30 December 2007

Art Homework

As promised, here are the results of the art homework project I gave my family for our holiday dinner party. At each place at the table there was a miniature easel for each guest to display their mini canvas. After dinner we cleared the table and lined up all of the easels to take pictures. It was really fun to see what everyone made.

These were made by my daughter Sam and her boyfriend Jesse. As a wonderful bonus, Sam told us during dinner that she made the Dean's List at college this semester. I'm so proud of her! And I think their canvases are very cool too.

My parents made theirs at their vacation home in the Adirondacks. My dad loves to kayak and he cut that little kayak in half and affixed it to his canvas. Mom used fabric, of course, and a little bit of metallic foil for the water.

My sister's family all created self-portraits. My brother-in-law Chris loves to cook so his portrait is made of food items - cloves for hair, pasta for a nose and a manly stubble of spices. Linda's is hand and machine sewn on fabric with some twigs as found objects, it's very her.

Five-year-old Sage created an abstracted watercolor version of herself - with a rainbow, she said. And twelve-year-old Whitman showed his drawing skill and love of anime and manga.

Carlos and I went with an insect theme and I had a hard time dragging him away from his current, very, very large abstract oil painting long enough to complete this miniscule-by-comparison project. His colored pencil and wax pastel butterfly and my printed and collaged beetle are very congenial.

I would definitely do something like this again. Watch out if you're invited to dinner at my house! There might be homework...

22 comments:

Gerrie said...

What a wonderful idea. I have a very artsy/crafty family and this is going on my list of to do's. When we live in NY we spent some wonderful summers in the Adirondacks and I love, love them.

Susan Schrott, Artist said...

Jane
I love this idea and your table looks terrific. What a great way to get everyone excited and involved in the holidays.
happy new year,
susan

Christine Thresh said...

I think your little canvases idea was (is) wonderful. You have a very creative family.
You could put these out year after year as placecards.
Your dad's on-point kayak was outstanding.

Vicki W said...

That is a fabulous idea!

Anonymous said...

How fun!
Lynne

Linda Teddlie Minton said...

Jane, what a fantastic idea! I'm hosting Christmas dinner at my house next year, and will plan on doing this too. Thanks for posting this ... you have such a talented family!

Anonymous said...

Where did you get your little easles? That is a fantastic idea, and everyone's artwork is GREAT!!

I'm organizing a retreat for twelve for my contemporary quilting group, and I might have them do something similar!

Sue

Terry Grant said...

I also have a very artistic family and think this is a great idea! What a neat family tradition this could become for families with small children.

Lisa Walton said...

Wish I was part of your family. A brilliant creative idea.

Lyric said...

yes.... where did you get the easels and the canvases too! My family would LOVE these! Your family get-together must have been wonderful... what a blessing.

jpsam said...

This is a terrific idea. I think I saw those little canvases at Dick Blick when I was there last week. I think I'll get some. Thanks!

Terri Stegmiller said...

That looks like so much fun. Great idea.

jane dávila said...

Here's a link to the mini canvases and easels. I bought mine at the teeny, tiny art supply store around the corner from my house, but he doesn't mail order, so I looked and found them on Dick Blick

jane dávila said...

And of course, the link didn't show up right there. Here it is:

http://www.dickblick.com/zz071/47/

Rachel said...

Great idea, Jane. You really believe in art everyday!

Jeanne Turner McBrayer said...

I love this idea! It would be difficult to choose my favorite- what a talented family!

Janine Matthews said...

can you adopt me -
I want to part of your family.

Teri said...

these are great. What a neat idea for a family or a group of friends to have "play" time together.

Teri

Natalya Khorover Aikens said...

these are wonderful! great art show for the dinner table and afterwards...

Natalya Khorover Aikens said...

ps: I have given you a "Make My Day" award... thank you!

Jane LaFazio said...

how very lovely!!!!!!!!! great idea. Happy New Year!!

Anonymous said...

I agree... a GREAT idea! I started this thing of the kids doing hand-prints on ceramic plates at the local paint-your-own-ceramics place eyars ago, and I think this would be a lovely addition. The boys by the way, have graduated from dessert to dinner plates as they have grown! I hope they'll have a bundle of "holiday" plates when they are young men setting up their own homes.

You're so lucky to have family... ours is just the four of us, my mom in San Fran area, my sister in law in LA and that's about it! Paul's aunt and uncle are in Florida. We never have had a big family dinner... hope the boys marry into big families!