Episode 4: Back to School (Works)

Child's piece serving as inspiration: "Flowers" by Jared Kim, found here.

"Porcelain"
Graphite, pen, ink, acrylic, & water color on 140lb water color paper.

 Artist: Lindsey Smolensky
"The moment I saw Jared's piece I knew I wanted to use it.  I instantly fell in love with his color palette and his playful, less traditional depiction of a still life.  I'm not typically one to enjoy still life paintings, but this one I love.  Instead of a literal translation, I went with a porcelain face instead of a porcelain vase (with my own spin on it) and a more abstract use of florals.  Additionally, I really wanted to stick with (and honor) Jared's color palette."

Child's piece serving as inspiration: "For Mommy" by Kathryn's daughter, Brooke Read

"Love"

 Artist: Kathryn Read
"Even though I do art projects with elementary school kids, I chose to do something a little more personal and use a piece of artwork that my daughter Brooke had given me many years ago for Mother's Day. The piece is quite abstract and reminds me of blowing wind, flowing water, and flowing lava. I tried to think of those things as I was painting with the same color pallet she had used. The heart was a nod to the love shared between child and parent, with the thought in mind of the verse for this week: --And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.--Colossians 3:14."

Child's piece serving as inspiration: A collaborative piece by two 1st grade classes (tackling a concentric circle mosaic inspired by Russian abstract painter Wassily Kandinsky) found over at Studio-Kids: A Place for Kids and Art.

"The Kids Are All Right"
Acrylics and bottle caps on twelve 2x2-in canvases mounted on one 8x10-in
canvas

 Artist: Becky Cochrane
"This is the newest addition to my Bottle Caps and Friends pop art series. I think that we're born innately creative. Children's creativity is encouraged and rewarded, often until they reach a certain age, when they're directed to more 'practical' pursuits. I think if creativity continued to be nurtured into adulthood, we'd be more fulfilled as individuals and as societies."

Child's piece serving as inspiration: Artwork from an Easter Seals 2012 calendar.  You can purchase the calendar HERE.  Proceeds will help Easter Seals provide support to children and adults living with autism and other disabilities and the families who love them.

 Artist: Brad Dumm
"I found this art, done by a child of a sun with sunglasses and painted hands as the sun rays. It was used for an Easter Seals 2012 Calendar. I took the concept and used my Photoshop skills to create my own version of the Easter Seals art."