Sunday 17 November 2013

Villaways "Up and Rooted" Mural


 During the PD day this November 15th, once all of my Parent/Teacher Conferences were done, I spent my afternoon working on a mural in a Toronto Community Housing Complex's Recreation Centre in another program run by my pals at ArtStart.

ArtStart is aiming to help with the transitions with the Villaways neighbourhood's planned revitalization through community projects.  For more info, visit their Facebook Page



Painting the first layer.


Local residents trace a map of the neighbourhood from a projection.



Not quite complete after an afternoon's work, but it's going to be beautiful!




Sunday 3 November 2013

Bleach Art: Tiger

I have seen a few garments in shops and on craft blogs that involve either drawing/painting or stenciling with bleach.  I've been meaning to try doing this ever since my adventures with my splatter dress turned out so successfully, and I finally got around to it while sitting in my Medusa costume on Halloween, waiting to leave for the Sheezer concert (which rocked, by the way).

I first laid a black cotton skirt of a shoe box, pinning the edges.

I found a picture of a tiger that I liked on Google Image (I thought a tiger would be cool because it would suit the oranges that appear when you bleach black cotton.)

I used a dressmaker's pencil to sketch out my tiger, with my own ferocious beast nearby for inspiration.

I used a small acryic brush to paint with the bleach directly.  Areas that I wanted to turn white rather than orange I painted over a couple of times, and I used a slightly dry brush for more darker tones.

The finished product.

I love the results.  If the bleaching process didn't feel so, you know, highly toxic, I might go into business making these!  But alas, the burning eyes and nose I experienced tell me that this is a once in a while (or at least highly ventilated) project.

Friday 1 November 2013

Halloween in Grade 5/6

Diwali Divas ready for the kiln.

Ghoooooooooosts.


Ms. Rowley's Candy Skulls


Gutting and carving the Jack-o-Lanterns

Stringing a Skeleton Garland

That's MS. Medusa to you!

Watching vintage Halloween Specials from Ms. Rowley's childhood.