Reduce, Resuse, and Re-create!

Hi artists!

Here's an interesting tidbit about myself - I previously worked for a trash and recycling company where our main goal was to divert 100% of materials [from businesses] away from the landfill. Cool right?! Needless to say this is pretty hard to do as I'm sure you see from what goes in to your kitchen trash! I was thrilled when I started working at Art ala Carte because so many of the materials we use are recyclables or old toys/supplies that are donated by our loyal artists. I knew that this was the place for me instantly!

I'm constantly taking home paintings that have been left behind in the studio and muraling my walls with some really awesome kids art. It makes me smile to see my in-home studio covered with mini artist's work! I'm always inspired by the things created at Art ala Care with our non-conventional materials.

One day in the studio I was cleaning the paint supplies and noticed that an old ice-tray had been donated and filled with paints. There was a little bit of paint in each cube and when I accidentally dropped it - which happens ALL the time here ; ) - I notciced that it made a very cool design! So naturally, I grabbed a sheet of paper and went to work.

Here is what I did :

Step 1 - Flipped the pallet upside down on to a piece of paper 

*must hit it hard on a flat surface to get the paint out of the holes

Step 2 : Took small pieces of paper and scraped excess paint out of the pallet

 Step 3: Used a paint brush to smear paint across some of the papers in a linear fashion

Step 4: Folded paper in half and pressed firmly; opened up paper revealing a "Rorschach" technique

Step 5: Put one piece of paper on to another and used my fingers to rub the paint from one to the other

I had tons of fun finding ways to use the paint that gets leftover from finished projects! Never assume you can't use the end of something - there is always a way to re-use, recycle, and re-create!

 What will you repurpose today?! E-mail your recycled art project to kirsten@artalacartepdx.com to have your work featured in the studio!

If you're interested in purchasing tempera paints (the ones I used for these projects) they are available on our Dick Blick affiliate website. Proceeds from your purchase help Art ala Carte buy more paints too!

Tie Dye Thursdays

We recently started a fun and colorful event called Tie Dye Thursdays and we're DYING (hehe) to tell you about it!

Miss Kirsten has spent years perfecting the art of tie-dying. She has spent countless hours with friends scouring Youtube and using her own imagination to learn about dyes, shapes, patterns, mixing colors and experimenting with different fabrics. 

This weekly add-on to open studio is fun for most ages - there are easier techniques for younger kids and more challenging techniques for the older ones! 

First we fold the shirts.....

Then we discuss color theory and make sure the colors that are next to each other make a good color when they mix (i.e. red next to blue for purple, red next to yellow for orange etc!)

Then we start the dying process!

We have some easier kid-friendly and fun techniques including the firework technique that uses squishy stringy balls to create an awesome firework effect!

We love Thursdays and it's a great parent/child bonding time!

A few notes on Tie Dye Thursday:

• Bring your own white cotton items
• Wear dark or old clothing because the dyes are PERMANENT!
• Bring a plastic bag to carry your tie-dyes home in
• Give yourself the entire time to be here, the process takes a little while, and some patience!
• Expect to have fun! 

If you want to try tie-dying on your own head over to our affiliate DickBlick account to get your tie-dye supplies and help support our business!

See you on Thursdays 3:30-5!

Guest Post- Mrs. Ricefield

“It looks lovely sweetie. What is it?”

Whenever I’m busy for a little while and can’t play, my girls (22mos and 5 y/o) automatically go for blank paper and markers/crayons/pencils. No directions, no rules, just drawing and coloring. Sometimes art with kids is simply about trying out materials and experimenting with the process. To me that’s process art: allowing children to experiment, explore, create one-of-a-kind pieces that are as individual as their imaginations.

There is so much to love about process oriented art, especially for younger children. Here’s a short list of benefits just to give you an idea:

1. Develops creative thinking and innovation

2. Encourages exploration and experimentation

3. Supports children’s natural curiosity

4. Requires less preparation (yes!)

5. Supports the child’s natural developmental stage (including the stages of scribbling)

6. Encourages independence (don’t do it for them, don’t make too many comments)

7. Fosters confidence and a feeling of accomplishment

8. Encourages self-expression

9. Enhances cognitive, motor, language, physical, and emotional development

I said it would be short, so I’ll stop there. And what if the product doesn’t look like “anything?” That’s not important at this point. There is a time for modeling, following directions, trying to achieve a specific outcome, but it’s not early childhood. And even for older children, they get plenty of those in other areas. They also benefit from process oriented art sessions from time to time.

And on a personal level here’s another very cool thing about focusing on the process - my girls can do this together. The process supports them both at their individual level and they find ways to combine their creations anyway. So let me add one more to the list: encourages teamwork and collaborative problem solving.

Seriously, what’s not to love? Process oriented art is a creative mama’s dream come true.

To show my appreciation for Art Ala Carte’s efforts in supporting process oriented art in Portland and for all of their customers, I’m offering one free book of 20-30 pages of artwork to a very creative kid. See the details of the giveaway below.

