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After School Art

8/26/2014

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Art-Making {Transition from School to Home}

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The first thing my kids want to do when they get home from school is get a snack and veg-out in front of the television.  (Admittedly, some days, that exactly what happens.)  But my favorite thing to do with them after school is paint.  
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Paint is inviting.  It's sensory.  It's open-ended.  Plus, they don't fight while they're doing it.  AND, sometimes they actually tell me about their day while they paint! 
We don't always paint.   Sometimes we draw or sculpt. I like to have an activity planned for them when they get off the bus.  

My favorite art activities are PROCESS-FOCUSED...meaning, that the emphasis is on the experience of creating the art instead of trying to achieve an end-product (we call that CRAFT).

Here, I had dug out some forgotten colored pencils and a spiral notebook.  Ava decided she wanted to fill her book with different monster drawings.  She drew monsters. I drew monsters.  And we talked about our day while dinner cooked.  

It's important to note that your kids don't care if you can draw.  As a matter of fact, they probably think that you draw really well.  (don't tell them otherwise)


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I put together a collection of some of my favorite art invitations for after school.  These are invitations that are require very little prep on your part.  Some of these may seem "too young" for your big kids, but never underestimate the older kids' desire to finger paint.  (And how GOOD it is for them!)

Art Invitations

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Credit Card Painting
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Marshmallow sculptures
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Paper plate weaving
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Bubbling Art
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Finger Painting
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Melted Crayon Rocks
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Graph Paper Drawings
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Art Journals
Check some of these out.  And, if you try one, or if you have your own favorites, tell me about it in the comments below! 
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[NOW ENROLLING] Preschool Art Classes

8/19/2014

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Come explore ART in an environment that encourages DISCOVERY, self-directed learning, and connections with others.   Our Art PlayGroups and Art FUNdamentals classes are designed for our youngest artist...ages 8 months through Pre-K.  We meet weekly in our studio for an hour of wildly colorful play.


Art Play Groups

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Art Playgroups is a parent-child class for our littlest artists.  During our time together, we explore all sorts of different art materials, make some beautiful-wild art, work on fine motor skills, and let the children EXPLORE in ways that you can't do at home.  This Mommy & Me class is an experience.  Come in old clothes.


FUNdamental Art Classes

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Art FUNdamentals are full of novelty and movement.  For our 3's, 4's and 5's...we fill our time with storytelling, story "writing", imagination, and art exploration.  There is very little "sit still" in these classes!  We use a wide range of materials...watercolor, oil pastels, tempera paint, collage materials, and a number of more "unexpected" art materials. Inspiration for artwork comes from children's stories, famous art, and popular children themes.  

So, your life runs on a toddler's schedule?

What if you miss a class?  We've got you covered.  If you miss a class for ANY reason, we've got a make-up time for you.

Register for classes online.  Monthly tuition is due at the time of registration.  
Register for Preschool Classes
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Super Hero Art

8/14/2014

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By Miss Sara
I love art. I could sit and make art all day. My very energetic son however, hasn’t really shared my enthusiasm or focus for getting consumed by a creative project. 

All through pre-k his teacher and I worked with him on slowing down. His idea of coloring was to frantically race the crayon back and forth and up and down on the page. Done! Now can we play, he’d shout. 
But then every once in a while I’d see this glimmer of hope. He’d get invested in what he was making. Maybe just for a minute or sometimes even two. And he’d be so proud of what he’d made. 
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We are Batman
He loves Super Heroes. We were at Michael’s one afternoon and found a set of pre-colored 8x8 canvasses in bright colors. They screamed for Super Hero logos to be painted on them. 
We were both invested. We sat at the computer and looked at the myriad of Super Hero symbols that there were. We talked about which one would work on the red canvas, the blue, the green. We talked about how he wanted them to all match. He wanted all symbols not some symbols and some faces. 
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We planned them out with pencil on the canvas. I drew most of the outlines for him (bad art teacher!) but he drew the “S” for Superman. Then he painted them with as much patience as I’ve ever seen him have for a project. 
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His strokes were slow-ish. He took care to stay within the lines. He thought about where to put the two different colors on Superman. 
All in all, this took us about an hour. It’s the longest we’ve ever committed to a single project. Maybe, just maybe, some day he’ll love to be consumed by art like his momma. 

