Artistic Pursuits: A Review

I love art. When I was in high school my art teacher actually tried to encourage me to consider applying to an art school. When we first began homeschooling, I wouldn’t consider purchasing curriculum without also picking up something for art instruction. Somehow we’ve managed to get by the past few years without any real instruction but rather with a Modge Podge of ideas from here and there. We were ready for for a program that could fill some of the gaps that we have.

Enter, Artistic Pursuits, Senior High Book One which focuses on The Elements of Art and Composition.

All I can say is, Wow! I really like this art curriculum. I like how the book is laid out, how the lessons are presented, the minimal amount of preparation that is required, and the fact that I didn’t need to buy any art supplies to get started since we already had the materials needed on hand. We literally gathered our sketch pads and drawing pencils, opened the book and began our first lesson on Space.

The lessons, written directly to the student, are clear, easy to understand and follow, and the guide is broken down nicely in units. If you schedule two art classes a week, it will take two weeks to finish each unit, covering vocabulary which introduces key elements, art history and appreciation, technique and application. There are 16 units in the book that begin with teaching the elements of art and progress to drawing the human form in proportion. 

Clear examples are given throughout the text and the art appreciation pieces are in full color. If you happen to get stuck on an assignment, the company offers assistance via email or phone.

Artistic Pursuits offers curriculum guides for all ages,  from preschool through high school,  and have won several awards, including the Practical Homeschooling Reader awards for several years in a row.

Artistic Pursuits, Senior High Book One can be purchased for $42.95.   

Artistic Pursuits can be contacted at :

Artistic Pursuits Inc., 2626 East 109th Avenue, Northglenn, Colorado 80233                Phone: (303) 467-0504                                                                                                                    Or online: www.artisticpursuits.com

My kids really enjoyed using Artistic Pursuits so much that we’ll certainly continue using the program. I really can’t recommend this program enough. You can see what other members of the TOS Crew had to say about the product at The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. 

Disclosure: I received this product as part of the TOS Crew,  free of charge, in exchange for sharing my personal opinion. 

SPACES Bienniel Sculpture Trail: Huntsville, Alabama

Recently, while  driving through downtown, I noticed something new.  Someone had erected some pretty cool sculptures and I couldn’t resist stopping to take a closer look. It turns out the pieces are part of a sculpture trail, a collection of 28 pieces from 15 accomplished artists on display at six different locations around Huntsville, Alabama.  

Modeled similarly to Chattanooga, Tennessee’s sculpture trail and public art, SPACES Bienniel  Sculpture Trail will be on display until August 2012.  Installations are located Downtown on the Square, at the Huntsville Museum of Art, the Von Braun Center, Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment Center and the campuses of  UAHuntsville, and Alabama  A & M University.

Brochures are available at the Huntsville/Madison County Convention Center with maps of the sculpture trail also available for download at the Spaces website. 

There is a GPS tour and a Cell Phone Tour available which you can access by calling 256-489-2088 and entering the number of the sculpture. 

Here are some of the sculptures we saw downtown:

Soft 2 

Celestial Motion

Grouper

And my personal favorite:  

…and this is hope (#1 and #2)

Created by internationally known artist and sculptor, Charles Brouwer, this piece is constructed out of locust wood, a hard wood that holds up to the elements. His sculpture symbolizes the hope that he finds in families that rise to the challenge of raising children in today’s world.

I can’t wait for a nice day so the kids and I can get out of the house and and appreciate some more incredible works of art.

Huntsville

A Fun Stop in Breckenridge, Colorado: Art on a Whim

I love art. In fact, when I was in school, my art teacher was disappointed when I decided to end my art studies and signed up for classes at the local technical school. He’d really hoped that I’d have pursued a career in art, namely jewelry design. He must have seen something in my work that I didn’t because I just didn’t get it and certainly didn’t have the confidence to go on.

I’ve always thought of myself as someone that appreciates art more than someone that creates art. Which is why I love visiting art museums and art galleries and I was so excited to literally stumble across a unique, whimsical shop nestled in the midst of Breckenridge on my recent visit to Colorado. Allow me to introduce Art on a Whim, featuring artwork designed to inspire you and make you laugh. 

I loved this gallery for several reasons, one, the owners are so friendly and knowledgeable about the art and artists. They truly love the pieces that they sell and it shows. Many of the pieces have personal meaning to the owner, as she shared with me some of the artwork that was created specifically with her in mind.

Like many art galleries that sell fine art, the artwork and artists that are showcased are handpicked, yet I’ve never been at a gallery where the artists have been represented on such a personal basis.  Art on a Whim consists mainly of local artists or artists that have been chosen  because their art is truly remarkable and unique. Each of the artists represented in the gallery are considered to be family as far as the owner is concerned and even stay with her when they are visiting from out of town. Therefore each piece of work is personal not only to the artists, but to the owner as well and her love for art and passion for the extraordinary is infectious.

When you buy a piece of art, you’ll learn the story behind it. You’ll hear of the artists love for their craft and know that you’ve purchased something impeccable. There really is something for everyone, from eclectic mixed media canvases with glass beads and silk strings that create beautiful Aspen motifs, to fascinating kinetic wood sculptures, to bronze statues, silver jewelry, hand rolled glass, watercolors,  pottery and Paper Mache sculptures. I found the prices to be reasonable and varied; there is simply something to fit any budget.

Art on a Whim is  a store that the whole family can enjoy. Personally, I didn’t see any reason why parents’ wouldn’t be able to enter through its doors with well behaved children in tow. Of course I wouldn’t turn them loose, but you could certainly browse through the collection with your children beside you.  My teens would have loved it and as I walked through, I found pieces that they each would have loved which is what inspired me to purchase this piece as a house warming present, but you’d just have to see our own beloved family pet to see why it is so special.

