Collaborative Circle Paintings

When I attended the NAEA art education convention in San Diego this year I was inspired by Hiep and the rest of the circle painting gang.  You can check out more about them and all of the circle painting projects 

they have worked on across the globe by visiting their website.

For the end of the school year, I collaborated with my 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students to create these large scale circle paintings on tar paper.  We remained standing for the majority of this project in order to have a larger range of motion.  We began by painting large circles with a variety of colors of acrylic paint.  Then we added line and shape details with smaller paint brushes.  The final layer of detail, when we zoomed in with our imaginary "art goggles" was done with metallic sharpies!

San Diego

San Diego was so beautiful.  The people were laid back and friendly and the weather was lovely.  So, when do I move you ask?  Ha, that's what I thought too! ;)

Sand castle art on beach in front of historic Hotel de Coronado

Walking along the Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach Pier

San Diego zoo, looking contemplative...

Sleep panda

Red pandas!

Sea kelp methinks?  This was a the pebbled and peaceful Moonlight State Beach

April and I posing on the pier

Jill and I finally find each other at the gigantic NAEA convention...nice to see familiar and friendly faces!

NAEA circle paintings in lobby

Legoland

I was skeptical about going to Legoland outside of San Diego, but John really wanted to go so I agreed.  It was totally worth the high ticket price.  The rides are definitely geared more towards kids, but the entire park is filled with amazing lego wonders that makes the in between walking and line waiting worth it.  Super cool.  The best part was seeing of the goo-goo eyed, awe-filled kids and hearing all of their exclamations! Uterus twitch, let's have kids soon! Ha!

Los Angeles, California

John and I spend Spring Break 2014 in California.  It was my first time attending the NAEA (National Art Education Associaion) convention which took place towards the end of spring break in San Diego, California...so we decided to check out L.A. and Joshua Tee National Park too!

Hollywood sign from up in the hills at the observatory.  Cloudy day.

Roy Choi's Koji food truck! Korean BBQ tacos, so good!

Succulents at the Getty

We got to see a "Doug Loves Movies" podcast at the U.C.B. theatre...and had a legitimate star sighting on our way out (Giovanni Ribisi).

Birthday Extravaganza!

This year I celebrated 32 years around the sun!  I decided to celebrate it with my dear friend Kristi who has a birthday the week after me.  We met friend out for a lovely Indian dinner and then headed back to "Owl Manor" (my house) for fun times with friends!  My musician friend Derek came over after a gig and brought in his awesome accordion.  I couldn't help myself!

Kristi and I blowing out the candles

Tiaras and bindis for these birthday girls!

Book Binding Workshop

I treated myself for my birthday by taking myself and a friend to a book binding/book making art workshop in Gadsden, AL taught by the fabulous Doug Baulos.

Here is my finished book!

Here, Amber and I are posing with our completed books.  We are showing off our binding work!

It's Nice to Have You in Birmingham!

John and I admiring the throwback mural created by the Magic City Mural Collective!