Welcome to the new year! Pursue your dreams!

The school year has started and with only a couple of exceptions I have met my students for the upcoming school year! A couple of kids were absent.  I have hundreds of students and have seen many familiar faces and some new ones this week. Most of the classes simply had time for a "meet and greet" session where we get to know each other in a shortened art period. I am looking forward to seeing each of them once a week for 50 minutes and getting to know their creative side. I enjoy working with them and they often knock my socks off with their creative ideas. A few told me that they had been to the American Gothic house in Eldon, Iowa and had their picture taken at this famous landmark,  as in the painting by Grant Wood. If you click on this blog post, I will try to link you to a site about this landmark.  Someone even said they went to the Chicago Art Institute over the summer and saw this famous painting in person.  Grant Wood was a poor Iowa child who had very little money and whose father died when he was very young. Despite difficulties in life, he loved art and found ways to draw, working with charcoal from the fire at times. They say that early on he loved to draw chickens.  I hope nothing in life will be able to stop these children from pursuing their dreams as well.

Back to School!

As summer winds down, and we see the back to school ads arrive, I am reminded of times my own kids and I went shopping for the items on the list from the school: things like pencils, notebooks, paintset for art class (and we say Prang or Crayola brand because those have actual pigment and will actually paint colors). I have been reflecting also about the other school supplies I hope we will bring: a positive attitude, enough rest to be able to learn, hope and faith that we can find a good path ahead together, and most of all, kindness. If we have those things, the rest will follow. Have a great start to the school year!
Mrs. Finney