Andrea Mulder-Slater

by Andrea Mulder-Slater DAY 7 Use water as your only medium/inspiration today. Okay, so it's not rocket science but I liked looking at the beach and ocean through the glass water jar with the wiggly rim. And now... a hiatus as we hit the road for several days. Creativity will have to wait until we stand still again. See Jantje's Day 7 Project Here

by Andrea Mulder-Slater DAY 6 Make something using the first fruit(s) or vegetable(s) you see in your kitchen. Voila - Apple Cupcake! See Jantje's Day 6 Project HERE 

by: Andrea Mulder-Slater DAY 5 Work with a collection you have in your home. Make something. Since we are on vacation, we don't really have any collections here. But we do have a lot of spare change... See Jantje's Day 5 Project Here

by Andrea Mulder-Slater DAY 4 Go for a walk. At the end of your walk, create something and leave it behind for others to find. Document what you made. I made two things... The first was inspired by the inner part of a shell which reminded me of a nautilus shell (though I'm sure that's not what it was). Working with the idea of a spiral, I placed the shell in the sand and used a piece of palm frond to poke holes radiating out from the shell. At the end I wrote the words, "LIVE YOUR LIFE" The second creation was made using small shells I found on the beach. I call it, "YES, I CAN HEAR YOU" And the creativity continues... No, really. See Jantje's Day 4 Project HERE

by Andrea Mulder-Slater DAY 3 [PAPER SUNFLOWER] Create something using paper. But, don't use scissors or glue and don't draw or paint on the paper... I folded an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of paper in half and tore uneven strips. Then I twisted and folded the paper, until it looked like a flower. In the center of the paper flower, I used crumbled bits of paper to create sunflower seeds. No, really. See Jantje's Day 3 creation here

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Lo and behold. day two is here and another work of art has been created... DAY 2 [SHELL FISH] Use your favorite animal as your inspiration today.   Not that I am a huge fan of fish (although I am partial to the greasy flavor of haddock n' fries) but I do find fish aesthetically pleasing. I'm just weird like that.  I like all the bits that make up a fish -- the fins, the tail, the gills... I could go on, but really, I shouldn't. Jantje and I were for a walk on the beach today, and she decided to make her creation of the day right there on the spot. So, of course, I followed her lead and created my "shell fish" using bits and pieces of seashells which had washed up on the shore. That's that. Bring on day three... No, really. See Jantje's Day 2 Project here

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Jantje and I have decided to get more creative. Hard to imagine that this is possible (I know) but there you have it... We are following a "plan" which will result in 365 works of art being created in a 365 day period. These works will range in size, subject, style and media. Will we succeed? Who knows. I haven't set my hopes too high since it has taken exactly 3.5 days for me to create and blog about my Day 1 project. Either way, this experiment will no doubt result in some material (fantastic or otherwise) for future blogs. DAY 1 Create something that fits in the palm of your hand using materials within your immediate enviroment. I had a small (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") watercolor trading card sized pieces of paper, some coffee, a paintbrush and some markers handy, and this is the result. Until tomorrow (or whenever Day 2 comes along...) No, really.

By Andrea Mulder-Slater My daughter has become rather proficient with the paintbrush, having created countless watercolor and acrylic masterpieces with her dad and I. So, on this day, I thought she might enjoy painting of a different kind. We had a few unfinished wooden bird feeders that we had picked up from a dollar store last summer. I asked the girl if she wanted to paint one and without hesitation (while grabbing her apron), she replied, “okay”. Garbage bag taped onto the table. Check. Plastic apron on the girl. Check. Three paintbrushes. Check, check. Warm water to rinse the brushes and paper towel to clean the inevitable. Check, check. An assortment of paints – (some acrylic, some watercolor out of a tube). Check. Empty egg carton (priceless for this kind of activity). Checkerooni. With the paints squeezed nicely into the egg cartons, we began… Turquoise, white, navy blue, ruby red red and forest green were the colors of choice and my 2 year old dove in with...