So, if you ever find yourself in Breckenridge, Colorado, make sure to pop into Art on a Whim, especially if you’re there on the 2nd Saturday of the month where you’ll be treated to appetizers and wine and you may just bump into one of the artists that are showcased in this amazing little shop, which is sure to be a special treat in itself. You’ll find Art on a Whim at 100 N. Main St. If you happen to be looking for a special gift for the art lover in your life, they also offer convenient online ordering at www.artonawhim.com.               

Field Trip Friday: A Girl Named Howard

Once again, it’s time for Field Trip Friday and I have to say that when it comes to museums, this weeks field trip was one of the best that we’ve had in a long time.  Our destination was to The  Historic Weeden House Museum in downtown Huntsville. From the moment we stepped inside the air conditioned home and were seated in the parlor we were treated not as tourists, but  as guests.

We sat on the period furnishings enthralled by the tales of the museum’s director,  Barbara Scott. She got our attention right away when she claimed that there was a ghost or ghosts in the house.  Apparently they have been sighted on several occasions by different people. I can’t say that I was eager to see a ghost, but the stories did raise the hair on my arms.

The historic home was built in 1819, the same year that Alabama became a state, by a wealthy mercantile business owner, Mr. Bradford. At that time he paid $50 for a block of land and had the home built. The museum, which is located in what is  called the Twickenham District, is now worth $3-4 million dollars! It is the oldest home in the state of Alabama that is open for tours.

Mr. Bradford lost his fortune and the home was sold and passed through a couple families before settling with the Weeden Family in 1845. Dr. William Weeden had 1500 slaves, owned 3 other antebellum homes,  as well as the land that is now known as the Redstone Arsenal. He sold his property, moved in town and settled into the Weeden House with his family. Six months later, he died of a heart attack while on a business trip to New Orleans. Shortly after, his wife gave birth in the home to another daughter, Maria Howard Weeden.

The family continued to live in the home until April 1862 when the Yankees came to town and ordered them out.  The home was used as headquarters for Federal officers during the Civil War. The women fled that night with their slaves while Maria’s three brothers  enlisted  in the Confederate army. Remarkably, all three boys returned home after the war uninjured.  The family was now impoverished and in order to eek out a living, Maria, known as Howard, began to paint and sell her work. She would paint by the window in the parlor with a paintbrush consisting of three horse hairs. 

She was so near-sighted that her nose would nearly touch the paper as she painted, yet she painted beautifully often selling her note cards and dinner cards for a dime a piece. Today a single painting of hers could sell for $20,000!

In 1892 she visited the World’s Fair in Chicago and was upset that the paintings she saw of black people did not look like the people she knew. She began painting her dear colored friends and that is what she is most well known for today. Not only did she capture the faces of those she’d grown to love, but she also captured their thoughts, voice and personality in the poems that she wrote to accompany her paintings.      

Howard Weeden published four books, one of those, Bandanna Ballads was copied and used to design the slave costumes for the movie, Gone With the Wind, though she never received proper credit. She also created silhouettes for Charles Dickens.

It is unclear exactly how many paintings Howard Weeden created in her lifetime, but you’ll see over 20 on display at the museum today. 

Maria Howard Weeden passed away in poverty at the age of 57 from tuberculosis in the same room that she was born in.  The home remained in the Weeden family for 111 years.

Today the home is owned by the City of Huntsville and leased by the Twickenham Historic Preservation District Association. Not only is the home open for tours, it is also available for weddings and entertaining.

Our self guided tour concluded with a delicious glass of lemonade on the back porch while we wandered the yard , viewing the rose garden and slave quarters which have been renovated into bathrooms.

If you are ever in Northern Alabama, I HIGHLY recommend that you visit The Historic Weeden House Museum. It is very reasonably priced at $5 for adults and $2.50 for children under the age of 12. You can also pick up discount coupons at the Huntsville Visitors Center to save 20% . You’ll find additional information about the museum here.   Of course if you do find yourself in the area, make sure you take the time to explore Harrison Brothers Hardware Store too, it's only a few blocks away.

If you’d like to see more pictures of our field trip, you’ll find them on the Live the Adventure Facebook Fan page. 

Thank you for stopping by for this week's edition of Field Trip Friday. If you're just joining us make sure you take a peek at some of the other excursions we've taken.

Have a field trip that you'd like to share? Link up to Field Trip Friday below. It's not mandatory, but I'd be grateful if you'd include a link back here in your original post and feel free to grab your cute button:Until next week- Happy Field Trippin'!

Huntsville

Huntsville

I Won! I Won!

A couple months ago I entered a contest that Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers was hosting. If you homeschool and you've never ran across her blog, you really MUST go take a look. Right now she's offering a free webinair with Lee Binz that you'll appreciate if you're approaching the high school years with your homeschooled children.Kris also just wrote her first e-book: Get Your Hands on Learning, which she is offering right now for 40% off!

Sorry, I guess I got a wee bit sidetracked didn't I? Well, I entered a contest to win a membership to the Art for Homeschool website. I really, really wanted to win this because I thought it would definitely fill a need that we had. I was so thrilled when I won!

What appealed to me most was that as a member, I would have access to the Elements of Art videos, a collection of 8 video's cover the following concepts; line, space, value, shape, form, texture and color. There's also a video that tells you how to get started. Each video offers instruction on the concept while allowing the child to create their own project. This clip tells you all about the program:



Though I have watched most of the video's, my kids just began using the program this week. They enjoyed the lesson and project that they completed. If you're looking for an art program or to supplement your current program you should hop on over to Art for Homeschool and have a look around. Terry is also planning an online art show for August. My daughter is really bummed that she missed the first one so we'll definitely participate in this next edition.