Dog Sculpture Weekend, with Janet Keen

I wanted to make a dog so I went to a workshop to learn how.

First step was to cut the mesh; my tutor Steve demonstrated on my work for me.

The legs

The body

Bending it up for the tail.

 Tying the body to the pole, for stability so I can add more different type of mesh

 

 Bending the rod and cutting it

to reinforce the legs.

 Forcing the rod into the wire structure

 Bending the legs

 Leverage against a table.

 Bending legs for feet.

 Sticking tail in

Deciding how long.

Putting on ears.

Applying the mix 

 And sculpting it into shape

 Long ears are good, some kid thought it was an elephant.

 Bit by bit, it all goes on. 

A lot of time effort and attention to detail goes into making a sculpture like this.

You are injecting your personality into it and at the same time it has a life of its own. 
People, when I was making it said what type of dog is it and I said "I don't know, it will reveal itself to me when it's finished." 
 

I like all of my work to be quirky and humourous and this guy fits the bill. 
 I wanted to make a girl dog, but it came out looking more like a boy. 

He  is finished for the sculpting stage. 
His name is Rufus and he's a Basset hound (Hush  puppy), crossed with a beagle.
He's a bit of a howler to the moon type of guy. 

He's in front of my mosaic studio now and I am going to mosaic him with flat stones, and put some eyes in. 

So watch this space. 
I showed him to my cat Gary and Gary does not like him, so we will see what happens in the future. 

Thanks a lot to Steve for all his devoted help. 
As you see I could not have done it without him.

 I'm not the type of person who goes around saying " Well I could just do that for myself at home."
The point is you most likely won't.
 Invest in yourself and go out and pay to learn something off someone else and for goodness sake don't try to get all the information they have learned out of them for free. 

It's amazing how paying for knowledge will open you up to incredible opportunities.
Thanks to Lyn, Steve's wife and co- business owner for all their help and hospitality
I enjoyed the workshop. 


Philosophy of life
I always start my year off by going to some type of workshop, whether it be painting, writing or photography. 
I've invested a lot, but I've also gained a lot. 
I must have attended at least 300. 
I have a commitment to continual learning and it keeps me fresh and enthusiastic. 
Because of it I would say that I  have a huge knowledge of all types and styles of painting and mosaic making. 
If someone alsks me how to do a technique I usually know. 

It's good professional  development. 
It's fun, you meet some cool people. 
All the other women on the course were really lovely. 
It's a great way to get some motivation and make some new friends. 

So treat yourself today. Where ever in the world you are,
sign up for a workshop where you are physically with other people and a real live tutor, you won't regret it.


Creative Quote of the day 
 I've learned that people will forget what you said, they'll forget what you did, but they  will never forget about how you made them  feel. 
Maya Angelo 

 Janet Keen Creativity
Mosaic and painting workshops, Monday to Wednesday mornings and Friday mornings 9.30am to 11.30am
Children's after school creativity classes enrolling now for Monday to Wednesday and Fridays after 3.30pm to 5.00pm. 
Phone 346-3435 to secure your February place or email jkeen@clear.net.nz  

If you are having a creative event in the Bay Of Plenty and you'd like me to cover it photographically; give me a ring on (07)346-3435 or email me at jkeen@clear.net.nz and I will send you a quote. 

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mayaangelo392897.html#QmUKhVbWDFrYUDx3.99

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mayaangelo392897.html#QmUKhVbWDFrYUDx3.99

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mayaangelo392897.html#QmUKhVbWDFrYUDx3.99

Lake Tarawera Art Exhibition Sunday 26th January from 11am to 4pm

Fantastic array of local art, craft and photography

Last years article written in Daily Post about it by Cherie Taylor

And again...It was fantastic last year and large numbers of people attended so get out there and have a look......

Painted and distressed wooden mosaic mirror with Resene testpots. By Janet Keen, Creativity Queen

 Thank you to Resene the helpful people in Rotorua.
 I love Resene testpots and I use them for all my creative  DIY projects which are featured in the Rotorua Daily Post, Saturday fortnightly. 

Helpful assistant in Resene getting me all of the Testpots I needed for the distressed wooden mosaic mirror. 


Wooden Mosaic Mirror for Your Garden by Janet Keen Creativity Queen.

 I made this in a day because I was in a hurry due to Christmas deadlines. 
Don’t be too fussy having everything fitting perfectly. 
This is a rustic, relaxed looking project.

Equipment needed.

 Exterior grade plywood 12cm thick for the base, cut to required size, mine was 50cms wide by 56 cms long.