______________________________________________________________________________

Iluska Ikeda is a mama, writer, illustrator, and entrepreneur recently arrived in the Portland area with her husband and two young daughters, by way of NY, CA, VA, with international stints in Japan, France, and Brazil. She currently belongs to SCBWI, the Oregon chapter.

If you’re looking for ways to to support your kids creative hard work and want keep some mementos saved from a childhood that goes by too fast, she helps you save and display your children’s artwork in beautiful books and slideshows. Find out more at http://littleartportfolios.com

Ways to display your kiddos art

Is your kiddos art covering your fridge?  Do you use unattractive scotch tape all over your walls? 

Here are some cute ways to display your kiddos art or photos, inspired by our own studio!

Punch holes at the top of your pictures, papers or birthday cards.  String decorative ribbon thru the holes.  We informed the back with scotch tape before punching holes.  String Like a banner.  

We have ours over the paint station with photos of what the different tools do!  

Take an old rustic frame and run wire across it.  Use clothes pins to hang photos, notes, bills to pay or your kiddos most recent projects!

Hot glue clothes pins to rulers and put your children's photos on the pins.  Hang each one with your kiddos art work.  

We use this to display our teachers and volunteers current inspirations, project ideas and pinterest pins!

Liquid Water Colors

Liquid Water Colors are pretty much the most amazing art supply ever.  (Well in our opinion).  They are so fun and can be used in a ridiculous amount awesome of ways!  

Our suggestion is Colorations Liquid Water colors.  They are the best as far as pigments, color choices and they are super washable!  (NOT ALL BRANDS ARE SO BEWARE).  

We buy ours at Blick.com

Liquid water colors go on smooth.  Pour into muffin tin or divided palette.  A little goes a long way!

They blend nicely together and can be layered for lots of different shapes and designs.  Find the metallic ones and mix with colors for an iridescent look.  Shake a little glitter for extra sparkle!

Travel size hairspray bottles are super fun to use!  We fill them up and create beautiful light patterns on the canvas!  You can get them for about $1.29 at your local drug store!  We have several in the studio! 

 

Paint droppers are a huge hit!  The kids like to pretend they are scientists!  You can take it a step further by shaking SALT on your canvas before dropping the paint!

 

Tape a name, letter or design on paper before spraying!  Remove paint once completely dry!  TIP:  Don't over saturate paper when doing tape designs!

Another super fun project with Water Colors is to make an outline with black glue.  Make black glue by squeezing a generous amount of black ACRYLIC paint and shaking/mixing with a stick until its blended well.

Create the outline on the picture with black glue and let dry over night.  The fill in the shapes with your liquid water color! 

 

As always you can purchase these art supplies and more thru our special BLICK.COM link!  10% of every purchase thru this link goes back to our studio <3

Beyond the Brush

At Art ala Carte we use many different tools for painting.  This really gets our little artists thinking out of the box and gives them a chance to find a technique they love.  With the tools and ideas we introduce we are able to get kids that normally would not like art- to fall in love with it!  Experimenting freely with different mediums and techniques is the best way to get your child to gain confidence in their art, find their voice and develop problem solving skills!   There are no limits to art!  It should be fun!

Here are a few of our favorite tools and techniques!  

(Like always- allow them to enjoy the process- not just the product)

Drive cars in the paint!  Put each wheel in a different color for rainbow tracks!  Provide a variety of options for a mix of textures and sizes.   We usually have 8-10 different vehicles to play with!  

For most of these projects we use Washable Tempra Paint lots of affordable options on blick.com!

Playdough tools.  Plastic "pizza cutters" are a fan favorite.  Get a few with different designs.  Roll them in several colors for rainbow streaks.  Paint scrapers are available in all shapes and sizes!

Favorite place for these tools is Learningpalace.com

Legos and Toys!  Huge hit!  Search for legos, knects and other building materials!  We usually have the artists grab baskets and run around the studio collecting odd shapes to dip in the paint!

Paint balls!  These come in all different shapes and sizes as well!  We love ours from Discountschoolsupply.com

Kitchen tools!  This is a great one, because you won't have to head to the store!  Just open a drawer!   Find potato mashers, basting brushes, forks and spatulas!  This always makes for super silly conversations and lots of giggles!  

Feathers, pompoms and marbles OH MY!  Dip the marbles in paint and roll them across the paper!  Sponge paint using pom poms.  Lightly dip feathers in paint and brush softly against canvas!  

What else can you find?  Send us your favorite tools, techniques and project ideas!  Post them on our Facebook page!

Help Support our studio by shopping for your art supplies using this link!  We will receive 10% of your sale! 

Our Favorite Things

Really excited to start a bi-weekly series highlighting a few of our favorite art tools, supplies, and techniques! 

First up: MOD PODGE!

Never heard of it? It's amazing! Think Elmer's glue on steroids, and better. This adhesive is perfect for collaging because it dries clear and leaves a rad glossy finish! This product is amazing for creating streamlined art projects and DIY crafts.

