Shannon Cramer Art

So I have not posted since August and much of that is because I have been busy with a new job! I now work for Art4Life, a non-profit arts program in the Portland Public Schools, and I’m loving it. Every day for 4-5 hours I work with elementary schoolers on a wide variety of Art projects. I’ve always loved teaching and coaching and kids, so this job is a great combination of all of that.

Thus far we have gone over the basics of composition, team work, and drawing (of course), but we are also working on sewing and sculpture and film projects and dancing and lots of other great things that my co-teachers have experience with, such as photography and print making.

Our first foray into paper sculpture yeilded this sweet Pyramid. The tiles can lift up to reveal trap doors and crypts and other spooky additions.

Project Instructions

Some of the completed draft snakes. Hot-glued felt details and hand- sewn edges. This was a multi-day project at both schools that I felt went really well. All of the children participated and all of them sewed their snakes completely by themselves.

Happy about his completed project.

Finished snake with one of my flock of boys (we have 15 2-3rd grade boys in one of my classes.) This project was the most popular with the guys, rather than the girls, which thrilled me to pieces since sewing is a good skill to learn and most guys my age can’t sew. Not sew for their generation! (seewatididther?)

Sprinkles for “Ettiquete Friday: Wonderland” Every Friday we have a special snack with a theme. These were for our Wonderland Tea Party.

Ninja Turtle Ornaments. We havn’t done this one yet but we will! These were mine from a practice session with my friend Kim. Next week the kids will get to try. I think I’ll make some Star Wars variations too, since they love the TV show.

Currently I am looking forward to finishing one of our newest projects: a to-scale Baby Masai Giraffe. The finished sculpture will be over 6ft tall! While we are going for realism in form, it will not be realistic when it comes to colors. When working on practicing the Masai coat pattern, the kids asked to use brighter colors than yellow and brown. As a result, I asked the kids to make color-scheme proposals and it is looking like sculpture is going to be pink and green, with an argyle hat! (Awesome.)

During this project I challenged our older kids (3rd- 5th) to figure out how to build the framework and giraffe head themselves and we now have 3 chicken-wire and wood legs and a cardboard head in process. Watching their eyes widen as they used a power-drill for the first time was a definite treat. The plaster coating starts next week so wish us luck!

Donovan’s design direction for the shapes needed to build the Giraffe head. His friend Carter later used this as reference, and it’s looking great! Pics to come.

Donovan and Xavier love meme faces, and can draw any and all of them perfectly. They often use them in answer to how they’re feeling, which I find fascinating since I didn’t’ grow up with image-based communication. This was his response when asked to plan the head sculpture.

I will try and post more often now that I’m all settled in, so look for more fun projects and updates in the future. Thanks!

-Shannon