Another piece around about the same size that you can cut up into squares and rectangles

The squares are 10cms by 10 cms and three rectangles 10cms by 16cms

Mirror of your required size, mine was 30cms by 30cms.

(If you go into Bunnings the timber department will help you sort out the size you need.)

Jigsaw for cutting shapes to size

Resene Quick Dry  waterborne primer (white), small tin

Resene testpot colours of your choice, including white and black and two pots of green.

Parfix Maxi Clear silicon sealant with a dispensing gun

Ice-cream stick

Paper towels

Paint brushes

Ice-cream container with water for washing brushes

Bird, leaf and branch stencils (optional)

Electric sander if you have one with medium grade sandpaper, sandpaper and a block if you don’t

Sponge rubber dabber or piece of sponge

Hairdryer

Paper towels for wiping off brushes in between colours

Strong screw eyes and galvanized wire to hang your mirror from the back.

Hook for hanging

Method

Cut all of your shapes to required sizes and test that they all fit around your mirror.

 Undercoat all of your surfaces of your base board with Resene Quick Dry Waterborne Primer

Dry off with hair dryer.

Paint the back and sides of your mirror base a green colour to camouflage in with your garden. 
Dry off with hairdryer between all layers of paint application.

Glue your mirror into place with the Maxi Clear, using ice-cream stick to apply it

 You must use a silicon gel like this because it expands and contracts in the sun outside and it will help the wood not to warp or the mirror to break.

Paint each square or oblong in white testpot colour on the front and sides.

Dry off with hair dryer.

Paint all blocks different colours of your choice 
Dry off
Paint the blocks different colours of your choice

  Sand over the top of the dry paint, which will distress it

 Go around the edges as well.

Some of the white paint will show through, making it look aged.

Glue all of your dry squares in place on your mirror

Apply paint with a sponge dabber in contrasting paint through stencils of your choice.

 I chose different shades of green by adding white or black to the green. 

 

If you haven’t any stencils go to bird and branch silhouettes on Google Image Search and print some out, cut around them and trace them onto your block.

Freehand it if you can draw

Attach screw eyes and wire to the back.

Hang on a fence or tree to reflect your flowers or vegetation and to make your garden look bigger and more exciting.

If you can't be bothered making this for yourself at home, come into my studio and make it. 

I will teach you how from scratch

Price on application. 

Creative Quote of the day

 You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul.
George Bernard Shaw
 

Mosaic and painting classes enrolling for 2014 
Email jkeen@clear.net.nz

Phone 07 346-3435

Adults Mosaic Classes from  February 3rd.
Mosaics: Fish, Mirror, Pot
Using glass tiles, ceramic tiles and crockery. 
Three different materials.
4 two hour lessons for $250.00 or $62.50 per lesson. 
Book now and pay a $62.50 non refundable deposit to secure your place. 
Small classes, limited to 8 people only
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Mornings 9.30am to 11.30am


 Beginners Adults Painting Classes,  From February 3rd.
Four sets of  two hour lessons
$50.00 per person plus materials and a visual diary. 
You have a choice of acrylics, water colours or  oils
You can be set homework for accelerated performance if you would like it. 
 Monday Tuesday and Wednesday Mornings 9.30am  to 11.30am

 Please arrive on time or five minutes early and wear casual clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.


Ring me for a $35.00 half hour creativity consultation and come into the studio so I can assess your needs. 
Just ring first and I can arrange that is outside of class times that are suitable for you.  

 Easy Peasy Rank Beginners taster acrylic techniques classes
Paint 4 square paintings with 4 different techniques. 
Complete them in two hours. $250.00 per 4 week course
$62.50 per person per week for 2 hours,  including board and use of  paints in the classroom.

Ring  or email  Janet and  send a non refundable deposit of $62.50  to pay for your  1st class now 346-3435 or jkeen@clear.net.nz

Art Lessons in the ESOL Classroom, Rotorua, New Zealand

Art is all around us

It presents fantastic opportunities for discussion, focused language work and skills-based activities.

However, this bottomless cultural resource is largely underused by many language teachers. 

Why use art?

 Responding to art can be very stimulating and can lead onto a great variety of activities.  

Using art provides a useful change of pace.

While many teachers use visual images to introduce a topic or language item, actually asking the students to engage with and respond to the piece of art can encourage students to become involved on quite a different level.

3. Incorporating art into the class or syllabus can take the students out of the classroom and encourage them to use their language skills in the real world. 
A visit to my mosaic and painting studio with an assignment that involves research on the internet can generate all sorts of language.

