Artist of the Week- George Inness

      

  
George Inness

What did he paint?

Landscapes- Landscapes are pictures of nature; trees, flowers, and fields. Sometimes they have animals and people in them.

What can I learn from him?

Tonalism- George Inness used only a few colors to paint his pictures. What colors do you see in this picture?

Now you try it!

Make a picture using only 3 colors.

Click here to see more

Paintings by George Inness

Adopt The Arts

An old classmate of mine, Matt Sorum,  became a drummer for well known rock bands, and is now giving back through a non-profit call Adopt the Arts. adopthearts.com  He is working with other celebrities to encourage and promote the arts in public schools. Please support this incredible cause.  The arts are so important to children's healthy development, well being, and learning! In Matt's case, music helped him through a tough emotional time as a child. Taking the arts out of the schools  hamstrings a child with the rest of their learning. It makes no sense. My son's teacher could no longer use art in her classroom because it was not directly related to improving test scores, not even to support academic subjects.  This kind of circular reasoning is short of insanity.  Please support the arts in public schools by supporting organizations like Adopt the Arts, or better yet, get involved with your local PTA and help your school keep the arts alive.

Cacophony not for Kids

The current exhibit at the Fullerton College Art Center in Santa Ana features The Cacophony Society. A group of "artists" who like surrealist sabotage, gluing toasters to light posts, filling teddy bears with cement and placing them on actual store shelves, and this is just the tame part of their activities. The exhibit itself is disturbing. The overtones are violent, depressing, destructive, and brutal.  There is no positive energy in the exhibit. Just immaturity. One of the featured exhibits shows members in a bathroom rubbing what looks like excrement on themselves and others. We'd like to hope our kids stop playing with their poop by two years of age, not twenty! This society seems comprised of adults who do not want to grow up. Whereas the rest of us realized  we must grow or die, this groups philosophy seems like they'd rather die then grow. 
Keep the kids away from this one. Adults  who feel nostalgic for their crazy adolescence can probably get a kick out of it.

Help me Start Something That Matters!

I've just finished reading Blake Mycoskie's amazing book, Start Something That Matters. Some of you may know Blake from his unique company TOMS  founded on a simple principle of buy one, give one. Every time you buy a pair of TOMS shoes, a pair is given to a child in need. (He has since expanded into eyewear which applies the same principle.) TOMS has inspired me to start my own non-profit for the arts.  After watching the Haiti Earthquake on TV a couple of years ago, I saw images of children lying in hospitals.  Their immediate survival  needs were taken care of  but they were missing one essential secondary need every mother  knows. Crayons and Paper. Art Heals the Soul.  As they languished in hospitals or camps, boredom is the next obstacle to overcome. I would like to start a non-profit to simply give kids crayons and paper.  How can I start? Whoever gives me the best suggestion will receive a free copy of Blake Mycoskie's Start Something That Matters.

Priceless Art Treasures in Downtown Santa Ana

Two statues by  famed artist Raymond Kaskey, the designer of the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington DC are featured in front of the Ronald Reagan Federal Building in downtown Santa Ana!   I couldn't believe it.  I was walking around the art district downtown and stumbled upon these beautiful statues.  Raymond Kaskey is responsible for most of the beautiful statues you see in cities on the East Coast.  I knew his work from living in Charlotte, North Carolina where his works are prominently displayed in the down town square.  These are the only works by Mr. Kaskey in the lower Western United States. The only other west-coast statue is Portlandia in Portland Oregon.  Portlandia is second largest bronze statue in the United States, the first being the Statue of Liberty. Just think, Los Angeles doesn't have them, San Francisco, nor San Diego, but downtown Santa Ana! 

Let Your Art Fly !

The John Wayne Airport is holding it 22nd annual Student Art Contest.
If you are in K-12 you vcan submit artwork.  The theme is "Silent Flight".  You can bring your art to any Orange County Public Library before 4 pm on November 2.

Two winners will be selected. K-6 and 7-12. The winners will be on display Dec. 9-Jan. 16 in the Thomas Fr. Riley Terminal.

Winners will compete at state, national, and international level of competition. Everyone receives a certificate and winners will receive prizes.

You can pick up materials at any Orange County Public Library or click here for airport website: 

This "Trash" Is Not Garbage!

On October 15, The New Children's Museum of San Diego will feature a new exhibit titled TRASH. Featuring Artists from around the world, this exhibition is designed to re-think how we view and feel about "trash".

There will be a Street Festival and Public Opening | 10am–4pm

Free admission sponsored by ScholarShare College Savings Plan!

This is worth the 2 hour drive down to San Diego! The artists featured for this event are world renowned, and the museum itself is a sight to behold.  The museum is for children of all ages.

Celebrate the opening of TRASH with an action-packed street fair, featuring award-winning talent, kid friendly entertainment and special trash inspired art projects. Families will enjoy food truck fare, experience interactive demonstrations and learning opportunities, and explore the new exhibition.