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Miss Sara is a founding team member at ORANGE EASEL.  She is a mom, an amateur photographer, a children's church leader, a graphic designer, and a big kid at heart. 

She has a Bachelors of Science from Northwest Missouri State (Journalism, with an emphasis in Design).  Prior to her career as a stay-at-home mom, she worked as the creative services manager at The Kansas City Star.

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Dear World, (a poem by Dan Valentine)

8/12/2014

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Dear World,

My young son starts to school today . . . It's going to be sort of strange and new to him for awhile, and I wish you would sort of treat him gently. You see, up to now he's been king of the roost . . . He's been boss of the backyard . . . His mother has always been near to soothe his wounds and repair his feelings.

But now things are going to be different.

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This morning he's going to walk down the front steps, wave his hand, and start out on the great adventure . . . It is and adventure that might take him across continents, across oceans . . . It's an adventure that will probably include wars and tragedy and sorrow . . . To live his life in the world he will have to live in, will require faith and love and courage.

So, World, I wish you would sort of look after him . . . Take him by the hand and teach him things he will have to know.

But do it gently, if you can.

He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, that all men are not true.
But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero . . . that for every crooked politician there is a great and dedicated leader . . . Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend.
Steer him away from envy, if you can . . . and teach him the secret of quiet laughter.

In school, World, teach him it is far more honorable to fail that to cheat . . . Teach him to have faith in his own idea, even if everyone says they are wrong . . . Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with tough people.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the bandwagon . . . Teach him to listen to all men--but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and take just the good that siphons through.

Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he's sad . . . Teach him there is no shame in tears . . . Teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in success.

Treat him gently, World, if you can, but don't coddle him . . . Because only the test of fire makes fine steel . . . Let him have the courage to be impatient . . . Let him have the patience to be brave.
Let him be no other man's man . . . Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself.

Because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind.

This is quite and order, World, but see what you can do . . . He's such a nice little fellow, my son!

By Dan Valentine
To all new kindergartners:  Go be awesome.  ~ ORANGE EASEL
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Metal Stamping with kids

8/10/2014

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A beginners tutorial

Our first Open Art session, we chose metal stamping.  

I love painting, but there's something really special about working with metal.
  
We choose basic zinc coated washers that you get from the hardware store.  I also had some blank dog tags and copper squares that were left over from a previous jewelry project.  The thinner squares and dog tags didn't stamp as well as the washers. 
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Materials needed:

Washers of any size.  We used these.
Steel bench block
Metal stamps
double-sided tape
Sharpie
The metal stamps that we have in the studio are from Harbor Freight and Hobby Lobby.  They are relatively inexpensive (under $15) and come in a variety of sizes and scripts.  
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they are never in alphabetical order
The bench block is important for making sure that you have a underlying surface that isn't going to "give" when you hammer on it.  In absence of a stamping block, try hammering your washer on smooth concrete.  We got our bench blocks from Hobby Lobby for around $11.00.

The double-sided tape is optional but it really helped to stabilize the washer on the block; the process was tricky enough without having to worry about the washer sliding around on the block.

The process:

Step one: Pick out your washer and secure it to the bench block using the tape.  We used our bench blocks on the floor.  I felt like the kids had a better success rate working on their knees verses sitting in a chair.  

Wider base of support and better core stability = more likely to hit the target.

Step two: Decide what you're going to spell and pick out your letters.  You can get really technical on how to space your letters and do the math to make sure that your word is perfectly centered on the washer.  

With the kids, we were just happy to get the letters stamped clearly!
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getting all set up...floor, steel block, washer, letter stamp, hammer.
Step three: Hammer away.  You have to hold the post really-really-really firmly on the washer.  And then make sure it doesn't move.  And, you have to hit the stamp post squarely and with a decent amount of force.  In a perfect world, it only takes ONE strike.   Ha!
The instructors here found that our artist were most successful at striking the post if someone else was holding it.  We had them hammer it more than once in order to really make the letter "stick."  

Holding a metal post next to a metal block and giving a child a hammer sounds more dangerous than it really is.  Keep your fingertips curled under and it doesn't smart when they miss.