by Andrea Mulder-Slater It's New Year's Eve and I just can't help but string through a long list of resolutions in my head. It's a sickness. I don't drink or smoke -- so quitting those vices is not an option. I eat pretty well and don't pack many extra pounds -- so dieting is not on my list. I'm really very nice to most everyone I meet and I volunteer for lots of good causes -- I just can't get any better. And, I'm modest and extremely humble (to a fault). Yet, every year end, I find myself thinking the same thoughts. Next year I will [fill in the blank] and I will definitely make sure I [fill in the blank] before next new year's eve. But alas, time marches on and things happen as they happen. So, this year, instead of the usual list of unattainable goals, I have come up with a doable set of resolutions. Feel free to steal it.  If I'm happy and I know it, I will clap my hands. If I'm happy and I know it, I will clap my hands....

by Andrea Mulder-Slater In a previous post , I talked about the importance of teaching art to children (of all ages). Now, I will talk about how you (as a parent or teacher) can help the young people in your life, learn about the arts... Take Field Trips Visiting a museum or art gallery is imperative when teaching about art and art history. Looking at art in a book, magazine or on the Internet is a good start, but it just isn't the same as seeing the work up close and personal. Most museums and galleries offer tours - specifically for school-aged children, especially if there is a special exhibit on display. Contact the educational department of the museum or gallery and ask if they have any resource materials you can share with your students prior to the trip. Once there, take time to look at works of art that interest all of your students.If it is impossible for you to visit a museum or gallery, do look through art books or view works online. Encourage students to pick ...

by Andrea Mulder-Slater As one of the creators of KinderArt.com , I often receive letters from teachers who work in public school systems where the arts are not a priority. Faced with dilemmas like how to raise test scores and how to stretch budgets as far as they can go, school board officials need to make tough decisions. It is always disturbing to hear of yet another set of district policy makers doing away with arts education in the schools. Trouble is, many hold the misconception that art is a superfluous, isolated subject when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth... Art helps children understand other subjects much more clearly - from math and science to language arts and geography. Art nurtures inventiveness as it engages children in a process that develops self esteem, self-discipline, cooperation and self-motivation. Participating in art activities helps children develop the tools necessary for understanding human experience, adapt to ...

by Andrea Mulder-Slater At our house, we empty the freezer once a year – right around the Christmas holidays -- partly because, as the months wear on, it becomes increasingly difficult to pick through the ice formations but mostly because we have to make room for turkeys. Now, when I say freezer, I’m not referring to one of those puny, attached-to-your-fridge jobs. Our freezer is a monster – lose-your-best-friend-Larry-if-you’re-not-careful freezers. I estimate it is around 10,000 cubic feet (or something close to it). Our freezer, despite its size, does little else but store turkeys – free-range, caged-up, young, old, stuffed, grease-injected... you name it – we’ve got it. Why so many? It’s simple. My family is cursed. We receive turkeys as gifts. We win turkeys at the gas station. Turkeys follow us home. We answer the door to find please-take-care-of-this-turkey turkeys. So, every year, around this time, the turkey storage unit (freezer) needs to be stripped, chipped and hos...

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Waited until the final hour again, did you? For all of you who still need to pick up a gift for your uncle Ken, a little something for your husband Frank and a turkey for the dinner you are preparing for your entire family, I have a little present... Here are the top five ways to make last minute Christmas shopping more enjoyable for everyone (yes, even that big-haired woman who stepped on your head while successfully grabbing the last Xbox 360 from your sweaty palms). As an added bonus, if you follow my advice, you might just clear a path around yourself large enough to actually get your shopping done. You’re welcome. 5) While at the mall, jump on Santa’s lap and refuse to get off. 4) Hang jingle bells from your ears and shout, “Sleigh bells ring --- ARE YOU LISTENING?” 3) Sing , “ Santa Claus is coming to Town ” with an emphasis on the “ You Better Watch Out ” part of the song. 2) Place a “ Hello my name is Santa ” sticker on your bum....