Summer Inspiration

smallSHOP summer lessons are in full swing. 

Paul Klee is inspiring us with his color palette.

We think he is RAD.

Today is a special day.

Plush to Paint

Love Her...

It is a crazy love that I have for Imogen Cunningham. Since first hearing about her in undergrad to teaching about her with my students, when I speak of her, I smile. She epitomizes for me a woman who lived as an artist. Her work is so strong in composition and contrast while being so feminine and serene. 

I mentioned to my husband years ago that my favorite photograph is the one above of Imogen and 70's model Twinka. I saw it in person once and absolutely fell head over heels for it. Years later for our fifth wedding anniversary I arrived home to find an original print hanging. I ran to it, I could not believe that it was really mine. A beautiful photo of a beautiful artist. I covet this photo to this day and know I always will. It is a reminder of the kind of woman I want to be: brave, artistic, free and to live to be very, very old. If you do not know Imogen Cunningham's work or story of growing up a scientist, photographing flowers for botany studies to becoming one of the few, if not the first, recognized female photographers, I recommend a quick tutorial here. To see more of her photographs go here. 

5 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT IMOGEN CUNNINGHAM

1. Shares a birthday with my mom. 

2. Her name, I adore the name Imogen.

3. Her flowers. Can I please just crawl inside one and stay forever?

4. Her peace sign camera strap.

5. Her texture, lighting and composition. 

PEEK-A-BOO!

smallSHOP sees you!

Have a wonderful weekend!

ARTIST smallSHOP, FLOWER ban.do, SHIRT anthropologie,

SKILLS TO MAKE THIS blogshop & PHOTOGRAPHY & HAT angela

Here at smallSHOP we think that the weekend is a perfect time to do something creative. 

Take a moment this Saturday and make something, it will make you feel good!

Happiness... it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.
Vincent Van Gogh

Pink Printing Please

Thanks to BLOGSHOP for the blog knowledge. Thanks to Bonnie Tsang  for the pics. 

Thanks to the smallSHOP kids for the creativity. 

I am very excited about this weekend's BLOGSHOP and slightly terrified. I do not know anything about Photoshop and cannot wait to learn from these lovely ladies. Hopefully after this weekend, SmallShop's blog will be extra fancy and whimsical. Stay tuned...

HIP TO BE SQUARE

What could be better than a perfect colored square?

100's of perfectly colored squares, of course. 

For this lesson we discussed transparency, overlapping colors to make new ones and texture. Using a wood block and a canvas as the surface to build on, the young artists experimented with colors and shapes. In addition to them having a wonderful time, the finished pieces have a modern controlled feel. Here at smallSHOP we say, "yes, please" to squares in all colors. 

It is hard to speak about squares without giving a "what's up" to the king of art geometry Piet Mondrian. While thinking of smallSHOP and our talented little artists, I remembered back to a fun "one day" project that incorporated patterns inspired by Piet Mondiran. We combined his technique with imaginative characters. After drawing, painting and choosing a solid background we came up with these fun images created by 2nd Grade students.