Looking for H A P P I N E S S

     There are 7 billion people in the world. Each one is different to the other, but there is one common thing between all of them: they all look for happiness.

But, how people seek their own happiness?

                           Perhaps a writer is happy when he writes…

 ...Some people are happy getting out with their friends

Others, are really happy while they  are walking on the beach…

                Also, there are other people if they  win the lottery…

     ... And others, with the flowers smell

     Everyone in the world, needs a thing, a moment, a person or a reason that makes them                   h a p p y.

      In my opinion, one of the school goals is that children will be happy; and art can help to achieve this goal.

    Being happy means being a dreamer, creative, imaginative, adventurer, self-confident,… and the art can help to develop and improve all of these qualities. The art class should be a place where every child can express their own feelings, their impressions, their points of view…figuring their own thoughts through art works. Also, it should be a place where all students can imagine, create and innovate without fear of being wrong. An incorrect answer doesn’t exist in art.

        For that reason, when I will be a teacher (or art teacher, I don’t mind) I must strive in my profession for my students develop that skills. Because in the future, when they grow up, they will be able to use those skills they acquired in the art class to get their goal: h a p p i n e s s .

 Looking for HAPPINESS : That is a beautiful video related with happiness. Take two minutes and WATCH IT. . . 

      To end this blog, I would like to thank each of my colleagues. From all of you I have learned something! Also thank you Philip. He has helped me to open my mind and realize the importance of the little things that make me happy every day.

Who knows, maybe we’ll  meet again in another part of the world ... until then: BE HAPPY MY FRIENDS!

LESSON 5

    Today we have taken our five lesson, but it was different! We have done like an “excursion” around Gent and also we have visited the design museum. I really like the way you teach us art… i also think the excursions must be complete the subjects and of course art subject.

     First of all, we have visited the St.-Baafskathedraal, an there we have linked anything of the cathedral with a “dixy card” that the teacher gave us. It was a good activity to do with your children because they normally don’t look the details, and if you want that they look and see with “other point of view” that activity can help them.

    Then, we have learned more stories while we were walking around Gent. That city is a surprise!

Finally, we have gone in the design museum of Gent. It was strange, but very interesting. After being inside, the teacher gave us a paper with many questions that we can use with our future students.

The activity questions include different questions and each one is focus on a different aspect. It paper contains intelligence questions that pretends open the children mind and use different points of view that children usually don’t use. Personally, the most interesting activities are:

-Find an object that looks as if it was dancing.

Don’t you think is she dancing? I love it!

-Pick one item with characters on it.

I’ve seen many items with characters and I believe that it is a good idea from the museum. It tries to be closely for children.

    
     
Also, I would like to say something: When I will be a teacher I would like to work by projects, so I usually will try to link the content with the reality and also mixing subjects in one project. So, maybe if we’ll make the project of “chairs” we can visit that museum to know every type, shape and colour that a chair could be made of.

        H A V E  Y O U  E V E R  S E E N  S O M E T H I N G  L I K E  T H A T ?         

    Everybody knows that our lessons are finishing…so we are thinking how to link the art with happiness. I know, and you too Philip, it is a really difficult task but when we will do it I am sure that we find the reason why you always insists on that. 

See you in my last post!

LESSON 4

HELLO AGAIN!

    In today lesson we've learned about Nello and Patrasche "A Dog of Flanders". Comic books are very famous in Belgium.

     The teacher explained us the story is widely read in Japan, and has been adapted into several films and anime. Also, in this lesson we have learnt a different way to create a comic, taking into account different comics that the teacher brings to the class.

     The first part of the lesson was a little bit theoric but, the second part of the lesson was creating;  at that time we were authors of different comics.  So, everybody chose a figure to be the character of the comic. The teacher helped giving some clues and steps to start working . It’s a good idea because after that the work it’s more easier.

     We continue the activity going from one paper to the other adding different elements, such as pictures, drawing, letters, characters from books, images… After that, we returned back to the initial one. So, this is the result of my comic:

    I really like this class because it helps me to open my mind. I really like new techniques and innovators methods that in the future i could use with my class.

     Finally, let me show you my favourite comic with my favourite author: Quino & Mafalda.

                                     "Stepping on the lawn prohibited"  "- And not dignity?"

    

    He is very ironic, and I love it. ¿Do you remember that I liked double meanings?

LESSON 3

In today´s lesson we have learned new applications that can  be used in art class, such as:

- http://www.screencast-o-matic.com

-  www.tony-b.org

- http://www.artrage.com

- www.voicethread.co

- www.inredibox.com 

- Flixel (IPad), fotodanz (android)

- Color splash

- Stop motion

    In the previous lesson the teacher gave us some instructions to prepare the task for the next class. We had to choose a painter and one of his paintings.

I’ve chosen Sorolla  because he was born in Valencia, so he is a Valencian painter. Where I live there are many places called Sorolla, such as one important street, a subway station, a hotel, and of course the Museum of Fine Arts where you can find more than 42 works of this great painter. This is why I’ve chosen him, and besides, he reminds me of my country and all the things that I miss so much.

