CAT Mummies?

Yep, that's right. Cat mummies. 

In Picasso's Basement PASSPORT TO ART class the students learned about Cat Mummies. Apparently ancient Egyptians loved their cats so much that the term "you can't take it with you" did not at all apply to them. 

Giraffe mummy

We made our animal mummies out of paper towel rolls. The Artists covered them with gold wrapping paper and drew on them with marker. Fastest mummification ever!


But, wait! There's more!
We also took a look at Egyptian scrolls and statues and studied the gorgeous headresses. A little upcycled cardboard, some eye holes, and a lot of metallic markers and the Artists had some amazing headresses!

Excellent work, world travelers!

Picasso's Basement Summer Camps!

Announcing (TA-DA!) the first Picasso's Basement Summer camps brought to you by the good folks at Fanwood Recreation! Both camps will be held at Forest Road Park in Fanwood, NJ.

“MAKE YOUR OWN COMIC BOOK” CAMP!

July 22-26, 9 AM-12 Noon   
Ages 8-12

$160  (includes all art supplies and materials, and 2 printed copies of your comic book!)

Become a real comic book writer and artist! Learn everything there is to know about putting together your own comic book! Picasso’s Basement’s successful and fun comic book program works with young artists on their drawing skills, teaches them how the pros ink their work, and shows them what elements to use to make their books exciting. At the end of the camp, your book will be sent out to be printed into 2 copies of a real comic book! 
Every day at the Make Your Own Comic Book Camp features activities and exercises that are not only fun but also help kids master the skills of comic book creation!       

Bring a snack and drink with you!

“ART IN THE PARK” CAMP

August 19-23, 9AM-12 Noon                                                           
Ages 5-10

$160 (includes all art supplies and materials)

ART IN THE PARK CAMP lets kids create awesome, unique projects within a fun and friendly environment! Different techniques and mediums will be explored in exciting ways! Children will work with paints, pen and ink, printmaking, sculpture, mask-making, and much more.

Daily fun themes provides a framework for that day’s art projects, activities and games:       

• ROYAL ART DAY:  Make coats of arms and 3D castles, and battle the invisible knight. 
• PIRATE DAY: Create maps, sculpt parrots, and race towards a treasure!
• Other themes include OUTER SPACE, CITIES, and BY THE SEA.

Bring a snack and drink with you and DRESS FOR MESS!

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO GET THE FULL FLYER WITH REGISTRATION FORM PLEASE CLICK HERE!!!!

SPRING: BRING IT ON!

One of the many beautiful
birdhouses created by the Young At Art Artists

I am really a big fan of Spring. It's a great season. It looks good, it feels good, it smells good. Plus it ushers in the start of the best time of year of all: Garage Sale Season. (I'll admit it. I'm an addict.)

I start getting excited about Spring pretty early on. Probably around November I'm already thinking about garden gnomes and wondering which of my garden flowers will get confused and push to the surface first. (This year the daffodils won--one fluke of a warm day and they were half-way up by mid-February.)

In Picasso's Basement's YOUNG AT ART CLASS (for 4-5 year olds) we are already getting ready! The young Artists took recycled cereal boxes and painted bird houses on them. I helped them holes in the front for the bird entrance. We glued the paintings to cigar boxes that had the lids removed. The Artists painted corks and drew in eyes and beaks to create birds and then glued them to popsicle sticks perches that we attached. They were so excited by their creations that they continued painting beautiful Spring scenes!

Anyhow, this is just a quick post to say HAPPY PRE-SPRING!  

Fun Event for Kids During Spring Break!

COME TO A FUN SPRINGTIME KIDS EVENT DURING SPRING BREAK!

Hosted by Little Scoops of Cranford and featuring Picasso's Basement crafts, there will be egg decorating, hat making, a scavenger hunt, dance party and of course....ICE CREAM!

You must prepay and preregister.  Please go to http.//scavengerfriday.eventbrite.com/

FANWOOD CAMP REGISTRATION NIGHT!

Hi Everyone, I'm reposting this announcement with the updated pricing.

I'm pleased as punch to announce two upcoming summer Picasso's Basement Summer Art Camps being held at Forest Road Park in Fanwood!

