Tag Archives: Chittenango Middle School

art, art for sale, Karen Tashkovski, painting

Mandala Man

Image February 11, 2017 Karen Tashkovski Leave a comment

Ken Nichols‘ mandala paintings have been on display in the Chittenango Middle School library since the end of November 2016. They are coming down on Monday. Ken is a painter and a potter, a Syracuse artist who believes in the passion of creation.

He uses Golden Artist acrylic paints. He begins by painting the surface of the canvas black then uses an intuitive process to shape the composition relying on color to forge a path of rhythm throughout. The result is vibrant and fun abstracts that keep the viewer hypnotized in his psychedelic vortex.

Ken spoke to students during a 10th period art reception in December. He had them mesmerized! I have a short video at the bottom of this post. It is always a win-win for students to meet artists. A mutual admiration society of positive energy that transcends age and time. Belief in yourself is always the message. Taking pride in what your hand can manufacture. Art for art’s sake and for peace of mind. Really good conversation.

Check out more about Ken Nichols by visiting his web-site here.

art, art education, art resources, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media, paper collage, photography

American Gothic-eee

Image January 12, 2017 Karen Tashkovski 1 Comment

This lesson is inspired by Grant Wood’s American Gothic.

Students had to conceive an idea for the composition. I had planned to have them draw thumbnail sketches, as well as lists of what props they would need – but after showing my accelerated Studio in Art kids the ones done by my students in 2012 and 2013 via my school web-site, they just knew what they were going to do. It was the craziest thing and really phenomenal the way they all collaborated with one another.

Each student planned the day for their picture – we had two weeks before Christmas break and it was a tight schedule for the twelve of them. They all brought their costumes, props and their A games with them, lol!

I just loved how they were able to count on each other and how responsible everyone was for their respective part in both their own work and that of their friend(s). Models allowed the artist to direct them. The poses replicated the ones in Wood’s painting with the person on the right looking straight into the camera and the other one gazing in the distance. I placed the school’s green screen against a wall for the photo shoots, printed the pictures then cut and pasted them to foamboard.

They created the backgrounds using a variety of mixed-media including tissue and decorative papers, toothpicks, beads, glitter and more. The border was done in metallic paint to act as a frame. A picture from the internet chosen to convey a theme was selected as reference and they attacked the canvas panels with vigor. It was so exciting to see them work. There was so much confidence amidst the chaos of all the materials.

Once the background was finished and dry (everything attached with Mod-Podge and/or hot glue), we placed 3-D Os on the back of the foamboard and poppped the pics on top. The result – twelve very different, very cool mixed-media pieces that are currently on display in a glass case in the atrium of Chittenango Middle School in Chittenango, New York.

art, art education, art resources, Karen Tashkovski, painting, sculpture

Going Greek

Image December 21, 2016 Karen Tashkovski 1 Comment

This was a fun lesson – another one of my inventions: Greek urns. They are made of Pariscraft, not clay. We used the plastic water bowls as molds, so it was a stagger start since I don’t have very many of them.

Students placed 4 layers of plaster of Paris on the bowl. In the following class, they were in a déja vu re-run because we needed two bowl molds for the armature. Next, they added plastic cups (from Subway, Wendy’s, and various cottage cheese varieties). I cut the hole at the bottom of the top cup and at the top of one of the plaster bowls. They added plaster to the separate pieces then taped the bowls together with masking tape and went back to the plaster station to complete the step. (Aluminum foil for the handles.)

This was followed by painting the urn one solid color and then applying Greek patterns – and more color.

They are stunning. I love them! Really substantial two and three feet sculptures. I want them to write a note to their future selves and store it inside the vessels. I am always thinking about my thirteen-year-old self. Is she proud of who I have become? (I know she is!) The note would serve as an artifact, the way Ancient Greek urns found in an archeological dig teach us about the culture that once was. So fun!

art, art education, illustration, Karen Tashkovski

Thankful for Peace

Image November 25, 2016 Karen Tashkovski 2 Comments

Every year my Studio in Art students create illustrations for the Lions Club peace poster contest. This year’s theme was A Celebration of Peace. It is really an incredible experience to work with the Chittenango Lions club on this endeavor. Three members judge the posters, choose a winner and present cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place at a classroom pizza party resulting in the creation of professional artists!

