Artist of the Week Wrap-Up: Keith Haring

I'm making an early post for the wrap-up this week since Wednesday's class currently has FOUR openings. The kids today had a great time making life size Haring-inspired "portraits". We had to spread out of the classroom into the kitchen and front hall to have the space needed for these creations. There was a lot of cooperation as everyone helped measure, cut, gather rocks to hold down the corners, outline and then move the giant wet paintings to the basement for more drying time.

Sign up by 6:00 pm Tuesday, February 24th to get into Wednesday's class!

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d4ea4a72fa46-heatherannes1

Artist of the Week Wrap-Up: Katsushika Hokusai

As usual, we ran long in class. The two art projects we made both really turned out well. I started with the water color on the lanterns so it would have time to dry. We moved to "carving" the styrofoam sheets for our printing. Unfortunately, my brayer is lost in a box somewhere and I didn't get it replaced before class. A wood dowel and a short piece of PVC pipe worked just fine in a pinch. After finishing our prints, we took markers to the lanterns and started folding and taping. In between projects or while work was being done, we watched several videos on the life of Katsushika Hokusai, as well as on the woodblock printing technique. We discussed Japanese lantern festivals and the common practice of changing your name (A LOT) in Ancient Japan. Hokusai changed his name over 30 times in his life!

Artist of the Week: Edgar Degas - January 19th & 21st

For the week of January 19th, the Artist of the Week is Edgar Degas, a French painter and sculptor. Students will learn about his life, art techniques and the time and culture in which he lived. Students will then have the chance to try out some of the  art techniques of Degas and the impressionist movement.

Monday, January 19th, 2:30 to 3:50  - TWO spaces available (these are the last two Monday openings)
Wednesday, January 21st, 2:30 to 3:50 - FOUR spaces available

Students will sketch from a live ballet model then create a multi-media painting using watercolor, chalks and more. Time permitting, students will have the chance to create action sculpture using foil. 

NOTE ON AGE RECOMMENDATIONS: My Age 6 - 9 classes are full with a waiting list for the semester and the age 10+ classes are empty. I am changing all my art classes to ages 6 - 10. The Monday and Wednesday classes will be the same curriculum as a result. As always, age limits are guidelines. You know your children better than I do. Focused five year olds are welcome as are pre-teens who want to learn and don't mind a class full of "little kids". 

To register for this or any of my other classes, visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d4ea4a72fa46-heatherannes1.

For more information on terms and policies, visit http://foofynotfoofy.blogspot.com/p/homeschool-lessons.html

Icebreaker Questions about Me!

So you've found your way to Foofy Not Foofy and you are wondering who is behind this blog, these art and music classes, the handcrafted thises and thats? That'd be me! HeatherAnne Norbury. As my sidebar up there reads (assuming you aren't on a blog reader... if you are you should click through to see the pretty orange on my blog)... so anyway... as my sidebar reads, I am a homeschooling, crafting, cooking, canning, reading, overly busy but trying to keep it all together mama writing a blog. I teach art and music classes in the KC Metro and I also make handcrafts, such as jewelry and crocheted goods, that I sell in my Etsy store and at local craft shows.

I have two wonderful children and a loving husband who puts up with being the sole breadwinner even though we both have law degrees. Our home is a menagerie of pets (two dogs, two cats, two rats, one fish and two snails) and friends (rarely a day goes by without friends over). I am organized by nature so I continue to shovel in the blizzard to try to keep our home tidy and neat. I started Foofy Not Foofy to share craft ideas, canning tips, recipes, book and product reviews and other news, factoids, funnies and tidbits that come my way. The Foofy Not Foofy business has grown to include my art and music classes and my handcrafts. Here are a few more interesting things about me. Please comment with your own answers to some of these questions! I'd love to hear from you.

 1. Do you go by a nickname? Not anymore but for the majority of my life, I was Choo-Choo. My grandmother started calling me that when I was only a few weeks old because some noise I made reminded her of a train. It stuck. I was Choo-Choo until high school when I stopped using the nickname publicly. I used it again through college and law school, though it was shortened to just Choo. When you see me use Hawchoo on things, that is a combination of my maiden initials (HeatherAnne Welch) and my nickname. Some friends still call me Choo, which is fine. Just don't call me Heather. It's HeatherAnne... all one word.