4. Thinking about or even creating art can be very motivating. 
It can take the emphasis off of accuracy and put it onto fluency and the ability to clearly express thoughts and ideas. 
This is great for students whose progress in speaking is hindered by a fear of making mistakes.
 
5. Responding to art has the potential to develop students’ creative and critical thinking skills.
  Students as low as pre-intermediate level will be able to read a short biography of an artist and discuss how their art depicts different aspects of their lives.

Potential problems and solutions
Problem
 Art  is very subjective and therefore we may be faced with students who are reluctant to engage with the chosen examples of art.
Solution:
 Encourage students to either choose which works of art are explored, or alternatively ensure that a variety of styles are represented.

Choosing art that has some relevance to the students is always a good idea, either from its subject matter or the background of the artist.

Problem:  
Students (and teachers!) may not perceive some art-related activities to be useful for language learning.
Solution: As this is our primary goal, it is therefore very important to structure activities carefully so that there is a clear outcome and learning point. 

 For example, a simple discussion about the meaning behind a piece of modern art can be combined with input on functional language for giving opinions and agreeing and disagreeing.
 Meanwhile, other activities can be language-led. 

For example, using a piece of art to generate wh- questions which are then given to another pair of students to answer. 
Considering structure will also help to control the direction of discussion/lessons based around responding to art.

Three ways of using art
1. Looking at art
There are lots of different activities that involve students looking at and responding to pieces of art. For example:

• Ask the students to choose a character from a painting or sculpture and write a mini-biography or story about that character
  

• Compare two pieces of art with similar subjects, practising comparative language and adjectives

• Ask the students to look at the website of a local artist (janetkeen.blogspot.com)  and write a quiz about the works of art to swap with the other students to answer

• Write questions to ask an artist or a character in a painting. 
• Then role play the interview in pairs, followed by writing up a news article about the interview (using reported speech).

 2. Sharing art

• Ask the students to identify and bring in a copy of a piece of art by an artist from their country. 
• Make a gallery in the classroom and ask the students to decide on a title for each piece of work in groups.
•  
• My favouite Japanese Spitz dog Spooky, his mother is Keiko and he is a very good pupil. 

•  
•  Ask the students to bring in a photograph they have taken and ask the other students to write a short story about the events leading up to the moment the photograph was taken (practising past tenses) and/or what happened after the photograph was taken. 
• Then check whether their guess was right with the owner.
•  

• Get the students to bring in a piece of art that represents their childhood and ask the other students to form sentences about what they ‘used to do’ and/or write questions to ask the owner who brought it in

3. Creating art

• Put the students into groups and ask them to create a piece of art using a variety of easily found materials – plastic bags, string, tissues, cardboard boxes – whatever you have to hand! 
  • Get them to title their piece of work and judge them according to originality, teamwork and use of materials

  

• Do a visualisation exercise where you get the students to imagine painting the most beautiful picture they have ever seen. 
• Then ask them to describe the picture to a partner who tries to draw it

• Get the students to record vocabulary by writing the letters in a way that depicts the meaning of a word – this works best with adjectives. 
•  For example, ‘happy’ can be written in the form of a smile.

• To get feedback on a course, ask the students to draw a picture in groups to represent how they felt about the course and then describe/explain it to you and the other students.

Conclusion
Art definitely has a place in the language classroom and can be used in many different ways. 
It is a great resource for discussions as well as practising a variety of language. 
Activities incorporating art are motivating for students, provide an often welcome change of pace and can stimulate and develop creative and critical thinking skills.

Art and Mosaic Classes for ESOL Students enrolling now.
$25.00 per child per hour. 
Adult ESOL and Art lessons $25.00 per hour plus material cost of $10.00 or more depending on project.  

People can  come for one lesson per week or  two to three for accelerated progress. 
Monday to Wednesday, after school and Friday after school. 
Phone 346-3435 or email jkeen@clear.net.nz to reserve your childs place. 

Or Adults Monday to Wednesday 9.30am to 11.30am  

374 Clayton Road, Rotorua, New Zealand
Mosaics, 
Painting, 
Sculpture, 
Visual journaling and more. 

Homework is encouraged that is fun to do.

I have a large range of children's books for them to read for ideas and stimulation. 

“A candle loses nothing of its light by lighting another candle.”
Read more at http://www.usingenglish.com/articles/quotations-for-motivation-in-esl-classroom.html#LltL7SL2dhFzgeup.99

“A candle loses nothing of its light by lighting another candle.”
Read more at http://www.usingenglish.com/articles/quotations-for-motivation-in-esl-classroom.html#LltL7SL2dhFzgeup.99

Creative Quote of the day 
A candle loses none of its light by lighting another candle. Anonymous.