The winning poster goes on to compete in the regional competition followed by a state contest, which would land it in the finals and a chance to win the $5,000 international prize. The whole she-bang is a win-win: I create the lesson for a grade, students provide a community service, someone wins a prize, and we plant the seed of creating future community leaders. In the interim, students may join the Leos, a youth organization off-shoot of the Lions Club.

The Lions Club sponsors so many wonderful events. They make extraordinary charitable contributions. It is truly an honor to work with them. They presented me with an award for my service recently. I was told that no one outside of the club has received it besides me and that is such an incredible honor. Thank you, Rae Haynes, Marg Montross and all of the Chittenango Lions. I am blessed to know you. <3

art, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media, painting

Cows & Bulls

Image October 30, 2016 Karen Tashkovski 3 Comments

Penny Santy’s bull paintings are currently hanging on the walls of the Chittenango Middle School library. She will be visiting us on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 for an artist talk during 10th period! In honor of her visit, four of my Art-8 classes created cows and bulls in both acrylic paint and oil pastels.

I have them hanging on the walls of the hallway outside of my art classroom.

The oil pastels are done on black Strathmore paper. Students created the drawings on white paper, transferred them onto the black using graphite paper (which introduces a bit of magic, and you all know I love magic!). Then they painted out the lines in black acrylic and went to town with the pastels – creating rhythm and texture via their own individual styles.

The acrylic paintings went through the same initial process – drawn on white paper, transferred with magic . Students were also encouraged to create their own styles, although I did have a handout to give what I call Ms. Tash Pearls of Wisdom. These are pointers to mixing colors so that one color ends up permeating throughout the canvas. Raw Sienna is that color.

Black outlining was an option. Penny Santy utilizes complimentary color schemes. Most of the pieces she is exhibiting have an orange/blue color scheme. I was pleased to see so many colorful animals, purple cows and red bulls, lol, as well as the rest of the rainbow.

I wonder which ones I should enter into the Scholastic Art Awards competition? I like them all! Thank you, Penny Santy, for being such a marvelous inspiration to my kids!

art, art education, art exhibition, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media

Serendipity in the Saddle

Image October 29, 2016 Karen Tashkovski 6 Comments

There was this Scholastic Art magazine with a Jaune Quick-To-See Smith painting in the centerfold – of a canoe. I loved the way she expressed social injustice with paint and collage.

I had been planning a series of art projects using horses and thought her work would be a perfect fit. And then, upon further investigation, it turns out that Jaune Quick-to-See Smith had created a series of horse paintings in this style! Isn’t that crazy??? It was a perfect fit. Serendipity at its finest!

This year, two of my 8th grade art classes learned about her work. What is great about this school year – my students all have I-pads now and they can research as they work. My ultimate goal is to connect with the artist and share this work with her. That would be a dream come true!

I taught them how to draw a horse using shapes and the technique known as measuring – all parts of a horse are actually in proportion to each other! We created the drawings on tagboard, cut them out and used them as stencils on the paintings.

They painted in acrylic then added the horse. Collage items from magazines that represented themselves were affixed with Mod-Podge. Then students added more paint to create rhythm and texture.

Finished work is on display in the Chittenango Middle School library!

art, art education, art exhibition, fashion, Karen Tashkovski

Dressing the Part

Image September 17, 2016 Karen Tashkovski 1 Comment

img_20160913_085417 — BCBGMaxAzria dress, Guess sandals

img_20160914_194958 — BCBGMaxAzria dress, BCBGeneration sandals

I am back to work and school! It is fun getting dressed up, not so fun going into a building with no air conditioning, but I adjusted to it within days. And today – it actually felt cold in here!

img_20160906_131036 — Trina Turk dress, BCBGeneration sandals

img_20160908_085325 — Michelle DaRin jewelry, Trina Turk top and skirt, BCBGeneration sandals