The painting I would like to focus on is called: “Paseo a orillas del mar” (“Walk on the beach”)

    Now, we should propose an activity that relates the picture with one of the news applications we have learned. So, my task is as follows:

-First of all, the children watch the picture. Then, the teacher asks them some questions. For instance: What do you feel?, What can you see?, What does it suggest to you? ...”

Perhaps, some children will answer: “I feel relaxed, it conveys a sense of peace, it makes me think of a quiet place ….”  Sensations all related to the sea.

-Secondly, using the new application to create mandalas, the children are going to create mandalas. As one of the aims of mandalas is to get a less tense atmosphere and more relaxed people.

-Then, the children should look at the picture again and try to find as many different materials as possible: sand, water, white colors, clothes, flowers…. In groups, they have to go out of the classroom and gather every material related with the picture.

-After that, they have to create a big mandala in groups. This mandala could be drawn on  a big paper or maybe could be done on the floor; but it´s necessary for them to use these materials they have just found around the school.

I really think this is a good activity to carry out with students. In my last semester I did  a similar one and the results were fantastic indeed.

Children can be extremely creative and, quite incredibly, they can enjoy while they are doing a quiet activity.

      On the other hand, I would like to show you the end result of my puppet. Finally, it is a zebra and it’s called ARBEZ.

  I’ve found this lesson very interesting. I’ve never worked with computers in art class before and now I can claim that it´s fantastic! There are different ways to teach art to children, and in this course my resources are increasing. I’m very happy and grateful for that.

LESSON 2

   Hello everybody again!

   Today we learned about artistic techniques and how to use different materials.

During the lesson we did different activities such as:

-To learn about Luct de Bruyer, who reinvented “poperty”

- To learn  about Pierke Pierlala and his puppets

-Puppestbuskers festival in Ghent      

   At the same time we took part in different activities. One of the most important was “Clay dictation” where everybody had to create what the teacher asks us to do at the very moment. This exercise promotes the development of our imagination because you don’t have time to think, you get straight to action. At first it was so stressful and complicated, actually. But, when you relax it was great fun and creative.

   Besides, I want to comment the puppet activity that we have done with paper mache, is a really easy technique that everybody could use with their students.            Maybe, it will be a little dirty but children love to get into dirt… this is the reason why we should prepare some water basins around the class.

  

 I really like the free choice. You can select what do you really want to do. It’s fantastic! I’ve chosen an animal, a zebra, in particular.

I suppose you will be wondering why.

  

 Firstly, because of the colours. I really like black and white. Don’t you think they are simple and elegant?

   Maybe I’m empathetic with Ghent, because many days are grizzly and raining?

  

  Secondly, because its shape reminds me the place where I live.. In Valencia there is a big zoo called Bioparc. You can find a lot of different animals there and also it is a very well kept place.

  

 I want to show you my class work.

                                        It is a zebra, a dragon or a giraffe?

                            

                                                         

   That link gives you more info about Valencia and Bioparc. It’s a nice video!

http://vimeo.com/70111304

   

   To finish I would like to reflect on today’s lesson:

Art class should be a time where kids must explore, reinvent and imagine. It’s the perfect occasion to use new materials and techniques that they have never used before, to encourage they to foster their creativity. Only on this way we are helping our children to awaken their (often hidden) artistic side.

                                     Bye, see you soon!                                

LESSON 1

   Today, we attended our first art class. It was very interesting and engaging , because everybody was allowed to give their point of view and express their feelings and show their emotions.

Throughout the session , we took part in different activities such as:

 -Nationality world: “Where are you from?”

-Game called: “ I like…”

-Game called : “Shall we …?”

-Know something about Maurice Maeterlinck and the story “Blue bird”

-Go out in groups and take pictures about what we learned in the lesson.

IMPRESSIONS

   It was really a fascinating time. To learn about new artists and their work stimulates your imagination and it opens your mind with new points of views that wouldn't have crossed your mind other way. Personally, I found the activity of macrophotography great. I liked the idea of working in groups, because this way everybody could share their opinion and experience with others, and consequently  this enriched the quality of the work.

   In the future,I'm considering doing this activity with my students and I think that it will be useful for encouraging the reflection in them that 'everybody can create works of arts without paper or crayons by using shapes and objects at hand'. As I see it , the most important thing is to be creative and contribute to the work with your experience.

   Well, although, so far, we haven't had many art classes; I'm sure they will change our conception of art.

   To conclude, I want to summarise today's lesson in one sentence:

                     ' the art lessons should be a time when pupils are happy '

MACROPHOTOGRAPHY

This is the example of macrophotography we did.

   And now, I would like to show everybody one of the favourite Spanish hobbies which is:

                                          'To lie on the hammock in the sun'

    You will understand me if I tell you that I'm from Valencia, and there we have beautiful beaches with clear waters. Spanish people are also lucky because of the weather, but who says that you can't lie on a hammock in Ghent ?

   Finally, a little piece of history:

Neil Armstrong was the first man who stepped on the moon in 1969.

On the 15th of February 2014, he did it again, but this time on Ghent 's moon.

WELCOME!

Hi everybody,

this is my personal blog that I've named ART-I-CHOKE.

I like the double meaning of words, this is why I've chosen this word 'ARTICHOKE'

   Everything in life could be seen from different perspectives, different meanings. Everything can be interpreted in several different ways, this is exactly what happens when talking about art...what's your interpretation?