home school

The Timeless Power of Creativity

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

Discover fun and exciting ways to build literacy skills through art. Explore the richness of cultures and traditions through creative expressions.

When the great artist, Katsushika Hokusai, died in his 90s, his last words were said to be a plea for just five or 10 more years to paint.

Hokusai is Japan’s most celebrated artist. He inspired the French Impressionist. Hokusai did paintings, wood prints, book illustrations, signs, and more. He was a visionary who went against tradition and used Prussian Blue instead of black and other innovations.

He led the way in subject matter; painting landscapes, still lifes, etc.

When he was in his mid 60s and early 70s, he created his greatest work, a series of color wood prints, 36 views of Mount Fuji that included his masterpiece “The Great Wave.”

splashandcolor.com

Art must discover and reveal the beauty which prejudice and caricature have overlaid. Alan Locke

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

The Harlem Renaissance was a celebration of African American culture in the 1920s and 1930s. It was a rebirth of African American arts. Workshops highlight art by Aaron Douglas, Jacob Lawrence, Romare Beardon, Augusta Savage and William Johnson.

Thousands of African Americans migrated to the North between 1900 and 1920 to escape economic hardship and racism and to search for human dignity and financial opportunity.

The veterans of World War I who had fought “to make the world safe for democracy” were determined to make democracy work at home.

From this mass migration, urbanization, and military participation, a dynamic artistic community evolved.

The Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art by Andrea D. Barnwel

splash and color.com

Book Review: Lily Brown’s Painting

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

Lily Brown’s Painting by Angela Johnson and EB Lewis is a positive and uplifting book that younger children will enjoy. This book highlights the creativity, strengths and love of a delightful African American girl. Lily has a zest for life, adores her family and especially her baby brother.

Lilly is a compassionate and kind girl with an active imagination. She explores the world through her art.

Children and their families will create a watercolor painting of the stars from the book, Lily Brown’s Painting.

While there is a reference to art by Van gogh, Lily also finds inspiration and appreciation in everyday occurrences and elevates them to imaginative heights. There are no limits to her creativity. Lily becomes one with her art often immersing herself in the paintings.

I love that the author, Angela Johnson shares center stage with the illustrator. There is a nice foreword by the artist, EB Lewis, about his creative progress.

Check out my website for lesson plans for this book and other art workshops.

splash and color.com

Alarm Over Black Home School Movement

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

There’s a rise in Black Home Schooling.

According to an article in the New York’s Times “Remote school may be attend to dropping out… “ The article lists a lot of data to discourage Black and Latino parents from homeschooling without addressing obvious reasons besides Covid that these parents are opting to home school.

After years of being ignored by school systems, these parents are tired of discriminatory tactics by the educational system. It’s a system that often degrades students of color and ignores parental concerns about racial insensitivity of teachers. School books and curriculum reinforce this narrative by routinely overlooking the contributions of non-whites.

All the data in the world will not convince parents whose children have faced bias treatment. This article in the New York Times proves that the educational experts are “tone death.”

The Atlantic

New York Times