Really, my fingers are just fine.
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one of our instructors holding the stamp for a young artist to hammer
Step four: Once you have your letters punched, use a sharpie marker to color in the grooves.  Wipe the excess marker off so that ONLY the deep grooves of the letters are colored-in.  


Step five: Finish with string, beads, and other adornments.  Some of our kiddos made necklaces and some made bracelets.  

We made paper beads for many of ours.

Have you ever made paper beads before?  Stay tuned for a tutorial for that project! 
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example of our paper beads

Other Metals projects for kids:

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Recycled Can Robots from Spoonful
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String and Nail Art from Wedding Window
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Painting on foil from Picklebums
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Foil Figures from Mrs Knights Smartest Artists
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The Orange Easel Story

8/6/2014

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We didn't *start* here.  

Yes, we're a new business in Liberty.  

But what you may not know is that there are years of failures and successes that have brought us to THIS starting point.  

We started in a basement art studio as Miss Allison's Art, LLC.  

And then we learned a lot...
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To those of you who know this story already:

I cannot put into words the gratitude that I feel towards the families of Miss Allison's Art.  If you trekked down the treacherous outside staircase, took art classes in a flooding basement, and waited in a hot (or cold) car while your child was in a class...YOU have built this.  

You saw the potential instead of the flaws and you kept coming back.  Thank you for being my guinea pigs for over two years.  This studio--this brand--I will build perfectly for you.  Minus the chickens.

Allison May Jensen
Owner Miss Allison's Art, LLC dba Orange Easel

January 2012

A friend mentioned in passing that Allison Jensen, a Liberty stay-at-home-mom, should teach art lessons.  As an former corporate trainer, current preschool teacher, childcare provider, lifetime artist, and natural risk-taker that idea seemed perfectly reasonable.  

March 2012

As a test, Allison sent an email to friends offering up some art classes over Liberty Spring Break. Classes were taught in the dining room and living room of the Jensen home.  Which meant the house had to be cleaned of family clutter BEFORE class and then cleaned of art clutter AFTER class.

The classes were well-received; so when the school year was over, she expanded the line-up and offered classes throughout the summer.   The LLC, website, and blog followed shortly.

August 2012

Tired of cleaning the family clutter, Allison built out her previously, half-finished basement into an art studio with it's own entrance.  Miss Allison's Art, LLC held it's first classes in the new [clean] studio on September 9th. 

September 2013

After testing out a number of different scheduling systems and class formats, Miss Allison's Art settled on the current layout of grade level classes with monthly media focuses.

February 2014

Miss Allison's Art gained another teacher [and Allison finally had the other half of her brain]. Sara Woolfolk joined the teaching team.

May 2014

Miss Allison's Art announced that there would be an EXPANSION to 249 W Mill St in Liberty.

Later in May 2014

The Orange Easel brand was born.  Many inquire how the name came to be.  Allison and Sara gathered a group of super creative friends over on Friday night, covered the papers with butcher paper, provided sharpies and wine.  The rest is history.

July 2014

Miss Allison's Art, LLC dba Orange Easel took possession of the leased property on Mill St and began an 4-week whirlwind transformation of the space.  It included a shopping trip to the West Bottoms antique stores, late nights doing construction projects, and lots of orange glossy paint. 

July 1, 2014

Orange Easel launched its website with registration for the fall line-up---completely on the faith that construction would be done in time. 

Allison was [mostly] confident she would be able to find the perfect teaching staff for a schedule of classes that was THREE times the number of classes previously offered in the basement.  

July 31, 2014

The very last class was held at Miss Allison's Art basement studio.  At 4:00pm, the trucks, vans, and cars were loaded with supplies and equipment and driven one mile down the road to the new Orange Easel.

AUgust 1, 2014

Our brand new Orange Easel space made is debut at a lively, casual Open House.   It smelled like new paint and everything sparkled.  (It will never be that shiny again and that's exciting).

On August 4, Orange Easel held it's first class.

Stay TUNED...

WITNESS our story as it unfolds.  This is still just the beginning...
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open house recap

8/4/2014

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Thank you to everyone who attended our Open House on Friday night.  This place was hoppin'!

