Brightening A Day




There is a little girl at my school who is physically challenged. She was given this little wooden bench so that she can stretch out her legs and use it as a desk to do her work. The bench was brown and her teacher last year tried to help make it more colorful by letting the little girl draw on it with markers. She drew little stick figures with sad faces. Talk about pulling my heartstrings! I decided that this bench needed a facelift before this school year started.



First, I painted the entire bench white.


I really wish I had thought to take a real before photo. It was so sad looking!





Next, I stenciled some polka dots and stamped some circles on it to add interest.




Finally, I added some bold flowers on the top and sides and gave it a clear coat of poly.




I can't wait until she sees it tomorrow night at Open House. I really hope it brightens her day!



Comments

  1. jlauseAugust 28, 2011 at 8:10 PM

    You're a gem, mrspicasso!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The PeetsAugust 29, 2011 at 5:08 AM

    I'm sure it will brighten her day! The bench is gorgeous and she will definitely feel the love :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Miss Artsy NewsyAugust 29, 2011 at 8:36 AM

    How wonderful, brought tears to my eyes! She will love it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Expression of ImaginationAugust 29, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    This is so nice and thoughtful! I'm sure she is going to love it! Plus, I bet the other kids will think it is so cool! She will be so proud of her new special seat just for her. I enjoy reading your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  5. raine.dawnAugust 29, 2011 at 2:11 PM

    thats beautiful! I'm sure she'll love it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ms. AmyAugust 29, 2011 at 4:17 PM

    awww This is my first year working with students who have really restrictive abilities. . .I find that creating ways to make art accessible for them is SO exciting for me!

    I LOVE your little bench. You'll have to keep us all posted on the reaction!

    ReplyDelete
  7. PhylAugust 30, 2011 at 2:38 PM

    Just fabulous!! I hope she LOVES it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. mrspicassoAugust 31, 2011 at 7:14 PM

    Well, she loved it! Thank you for all your kind words.

    Denise

    ReplyDelete
  9. ANNE FARRELLSeptember 1, 2011 at 2:06 AM

    Awww what a great story. That is something only a great teacher would do! Glad she loved it :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PicaSsO MoNstERs!

Image
I have been waiting a full year to post this project! Last year, I had to document all of the steps and by the time I did that, it was too late to blog about it. This is one of my second graders' favorite projects and it was adapted from a lesson that has been floating around the net for awhile. In that lesson, the kids all made witches, but I thought my kids would like more variety, so I came up with this.

Materials: Info (books, visuals, videos) about Pablo Picasso, construction paper in all colors, scissors, glue, scissors, black marker, patterns for heads (see below), masking tape, pencils, variety of items for decorating (google eyes, glitter, pipe cleaners, etc.), metallic markers


Art History: Discuss Pablo Picasso and share various examples of his cubist portraits. I show the video Dropping In On Picasso.

Encounter:

Step 1- The Head
Hand out patterns for the monster heads, I have 4 different patterns that I hand out to each table. We discuss which shape head would make each type…
Read more

Warm & Cool Swirling Leaves

Image
I've been wanting to post about these for awhile, but Blogger kept rotating my photos. Finally, I figured out how to copy & paste them in from Picassa. Yay!
Warm & Cool Swirling Leaves I made these beauties with first graders.
Materials: Here is what we used: white drawing  paper (9" X 12"), tissue paper (cut in to small squares), Mod-Podge or other decoupage glue, foam brushes, scissors, pencil, black markers- thick, chalk pastels, variety of 9" X 12" construction paper in cool colors, black construction paper (12" X 15"), glue

 Encounter:   Here is what we did:
We first studied warm & cool colors and played a sorting game (pictured below). I laminated several rectangles of construction paper & added a magnet to the back. Students take turns coming up and placing their colors in the correct area.




We then decoupaged tissue paper to the white drawing paper. I gave each table a tray of tissue paper squares. I did NOT separate the w…
Read more

I'm A Thief!!!

Image
Yep, I admit it. I have stolen several ideas this year, mostly found on Pinterest.

THE EVIDENCE:

This tree is outside my art room and was inspired by a photo found on: Project Nursery. I love the way it turned out, but it took me four hours to create!



I have different examples of art work inside several of the circles, along with our motto,
"Let's Get Art Smart!"



To go along with the polka dots on the tree, I used this idea from Art With Mr. E.



I then added this phrase that I found on Mrs. Malone's Art Room.
I have had lots of positive feedback on this door!




All together:




Since I was loving the dots, I added some to the front of my desk.


Here is the corner I posted about previously. This idea is all my own... I think!


I added wings and the phrase, "Time Flies When You're Making Art."
Yep, stole it from Mrs. Knight's Smartest Artists.



I don't know whose idea this is, but I found it on Pinterest.
I snatched some paint samples from the store and Voila! In…
Read more