Incorporating Science and Art with John James Audubon

As an Art Masterpiece volunteer I often coordinate with teachers - projects that can integrate Common Core standards. This past month, students in Miss Rivas' 4th grade completed their animal research in science. 

Having featured John James Audubon before; I knew it would compliment what they had learned in class. Audubon traveled the thirteen colonies and beyond and set out to paint birds and animals in their natural environment.

I am amazed with how some kids totally get the essence of an artist's work.

Raven by J. Castro

Using images download from the Internet. Students sketched and then used oil pastels to create their artwork.

Cheetah by A. Vecscy

Lemon Shark by Elijiah

Giraffe by E. Boddack

The students' artwork was the final element in their science report. I hope they got an A! 

John James Audubon was a self-taught American ornithologist, naturalist, hunter, and painter. He painted, cataloged, and described the birds and mammals of North America. His work helped discover several new species of birds, six of them are now extinct.

Lemon Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The weather in Arizona has been quite lovely these past few days. It feels as if our short spring is right around the corner. And nothing says spring like lemons! Lemon bundt cake, that is.

Ingredients:

Cake
1 1/4 cups flour,  sifted
1 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tbs. lemon zest
3 tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tbs. vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar (adjust according to taste)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk – milk plus 1 tbs. lemon juice (or buttermilk)

Lemon syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 tbsp. lemon juice (add more or less depending how tart the lemons are)
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar (adjust according to taste)

Preheat Oven 350 degrees. Generously coat a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust the pan with all-purpose flour. Sift the all-purpose flour, and cake flour into a medium bowl, along with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle gently beat lemon juice, lemon zest, vegetable oil, milk and sugar; adding the eggs 1 at a time. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add to the dry ingredients, be careful not to over beat. Scrape down the side of the bowl and fold the batter until it is blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the surface. Tap pan on the counter to help remove any air. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 35 - 40 minutes or until the toothpick test comes out clean, rotating the pan halfway through. Let the cake cool on a rack for 30 minutes.

While the cake is baking in a small saucepan, combine the sugar with the lemon juice and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Let the lemon syrup cool slightly.

Invert the cake onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a wooden skewer, poke holes evenly all over the cake and brush with the lemon syrup. Let the cake cool completely. Alternatively, I have also used a plastic knife to loosen the cake from the pan and poured syrup over the cake while it is still in pan. Once cake has cooled completely, I inverted the cake directly onto my cake platter.

To make the cream cheese frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Mix in the lemon juice, and then gradually stir in the powdered sugar. Frost cake just before serving.

To frosting the cake, spoon frosting into a pastry bag with no tip attached. Starting in the hole of the bundt cake, squeeze and drag frosting up and over, stopping about 3/4th way down the cake. Repeat all around cake. Frost cake right before serving. Adorn cake with a silk flower or a tissue paper pom pom.

The unfrosted bundt cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.


This cake is soft  and moist with a deliciously light lemon flavor.  Surprisingly easy to make, your friends will think you bought it from Nothing Bundt Cake. This cake will make you feel like it is spring time!

How to Turn Your Photos into Watercolors

What’s more fun than actually painting? Letting an app do it for you! Especially this new one called Waterlogue.  

Waterlogue is a collaboration between John Balestrieri and Robert Clair. The app applies filters and gives each photo the look of a watercolor.

Image by Walter Wei

If you want a very inexpensive DIY artwork for your home, give Waterlogue a try.

I would love to see what you do with Waterlogue.

DIY Valentine's Printables

Here's some of the best free printable (in no particular order) for this year's Valentine's. Perfect for dressing up your home baked goodies and treats for the teachers or that special someone.

Living Locurto

fun.kyti.me

Paper and Pigtails Party

Today's Creative Blogger

No Biggie

I Heart Naptime

Three Sweet Peas

36 Avenue

Yellow Blissroad

Simple As That

 

Fun with Rembrandt's The Man with the Golden Helmet

I love it when volunteers share with me their stduents' art projects. Our volunteer, Mrs. Amy in Miss Ting's, class got creative with this month's Art Masterpiece presention, Rembrandts The Man with the Golden Helmet. Mrs. Amy incorporated our school mascot, Leo the Lion, as the focal point. Students drew Leo wearing a helmet.