I couldn't have imagined a better way to kick off our new brand than to celebrate with 150 of my closest friends!

We had some t-shirt winners.  Congratulations to Jaxy Thorn, Jodi Boring, Sheryl Downs, and Adelyn Boyd...you all have "MAKE SOMETHING" t-shirts to pick up the studio sometime this week!

Check out our slideshow of pictures from the event below:
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Encouraging Drawing (Toddlers/Preschoolers)

8/4/2014

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How to encourage mark-making and longer drawing sessions with young children -- try some of these engaging sound games!
Some little ones don't know what to do with a marker and a blank sheet of paper.  

Heck, some big people don't know what to do with a marker and a blank sheet of paper!

If you've got a hesitant artist at home or one that doesn't draw for very long, uou can encourage different types of marks with sound games.  ​In each of these games, the parent or caregiver is drawing WITH the child. 

​I like to share a big sheet of paper, but you can each have you're own if you'd like.  
How to encourage mark-making and longer drawing sessions with young children -- try some of these engaging sound games!

Scribbling sound games

The adult sets up the "game" (Look!  My marker is a firetruck!) and then demonstrates the mark and sound that is made.  The child will probably choose to imitate both your sound and your action.  Once the child begins to lose interest, demonstrate another type of mark.  If the child makes a mark that is different, imitate his/her mark and sound.  This game is fun to play in a GROUP of preschoolers, too!
Some Sounds To Try:
How to encourage mark-making and longer drawing sessions with young children -- try some of these engaging sound games!
  • Pretend the marker is a choo-choo train.  Make a train noise as you move your marker across the paper in a straight horizontal line.
  • Pretend the marker is a bouncy ball.  Starting at the baseline, "jump" your marker up to the middle of the page and back down to the baseline.  Say "boing, boing" each time the marker goes up.
  • Pretend the marker is a race car.  Start on one edge of the paper.  Determine that the other edge is the finish line.  "Vroom" across the paper as fast as you can.  
  • Make big dots.  Place the marker tip on the paper.  Raise it up HIGH using your whole arm (all the way to your shoulder) and bring it down to the paper to make a dot.  Repeat.  Sing "dot, dot, dot" each time time the marker contacts the paper.  
  • Make quiet dots.  Same as above but the marker doesn't come off the page very high and you only whisper the word "dot" each time.
  • Make a "siren."  While making a firetruck noise (woo-woo-woo), swirl your marker in a spiraling motion.  
  • Make an ocean.  While making wave noise, draw a wavy line slowly from one side of the paper to the other.  
  • Make a bubble.  While making a bubble noise (you'll have to come up with your own...I can't explain mine here...) draw a closed circle.  Note: this is going to be hard for the youngest ones. Make sure you start with the spiraling one first!
I hope you give this a try at home or in your classroom!  Let me know how it goes!
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SPLAT Painting Parties

8/2/2014

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Liberty artists are invited to help create a PERMANENT art installation on the walls of Orange Easel.  We'll be throwing "paint balls" (cotton balls soaked in paint) at the wall.  Many young artists have done this at Miss Allison's Art, but THIS time is different.  We have no intention of washing it off!

We'll be using an acrylic (NON WASHABLE) paint.  Old clothes and shoes are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.


After the painting is complete, we'll share pizza and drinks provided by the Orange Easel team.


SPLAT PAINTING PARTIES:

WHEN: Wednesday August 20th 5:30pm-6:30pm or 7:00pm-8:00pm
WHERE: Orange Easel (249 W Mill St Ste 107, Liberty MO 64068)
WHO: Artists age 4 and up.  (3 and under may attend if accompanied by a parent)

COST: $25 per artist (includes color lesson, splat painting experience, and pizza afterwards)

Space is limited to 20 artists at each party.
PURCHASE TICKETS
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    ORANGE EASEL

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    Orange Easel began as a small art studio in my basement and continues to grow and serve our community.  Read more about our story here.

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LIBERTY STUDIO
​249 W Mill St Ste 107 
Liberty MO 64068
816-407-9266
PLATTE WOODS STUDIO
7617 NW Prairie View Rd
Kansas City MO 64157
816-216-7126
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