 2. Who is the most famous person you ever met? Ted Williams. He was a close family friend of my grandparents.

   

Me playing piano for Ted at my grandparent's house. Circa 1982 maybe?

 3. What book has had the biggest impact on you? To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It is my favorite book. It definitely opened my eyes to how completely messed up race relations were (and are) in this country and sent me on a path of trying to understand and help make a difference so that all people can be treated with respect and dignity. It also has one quote that I go back to again and again in my life. I even had a band named from it for a time. "It's when you know you are licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what." -Atticus Finch.

Band Logo - Artwork by my lovely and talented friend, Heidi

4. Are you a dog person or a cat person? Both, obviously, though I am currently owned by a 15yo Maine Coon named Maggie. So right now, I'm a cat's person. 

5. Do you prefer Coke or Pepsi? Coke and only Coke. It's the only soft drink I like well enough to drink empty calories for. I try to limit myself to one Big Q from Quik Trip a week... sometimes it's two. 

6. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving or Halloween. I really like Thanksgiving and it's relatively low stress levels, but I also really enjoy helping the kids make costumes and taking them around the neighborhood with friends for trick or treating. 

7. What is your favorite cereal? Fruity Pebbles. I haven't bought a box in YEARS and YEARS because I will eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner until the box is empty. Not really a healthy choice. So I just don't buy it. 

8. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? The first thing I remember wanting to be was a ballerina. I may have been in 1st grade. After that, it switched back and forth between architect and veterinarian. My daughter wants to a be a veterinarian. As homeschoolers, I love that we can focus on things that inspire her passion. We do a LOT of science and a LOT of unit studies on animals. 

9. What was the last movie you saw? My Little Pony: Equestria Girls - Rainbow Rocks. We might be a family of bronies and pegasisters. 

10. If you could pick any actor to be president, who would it be? Morgan Freeman

Artist of the Week: Katsushika Hokusai - January 12th & 14th

UPDATE: The Monday class is FULL. Registration for the Wednesday class will CLOSE at midnight tonight. There is still room and time to register. 

For the week of January 12th, the Artist of the Week is Katsushika Hokusai, a Japanese painter, wood engraver and printmaker. Students will learn about his life, art techniques and the time and culture in which he lived. Students will then have the chance to try out some of the  art techniques of Hokusai and from Japanese culture.

Monday, January 12th, 2:30 to 3:50 - Ages 6 - 9 

Students will "engrave" on foam plates to learn about printmaking and make Japanese lanterns.

Wednesday, January 14th, 2:30 to 3:50 - Ages 10+

Students will learn about linoleum block printmaking and using calligraphy in art.

To register for this or any of my other classes, visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d4ea4a72fa46-heatherannes1.

For more information on terms and policies, visit http://foofynotfoofy.blogspot.com/p/homeschool-lessons.html

Homeschool Classes - Fall 2014

When it became apparent that I needed a way to contribute a bit more to our family's bottom line, I pondered, contemplated, mulled over and meditated on what I could do that would fit into my busy schedule. During this time, I found myself in the middle of teaching a class on Andy Warhol and Pop Art to a great group of kids for my homeschool coop. And the light bulb went off! I was already doing the thing that could help with the bottom line... I just needed to rethink it as a business and not just as a coop offering.

With the incredibly unoriginal name HeatherAnne's Homeschool Classes, I am launching my new venture. I'm taking it pretty light this fall with offerings in art and music theory. I will also be taking on a few private piano students. Please take a moment to check out my offerings for fall! And feel free to suggest something! In addition to art and music, I also love teaching math and science and have a law degree. (I'm already thinking of either a high school moot court or Bill of Rights class for the spring).

You can see the fall class offerings at the following link or by clicking on the "Homeschool Classes" tab just under the blog's home page banner. http://foofynotfoofy.blogspot.com/p/homeschool-lessons.html