Rembrandt van Rijn known as one of the greatest printmakers and painters in art history, perhaps best known for his self-portraits and biblical scenes, Rembrandt's contributions to art came in a period that many historians refer to as the Dutch Golden Age.

Rembrandt's the Man with the Golden Helmet, is perhaps one of the most famous portraits ever painted, however experts cannot agree if it is actually the work of Rembrandt or from one of his students. Doubts rose when it was removed from the Staatliche Museum Preussischer Kulturbesitz in West Berlin for examination and restoration work. But new tests and research by leading Rembrandt scholar Ernst van de Wetering have shown that it is more likely to be by the teacher himself.

Mrs. Amy even got creative with her display.

We may never really know who the artist is behind The Man with the Golden Helmet, but it does make for great conversation with students.

Carrot-Beet-Zucchini Bread

I was pondering with what to do with all the zucchini I had just purchased and the pepita I had leftover from making granola; happily I came across a recipe for Carrot-Parsnip-Zucchini Bread. After some experimenting, I replaced sugar with agave and substituted parsnip with beets; as parsnips tend to have a rather spicy taste which can be off putting for some. Here is my adapted recipe below.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 (or less) cup raw cane sugar or 1/2 cup agave, or 1/3 cup honey

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves or ground ginger

1 medium carrot, shredded

1/2 medium golden beet, shredded

1 small zucchini, shredded

3 large eggs

1/2 cup apple butter or pumpkin butter if (less, if using sugar)

3 tbsp. extra-virgin Olive oil

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. pepita 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil two 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 X 2 1/2 loaf pans with olive oil or line with parchment paper.

In large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon,nutmeg, ginger, and shredded carrots, zucchini, beet and mix well. It will look like you have way too much vegetables; but don't worry, the vegetables will break down as it bakes.

In another bowl whisk eggs, apple butter, olive oil and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Do not over mix.

Divide batter between the loaf pans and sprinkle with pepita and bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

This slightly sweet hearty bread is perfect for lazy days in front of the fireplace. Enjoy it for breakfast or anytime of day.

This recipe has been adapted from Dr. Andrew Weil's book "True Foods" 

How to Paint a Life-sized Chinese Dragon Part II

Chinese New Year was nearly a week ago and I had totally forgotten that I had promised to show you how to make a Chinese New Year dragon.

After painting the scales you will cut them like so:

Add fringe to the back using tape or glue. Next attach each section one at a time (we attached it the wall using staples) and flipping the paper so that the scallop alternates, one section with the scallop on the bottom; the next one is on top. 

You will keeping adding until it is as long as you would like, allowing the body to curve as high or low as your room allows, tapering the scale as it reaches the end of your desired lenght.

As you can see the fringe is always on the "bottom" side of the dragon. 

Next add the dragon's head and feet.

Students Singing in Chinese

We had enough sections to make two dragons that swirled around our school's multipurpose room.

Chinese Ribbon Dance

A dragon of this size was not possible without the help of many volunteers that came out to attach each piece one by one. I am so lucky to have such a supportive group of parents.

Jim Dine Hearts

Does it seem like the promotion of Valentine's Day starts earlier each year? I have seen hearts and Valentine's merchandise as early as January. 

I have been holding out, but had such cool results from our Jim Dine Art Masterpiece project that I could not resist.

Jim Dine is an America Pop Artist who is known for his colorful and expressive hearts. 

The Little Heart in the Landscape (1991)

He said that he loved to paint hearts because it reminded him of his wife. How romantic is that?!

The Poets' Twelve Hearts (1961)

Students in our school have created several varying projects featuring Jim Dine:

Like this one....

Jim Dine Pink Heart by Annika

And this one...

Jim Dine Heart in Hand

How about this one at +Kathy Barbro 

Jime Dine Hearts +Kathy Barbro

What's your interpretation for Jim Dine Hearts?