Category Archives: Weekly WOW

Weekly Wow

Monday, March 3, 2014

Canvas

Oliver and his family came to the studio the other day with a project that needed some finishing touches.
The canvas was already painted with the colorful octopus but he needed an undersea setting so he could swim freely. At school the kids have been learning all about ocean life so this visit was a great opportunity to look for things that reflected the sea environment they had been learning about.
Oliver chose items carefully, being sure they conveyed the ocean world just as he had learned about them. Sand, goggly eyes, seashells and bubble wrap water were all great choices to get the job done.
What a clever learning experience. Now that’s a Win/Win!

Octopus
Oliver
8yrs

Weekly Wow

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Lauren brought her friend to CReATE for some freestyle art fun. That is exactly what they got.
I offered up some ceramic camera banks from a rare donation of an item in large quantity we had recently received. Lately I had been offering the cameras to anyone who came into the studio. Consequently I had seen many ways that they had been used.
When the girls saw the camera banks I could almost see their wheels turning with ideas. I was so impressed with the clever direction they took. Decoupage, of course! What a great idea.
Now these banks tell many stories at once as well as the story of one. A personal story.
Nice.

Camera Banks
Lauren & Friend
13yrs

Win/Win!

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Sophia had a book report assignment to do for school. Objective; make a three dimensional rendition of the main characters’ house from the book The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary. Looked like a job for CReATE!
She, her mom and younger sister came in and worked as a team to organize the elements needed to bring the mouse house to life. Sophia and her mom got the structure underway, putting boxes together for a two story house and side garage.
Younger sister got busy with some of the finer details, drawing a painting for the wall and, searching the bins for the famous motorcycle that the story hinges on.
All was accomplished with great success. The process felt to me like a little like a reality cooking show, working against the clock to maximize their end product and win top honors.
They had a blast. In fact, Sophia had so much fun, she came back yesterday with her classmate and her family to create another Mouse and the Motorcycle house.
Now Sophia is a seasoned, crafty professional. Neither Ralph house looks the same. They each have touches that match their creators flair and they were fun to create. After all, that is part of what teachers hope for when assigning these home based projects.
The icing on the cake is, Sophia’s school, St. Paschal Baylon benefits too. As part of our Win/Win program, they get $1 back when projects are done at CReATE!

Motorcycle Ralph’s House
Sophia
9yrs

Plastic Spools

Monday, February 17, 2014

Nate’s swing ride reminds me of summers at the fair. It’s the ride my family has always loved the most.
When Nate spotted the spools he started stacking. Whatever he had on his mind, it was going to be tall. Makes sense that a ride would be idea, something that takes you up and away.
The great thing about imagination is that is has no bounds, and I theorize that kids are more likely to take the ride that imagination offers. They don’t get hung up on the same can’ts and don’ts that we adults are prone to. For Nate it was can and will with his swinging ride.
What fun!

Swing Ride
Nate
9 1/2 yrs

Pizza Savers

Monday, February 10, 2014

Kyle’s younger sister loves the T.V. show Dr Who, who’s namesake regularly uses his “Sonic Screw Driver” tool for just about every challenging task.
Finding a slew of plastic Pizza Savers inspired Kyle to make a Sonic Screw Driver for his sis. He had so much fun meticulously crafting this fictitious gem, he made one for himself too. At the sight of his smart tools, requests rolled in from the other friends who were enjoying the studio visit too. All in all , four fine Sonic Screw Drivers were made, each as detailed as the next. Watch out Dr Who, you have some savvy competition!

Sonic Screw Driver
Kyle
12yrs

Seed Pods

Sunday, February 2, 2014

This fantastic dragonfly took just minutes to create following a likely spark of inspiration. Inspirations come like bursts of light that want to be captured.
Myanh caught her inspired thought while her daughter and friends created a collaborative fairy house using the natural things bin. A collection of interesting seed pods looked too much like wings not to be them. And so it was, a dragonfly…

Dragonfly
Myanh
Adult

A Glass Jar

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Now these girls were thinking outside the box.
Gluing a plastic nose onto a glass bottle to make a character takes a silly scope of thinking. The two of them worked in whispers and giggles for much of their studio time, making their creative process a well rounded experience.
Now they have a saddled-up dude in sunglasses to to share and remind them of their friendship fun.

Dude
Madison & Kaitlyn
9 yrs

Cardboard

Monday, January 20, 2014

When kids see a movie they love they just can’t stop thinking it through. They, think it, sing it, play it and sometimes, create it.
This Frozen scene was developed out of a little slice of Mommy and Me time. Enjoying the process of reliving the characters of a movie shared, this duo spent their time capturing some favorite snip-its they enjoyed.
With just a bit of cardboard, paper and, an egg carton deemed Marshmallow they did it! They made their imaginations unfold together into that favorite movie scene.

Frozen
Mommy & Me

 

Weekly Wow!

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Plastic spools were the draw to Gavin’s eye. He spent a fair amount of time pondering his creative prospects to make one dinosaur, but when he saw the bright yellow spools he knew he had found the component he was looking for to make many! He had a blast developing his Dino menagerie into three fine specimens; a Stegosaurus, a T-Rex and a Sauroposeidon.  He was so clever in capturing their characteristics with the subtle elements of their features, a pine clone head, a plastic pliers head and a wiki stik jaw! All of this came to be when Gavin saw those simply eye catching spools.

Dinasours
Gavin
5yrs

 

Cardboard

Monday, January 6, 2014

Cardboard often makes it to the Weekly Wow post because it is so versatile. It’s moldable, build able, shapable and playable.
Bea and her mommy like to make little ladies like this at home all the time. I am told they have lots of puppet shows.
This is the stuff of life. In my view creativity is best expressed when it crosses the framework of our lives from one aspect like making “art” to human interactions like play, creating roots in or imaginative thinking and our memories.
To think a broad reaching concept can begin with a few bits of cardboard, some pastels or markers and a few dots of glue is just well, wonderful.

Puppet Dolls
Bea
3yrs