEN TO THE SHOW Subscribe to Art Made Easy and receive new episodes directly on your phone via your podcast App. Note: If you have an iPhone, subscribe in iTunes. If you have an Android phone, subscribe in Stitcher. 5 NON-RELIGIOUS ART PROJECTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS Click the yellow button below and add your name and email to the form to download your project plan. NOTE: The PDF will be sent to your email. Make sure to enter a correct email address and check your junk mail. SHOW NOTES: Teachers Pay Teachers : Deep Space Sparkle will be participating in the Cyber Monday and Tuesday sale on November 28 and 29.

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