Day Two = SUCCESS!

Shown above are shots of the "new" classroom that was renovated by the Children's Piazza's owner and some team members just last night! Here, the classroom was set and ready to go for day 2.

Today, we tried our creativity on some CLAY! This is a simple air-drying clay that is so easy to work with. Just a little bit of water smooths the surface, fixes mistakes, and helps make drying clay workable again. I so much enjoyed showing my 6 students how to make a small pinch pot, how to create textures with our tools, and how to form the clay into shapes with our hands. The kids were so enthusiastic about this, which made class energetic and successful! 

I can't wait for next week :). If you know someone who would love to get in on our artistic adventures, please message me!!

Quick Sketch

Here is the beginning works of a newly commissioned painting of a newborn and her big sister. I'm excited to start this painting, which will have a soft, natural pastel palette.

Not that I cared any less about my other recent paintings, but this one in particular will be quite enjoyable. Every art teacher I ever had tried to get me to use darker darks and more vibrant hues, which I understand was necessary for my development. My home is in the earth tones and low saturations. Time to go back to my true colors.

First Day

Today went very well. It was the first day of the Monday Arts & Crafts class at the Children's Piazza. We had fun learning about primary and secondary colors, the color wheel, and experimenting with color-mixing. We even had a chance to channel our St. Patrick's Day spirit with shamrock cut-outs and vivid rainbows.

The kids helped me make a color wheel poster, before we made our collaborative paper rainbow. We continued to use the many resources of the art room to create and expand our imaginations. These kids proved to me that much can be learned in a short time, and there is no wrong approach!

I am very much looking forward to next week's class, and judging by how today went, I am not afraid to challenge the kids a little bit more ;). Here's to many more creative journeys and colorful breakthroughs!

Up, Up, and Up

Now that my "Flesh and Cloth" series is finished and hanging, I am NOT done!

First of all, it is truly amazing that I was able to have 5 paintings finished, and hanged the very day that the last stroke touched that fifth painting. All of my followers, friends, and family have helped tremendously with encouragement and support in making this happen. Thank you!

I am now hoping for e-mails and inquiries for more work. I want to keep going, and I am dreaming for followers to request commissioned paintings. Hey, I can dream, can't I?!

My mind is on a roll / in a whirl. As if that is not enough, I have my first ever art teaching opportunity to think about. This begins next Monday the 17th. I have a stack of art books right beside my laptop that I've been thumbing through for ideas. Any spare minute that I have is spent imagining projects and foreseeing colorful works that will be made by little, messy hands. I am so excited for this!

On that note, please contact me if you know any children between the ages of 4 and 7 on the North Shore that would like to imagine and create with me on Monday afternoons at the Children's Piazza in Beverly.

E-mail: sarahjnenno@gmail.com and visit www.thechildrenspiazza.com

Thank you for letting me share these joyful things with you!

See "Flesh and Cloth" paintings LIVE

All five of these paintings are being installed at Atomic Cafe in Beverly, MA today. Be sure to stop in to gaze at them while sipping some delicious fair trade coffee.

Glory hallelujah, it feels good to see them all together :).

Last but Certainly not Least

Before I frame and hang this painting TOMORROW, please critique it for me? Flood my wall, inbox, email, anything. If you see discrepancies, please tell me. Even while I've been staring at this for hours and hours, I can miss a thing or two. I need your eyes!

Thank you, Papa Nenno and nephew Kaleb for modeling for me. This is turning into more than I thought it would.

EXCITING NEWS!

My Flesh and Cloth series will be on display at Atomic as of this Thursday evening. How did I respond to this news?

Started Number 5.