I spent the summer in exercise clothes, bikinis and shorts. I hiked seven miles a day and did pilates twice a week or so. Working on fitting teaching into my exercise schedule, lol.

img_20160909_084902 — Vintage necklace, Bailey 44 top and skirt, BCBGeneration sandals

img_20160907_093232 — BCBGMaxAzria top, Trina Turk skirt, BCBGeneration sandals

As for artwork, I took down my art show at the Sullivan Library in Chittenango, New York, and I plan to exhibit the Talisman paintings in October at the Half Moon Bakery and Bistro in Jamesville, New York. Eight paintings are still on display in the Lawrence Pavilion at Summit Medical Group in New Jersey. They will be there until January, I think, unless the show gets extended.

img_20160915_093635 — BCBGMaxAzria dress, Coach booties, Honora necklace

Penny Santy is showing her paintings in the Chittenango Middle School library! She will give a presentation about them on November 15, 2016. I am planning to do some projects based on her work. Four classes will be doing oil pastels or paintings of cows and bulls as part of my SLO tests.

In addition, I’m planning lessons on George Rodrigue, Jasper Johns, Keith Haring, Wolf Kahn, Japanese wood block prints and Greek mythology. So fun!

img_20160912_092245 — Bailey 44 top, BCBGMaxAzria skirt, Nine West sandals

img_20160916_092827 — Banana Republic top and skirt, Michelle DaRin jewelry, BCBGeneration booties

art, art education, classroom, Karen Tashkovski

Toe in Classroom

Image August 16, 2016 Karen Tashkovski 4 Comments

Yesterday I decided to put my toe into the water, so to speak. I went to work! Yes – it’s like I forgot I had a job, and then all of a sudden I woke up out of this summer’s dream and, of course, the crummy weather kind of pushed me along to remind me that I have a place to go for ten months out of the year, a reason to get up in the morning….

I only spent two hours there – I checked in my supplies purchased in June from School Specialty. I bought a lot of cool things! Canvas panels, watercolor pads, and tagboard. Glazes, glue sticks and new pencil sharpener inserts! I am excited to start the new year. It is going to be soooo fun!

Wow, I am so fortunate to have this job and this beautiful, huge classroom! The maintenance folks painted the walls and waxed the floor. They put all the furniture back exactly as I had it before, as per my hand-drawn map.

There is a lot to do still – like putting the new supplies away, adding posters and prepping materials for the first lessons. Can’t go today because I think they are waxing the hallway floor. But, soon! School starts September 7th.

art, art education, ceramics, Karen Tashkovski

Something’s Fishy!

Image May 26, 2016 Karen Tashkovski Leave a comment

My 8th grade accelerated Studio in Art students created these clay fish sculptures. We used Sax under-glazes with Amaco gloss glaze on top.

I think this is one of my favorite lessons of all time. I just loved how much care the students took to build their sculptures and then to glaze them. We had twelve colors. They had to use at least six (two to three coats each).

Roll the clay out with a rolling pin (each piece was approximately 3″ x 6″). Then place crumpled up paper towel in the center. Close up one side. It will look like a waffle cone. Add clay to the top to smooth out the head then add fins, a tail, eyes, gills and other details. This is done using slip (clay and water) as the glue/mortar that seals clay to clay.

They took about four classes to create and four classes to glaze. I let the sculptures dry for two weeks before the bisque fire.

Love them!

art, art education, Karen Tashkovski

That Face

Image April 16, 2016 Karen Tashkovski 1 Comment

Every year I do a pencil-only celebrity portrait lesson with my Studio in Art students, and each year I recognize less and less of the celebrities. Oh, the drawings get better every year, I think. I just cannot keep up with pop-culture, lol.

Here are the celebrity drawings from the past couple years! Can you guess who they are?

	Immersion \| Karen Ta… on Encaustic Crowns @ FFL
	Encaustic Crowns @ F… on Fan-Girl Gratitude
	Book Report: The Oth… on Book Report: Ask Not…
	What the What…… on Tash Loves Trees
	Karen Tashkovski on ISO Fish Fry: Ruston’s D…

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Visual Artist