#WelcomeWall Update

I'm excited to update you on the #WelcomeWall. I explained in a previous post that the #WelcomeWall was my New Years Resolution.  I have requested admired artist in my life to make a piece to add to the wall.  Each artist is provided a wooden box and they create the art on.  I have offered each partner a monetary trade or an art trade.  I have had fun making art as well in this project. 

So far I have received art from Steph Brooks @HipWaldorf. She is part of my #PLN on twitter.  I have admired her work as she shared it on our #k12artchallenges, #k12artchats and on Instagram.  I love the quality of her watercolors so I was thrilled with the very first piece I received in this project.  I was able to meet Steph briefly at #NAEA16 but we didn't get a picture together.  She seems as spirited as her artwork is. I love when you can read the energy of the artist personality  in their work. 

The second work that I received was from Tery Castrogiovanni, @TeryArtTeacher.  Again, Tery is someone I have been introduced to on Twitter.  All of these artists have amazing Instagram accounts that are worth a follow, click here for Tery's.  I fell in love with her flowers long ago.  She decorated a whole wall with flowers.  I thought about doing somewhat of my own wall inspired by her work but instead, thought it would be better to have the artist herself create something to put on my wall.  I think she was really the artist who got my brain working on the #WelcomeWall project.  Tery has been really fun to do this project with because she was so active on social media creating and sharing her process.  I adore how she wrapped the edges of her work with flowers too.  It is so 'happy'... that's what I can say about this work.  It's happy.   Her package was a lot of fun to get as well because it was presented so sweetly with a beautiful handmade card, a homemade bag with her signature flowers on it, and the artwork was wrapped in beautiful colored tissue paper. 

At the #NAEA16 I spent a lot of time with Don Masse. Don is best known for his blog, Shine Brite Zamorano, but is also an active member on twitter (@shinebrite71), and is an Instagram poster... and he publishes articles on a regular basis from Arts and Activity.  This guy shares his love for art education.  He and other #PLN members had the opportunity to meet several times over the 4 days and I enjoyed his company greatly.  He's such a creative brain and funny person.  I was thrilled to trade artwork with him at the conference.  We started 'working' together a couple of years ago at the AOE conference where we co-presented about collaborations in the art room. Since then I have been able to watch not only his expert ideas in the classroom but his personal artwork.  I'm so excited to have his work on my wall.

The forth artwork that I have received for the #WelcomeWall is admired, Tim Needles. Tim is a respected participant on social media and within the Art Ed community.  His twitter account is lighting up all the time with creative messages (@timneedles), he has an amazing Instagram account and is best known (at least in social media) as the 'Vine Guy'.  His Vines are amazing and really share his experiences in life. When I got Tim's artwork in the mail I was so pleased with the result.  I loved the layers and knew it would be a perfect addition to the wall.  A couple days later Tim sent the Vine that you see below.  This is where I fell in love with this work.  I ADORE process.  to see the hidden messages below allowed me to have a deep connection with this work.

I sit in my front room all the time now.  I admire the work that is hanging in the space and smile when I think of the participants who joined the project. My goal is to love everything that is displayed in my house.  I want to have a connection to the decor and allow it to represent me and what my family really values.  This wall screams the connections that I have made with amazing people over the last couple of years. It makes me smile every day and I can't thank my friends enough for contributing.