Some wild things you can do with Mod Podge:

• 25 Unexpected Ways to Use Mod Podge
• Deck out your bike
• Refashion old shoes
• Make rolled paper beads
• Glam your glasses
• Doily lamps
• Photo to Wood Transfer
• Glitter States
• Giant Picture Collage
• DIY Fabric Coasters

You can find Mod Podge through our own personal AAC link here! Have fun artists!

Summer Volunteer Opportunity!

We are so excited to announce that due to the high volume of mini - and grown up - artists coming through our doors on only the 3rd day of summer vacation, we are accepting volunteer applications!!

All volunteers must be 13 years of age and willing to give 4-16 hours a week based on availability and interest. 

Stop by the studio, or e-mail Miss Kirsten @ kirsten@artalacartepdx.com and tell us just how kick-butt you are for this position! We will be getting down and glittery all summer long in the studio and at mobile events in the community. We can't wait to hear from you and add you to our amazing team!

The Importance of Being Creative

As many of you know - as friends of Art ala Carte PDX - we strive to allow artists to run freely with their creativity. We fully believe that art - and art freedom especially - has a huge impact on a child's life and subsequent growth throughout that life. Here are some quotes we feel resonate with our studio, our mission, and in our hearts. We knew we had to share them with you. 

“Logic will get you from A to B.  Imagination will take you everywhere.”

–Albert Einstein

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." -Maya Angelou

"To be yourself in a world that's constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Pyramids, cathedrals, and rockets exist not because of geometry, theories or structures, or thermodynamics, but because they were first a picture-- literally a vision--in the minds of those who built them. Society is where it is today because people had the perception; the images and the imagination; the creativity that the Arts provide, to make the world the place we live in today."

–Eugene Ferguson, Historian

Get in here and create with us! We can't wait to help you grow!

JUNE Artist of the Month!

So stoked to announce our 2nd ever Artist of the Month for June - Shiloh!

Shiloh and his family found our studio just a few months ago and quickly became members. We see them weekly and are always so excited to see what their crew comes up with! Shiloh is extremely driven and imaginative so it was only fitting that he was voted AOTM!

AGE: (Almost) 10

MEDIUM OF CHOICE: All of it!

KIRSTEN ASKS:

HOT OR WHITE GLUE? Hot glue!

WHAT DOES ART MEAN TO YOU? It means a lot of things. Art in a museum, glittery crafty stuff, architecture, painting, drawing...

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Having a big choice of materials. 

ARIA ASKS:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PROJECT THAT WAS CREATED AT ART ALA CARTE? The huge castle with the 10 on top.

WHAT TYPE OF ART TECHNIQUE OR MEDIUM WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT? Clay! I tried to make a pot and it didn't turn out too well.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER ARTISTS? Be creative! That's really all because it's other people's choices how they make art.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUPPLY AT ART ALA CARTE? All of it!!!!

GLITTER - LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT? Leave it. It's really annoying. But when I'm at AAC it doesn't matter what gets on you :).

KOKO ASKS:

HOW DOES ART MAKE YOU FEEL? Creative - not bored.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? Haven't decided yet.

HOW DO YOU THINK ART HELPS YOU IN YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE? Art entertains me.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ARTIST? MYSELF! I also like to read and build with legos. 

Shiloh with his favorite project.

Shiloh and his brother Gillead with one of our favorite projects of his, titled "Tiny Weerdos"

ART ALA CARTE'S FAMOUS ART BARS

COMING SOON TO VANCOUVER, WA!

Only a few hours left of our indiegogo fundraiser to support the opening of our 2nd location in Vancouver!! We are SO grateful for all of the love and support and your generous contributions to this effort. We have such high hopes for the smooth success of this opening and are SO excited to bring our vision to a new community. Please give one last effort for us, whether it be a like, a share, a penny donation or a $100 donation! We are thankful for each and every sign of support. You are all amazing and we can't wait to expand this growing open art community!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/art-ala-carte-vancouver

https://www.facebook.com/Artalacartepdx

http://artalacartepdx.com/

OCT - Fancy Nancy!

SO excited to finally be blogging! And how appropriate that we begin on the first day of Fancy Nancy - The Musical, a fabulous production by our great friends at the Oregon Children's Theater! 

We will have our mobile art bars™ set up to create fancy crowns one hour prior to showtimes which are as follows:

Saturdays at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. 
Sign Interpreted: Saturday, May 17th at 2:00 p.m.

We can't wait to deck you out so you can don your best while watching the show! Come visit us Saturdays 1-1:45 and 4-4:45, and Sundays 10-10:45 and 1-1:45 in the lobby of the Newmark Theater. *please note that we end 15 minutes prior to the show start so that you can get to your seats and not disrupt the opening act :). 

Please follow and share our blog as we continue to expand our mission of bringing art to everyone in our loving and creative community.

Thank you for your endless love and support! 

Support the opening of our new Vancouver location by visiting https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/art-ala-carte-vancouver

Visit our website @ http://artalacartepdx.com

Purchase special event tickets @ http://www.eventbrite.com/o/art-ala-carte-pdx-4148953791