teaching shibori, part two

If even only one person wants to know more (thanks jude!), here you go! (do you really think you could have stopped me from telling you?)

I will spare you all the ranting about what I think of the current state of public schools (at least those in my area) and their lack of any sort of real art, desire for art (other than lip service), or time for individualism and creativity. Art takes TIME. That being said, we had ONE HOUR, 30 4th graders, and 60 11×11 silk hankies to dye.

My partner in art crime is my friend Penny. We go way back. Back to preschool days. We both attended co-op preschool here in our neighborhood when our kids were 2-4 years old. They are now graduating high school this year and next. Like I said, way back. When they were in elementary school I started doing art classes in both my boys rooms once a week. This went on for years. Penny started helping me as an assistant and went on to do the same in her kids classrooms. Sometimes I went and helped her. (it really takes two and even more if you can get the help!) After her youngest moved on to middle school, Penny continued on in a friend’s daughter’s class and beyond. I assist her from time to time. Now on to shibori.

Last week, Penny had to go it on her own since I had a previous engagement so I loaded her up with kimonos for the kids to try on, many obi with shibori designs I had collected as well as some of my favorite books on the subject. They talked about shibori and I think they even played around a little with coffee filters and food coloring to get a feel for it. Penny said the coffee filter thing wasn’t all that successful but that the kids were just relieved to not be practicing for standardized testing (don’t get me started here!).
And excitement was building for the next Monday when Mrs. Dolce (that’s me!) would come and we would all get to practice shibori.

So, here they are, 4th graders just in from in from recess………listening to instructions about what’s going to happen next……

Ready for part three? Let me know! (jude, I know you do!)