The first night for Registration will be on Wednesday, March 14th at the Forest Road Park Building. Fanwood residents can sign up from 7-7:45. Residents of other towns may sign up from 7:45-8:30.

MAKE YOUR OWN COMIC BOOK CAMP 

(Ages 8-12)

         July 22-26,   9AM-Noon  

Forest Road Park, Fanwood, NJ  

           $160 (includes all art supplies and materials, and 2 printed copies of your comic book!)

Learn everything there is to know about putting together your own comic book! Picasso’s Basement’s successful and fun comic book program works with young artists on their drawing skills, teaches them how the pros ink their work, and shows them what elements to use to make their books exciting. At the end of the camp, your book will be sent out to be printed into 2 copies of a real comic book! 
Every day at the Make Your Own Comic Book Camp features activities and exercises that are not only fun but also help kids master the skills of comic book creation!

Bring a snack and drink with you!

ART IN THE PARK CAMP

          (Ages 5-10)

August 19-23,   9AM-Noon

Forest Road Park, Fanwood, NJ  

        $160 (includes all art supplies and materials)

ART IN THE PARK CAMP lets kids create awesome, unique projects within a fun and friendly environment! Different techniques and mediums will be explored in exciting ways! Children will work with paints, pen and ink, printmaking, sculpture, mask-making, and much more.  Each day, a creative theme provides a framework for that day’s art projects, activities and games: 

• ROYAL ART DAY Kings, Queens and Knights make coats of arms and 3D castles, and battle the invisible knight! 
• PIRATE DAY treasure hunters create maps, sculpt their own parrots, and race towards the treasure. 
• Other themes include OUTER SPACE, CITIES, and BY THE SEA! 
• 
  

For more info please EMAIL ME or call me at (917)207-2301!

More info will also be available on the Picasso's Basement LLC WEBSITE very soon!

Sea Monsters, Maori style

Traditional artwork depicting Taniwha

I've done this project before but it's always so much fun! In my Passport to Art Class all the young Artists make passports and each class we "travel" to a different country to learn about the culture and  the artwork of that country. A few weeks ago we went to New Zeland for an hour.

Some exuberant painting!

The Maoris of New Zeland have always created amazing artwork with beautiful graphic swirls. Everything from their tikis to their facial tattoos are gorgeous.

The Taniwha are mythological sea creatures. In some stories they are protectors, in some they are vicious. But the drawings and sculptures of these beings are vibrant and exciting.

The artists in the class created their own sea monsters. Some chose to use bubblewrap and mesh bags to add textures, underwater bubble patterns, and scales. 

 And, of course, they painted some facial tattoos. 

Well done, Art Travelers!

A Cheery 2013 to You All

I don't consider myself to be superstitious  but I do love the number 13 and I'd like to think that it's my "lucky number". I've had a surprisingly number of happy events occur on Friday the 13ths and so I would looooove to hope that the year 2013 will be a wonderful year. For all of us. I suppose my ancestors from the old country would think that I was tempting fate by voicing this hope. So when I'm done blogging I'll go throw some salt over my shoulder and find some wood to knock.

A nice way to welcome in the New Year is some bright cheerful flowers. And nothing says cheery like flowers created by my 4-5year old class. Toss in some bright colors and recycled objects and you have the makings of some uplifting artwork.

 I had the young Artists select colored papers and create vases from card stock. I wanted them to draw the vases themselves and cut them out themselves. They often want me to cut items for them but, darn it, these are skilled Artists and they need to recognize that they can control those scissors!

I showed them paper with low-key colors: cut up paper, ripped up vintage maps (which have lovely pastel colors) and plain paper. I gave them scissors and paper punches to make shapes. Some chose the punches, others went to town cutting and ripping. They used these to collage their vases. Then they placed their vases against some high-key colored backgrounds. They chose bright red and blue. They painted cut up cardboard egg cartons in low key colors to match the vases and glued the vases and flowers down on the paper. Then they chose recycled objects to fill the flowers: buttons, shells, etc.

I explained that it would be nice to place their flower vases in space rather than have them float around and they all drew in a horizon line or table top. They were then able to "decorate" their tablecloths. Most chose to use marker although one Artist glued down buttons. Didn't they do a wonderful job?

A HAPPY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL! 

Now off I go to find some salt to throw and wood to knock on.