Ballou High School ​Visual Arts Department
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March 30th, 2014

3/30/2014

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Picture"The Thinker" by Auguste Rodin
Art:  What Should I Make?

Life: Just Do It!

Well, here I sit at JFK airport preparing to fly back to Florida. While I am waiting for the plane to arrive I am on my computer planning my lessons for the next few weeks. The life of a teacher, always planning…

I have found that my day at school is more successful when I am well planned. However, I will admit there are times when I just want to go in and ‘wing it’. No plans, no real point to make…just throw materials on the table and say, “create”.

Some of you would do just fine with that assignment. You would conceive an idea quickly and begin working, while others would just sit there and stare at the stuff and say, “what should I make?” So, as I sit here and ponder if such a lesson would actually work, or would you guys need more inspiration and guidance? I ask myself, “How do artist get inspired and stay inspired?” 

Everyone is different of course but for me I can narrow it down to "5 ways that I stay inspired":

1. Hangout with other artists: creative people need supportive peers to inspire and support each other. My artist friends inspire me to make art when I see the things that  they are working on or simply just hanging out and talking about art.

2. Switch it up: creative people need to keep the creative juices flowing, so mix it up! Paint, write, play an instrument, write music, sing or dance. Learn to express yourself in many ways. In my life I played the piano and the clarinet plus I also express myself through writing, cooking, baking and sewing. I can crochet, do needlepoint, knit and use a sewing machine. One day I got certified in cake decorating and candy making, lol...just for the fun of it. I wanted to know how to make those beautiful roses on a birthday cake; so I signed up for classes and learned how to do it. Expressing yourself in different ways awakens different parts of your brain and forms new neutron connections.

3. Always have a new project in the works, or if you are like me keep a journal and write down ideas that you want to paint or write about at a later time. I sometimes record these ideas on my iPhone so that when I am sitting in front of the computer and feel like writing or in front of a canvas and feel like painting, but I ‘don’t know what to make’ I will look at this list and let it spark some ideas. I call these ideas, Art Sparks!

4. Continue to grow and learn all your life! Never stop. Visit museums, read, take a class, listen to a speaker, watch creative people on the internet especially YouTube….I love to watch artist and musicians on YouTube.

5. JUST DO IT! Sometimes it is as easy as that! I know I should exercise daily and I tend to slack off especially with my running. I procrastinate. We all do at times. But when I push myself to ‘just do it’ by just putting my running shoes on and getting my butt out the door, it feels great!

So, if I ever tell you in class to take the supplies on the table and ‘create’, if you can’t think of what to make, just reach out, grab something and JUST  DO IT! Who knows, it might be your best creation ever. Love you guys. See you bright and early in the morning. 



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Art:   Signing Your Work                                         Life:  Good Bye New York :(

3/28/2014

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I just finished packing up the old apartment on East 63rd Street. I now have closure with the time I spent in this City. IT IS FINISHED. I smiled a lot as I pack up my belongings and I cried a lot. It is bitter sweet. But nonetheless…it is what it is; finished, complete, over.

When I finish a painting I sign my name in the bottom right corner. It is at that moment of writing my name that I feel closure.  The instant I apply my name to my work I officially declare it finished.  My signature is an integral part of my creative process. My signature connects me as the creator of my work and it also is a symbol that to me says, “I made this…I’m proud of what I made…I will sign it to let everyone know that I am its creator.”

Confession time; I did something bad! Yes, your teacher did something bad. I signed my name on the wall in this little apartment…shhh, just a little signature (in a corner).  Don’t tell anyone, I want to get my security deposit back. But I just had to do it. It was a horribly strong compulsion. I had no will power to resist the urge to do it.

I would not sign something that I am not proud of so today when I signed my name on the wall in this place, to me it symbolized this:  “I did this…I’m proud of what I created here in New York, I’m not ashamed or regretful of whether or not it was a mistake. It is what it is…I will own this…I am its creator, it will always be a part of me…lesson learned, it is now finished, it is complete.”

I will put this canvas away knowing that I will look at it again someday differently than I look at it today. That’s the great thing about art/life; it means different things to us at different times. I will get out a fresh new canvas and I will begin a new painting. Painted with love from my heart!

"Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life"


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I hope you all are enjoying your break!

3/26/2014

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Hello Tigers! I am having a marvelous time in New York City. I am bringing so much back to share with you. I have spent two days at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, plus I have visited the Whitney, Guggenheim and the MOMA! I have it all on video to show you when I return home. It is very very cold here...a few snow flurries tonight. I miss all of you and I hope that you all are relaxing and enjoying your time off. It will be crazy when we get back (FCAT and AP Exams) so lets enjoy this time now. I have a lot to do here and so many friends to see so I will check back with you all of you next Sunday night. Ms. B.

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Art: The Artist Within       Life:  Find your passion

3/18/2014

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What a week we are having at school! So much to do before Spring Break and the end of the 3rd marking period. I can't believe how fast time is moving! I spent my evening packing for my spring break trip to NYC. I am so excited to see my old friends and visit art museums, go to the theater and possibly a concert while I am there. I promised all of you that I would video my friends at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They follow us on our blog daily. Everyone in New York is so impressed with what you guys are doing in the art room. I now have 296 followers daily (its only been a week) on this blog but you guys are not commenting! :( I am hoping that soon everyone will feel free enough to express themselves in this forum instead of waiting until you are in class with me. It will take time. 

I have a daily inspirational book that I pick up every now and then and today I read this:  "If you can't figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right to your purpose." 

I liked that message. Especially for all of you at this time in your lives when you are trying to figure out what you will go on to do once you leave Blanche Ely High School. It is a very hard decision. Now that I am older I think about how such a decision is made at the age of 18! 

I chose my career by following my passion! It was the right decision. I spend my life waking up every day doing exactly what I love to do. I have no regrets and if I had to do it all over again, I would teach art. 

My decision to teach art was not a financial decision but a decision of the heart. My brothers and sister chose more lucrative careers. One is a doctor, the other in law and my sister a entrepreneur. I was as smart as all of them so when I wanted 'to be an artist' I think they were not impressed. But I followed my passion and it served me well. I have a spectacular opulent life. I am happy. Remember what I tell you every day, the secret or purpose of your life is to be happy. 

The art room will be opened at 6 am. I will go to sleep now so we can all have a spectacular day tomorrow. Good night tigers. Ms. B. 

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Art:  Leonardo Da Vinci                                 Life: People That Influence Our Life

3/17/2014

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I just finished taking care of all the things  I needed to do before Spring break! All grades are complete and posted! You all did just great! I had a wonderful time today teaching all of you about Leonardo Da Vinci. 

Someone once asked me, "if you could have dinner with any person (dead or alive) from history, who would you chose?" Hmmm, that is a tough one. There are so many people that I would loved to have known, but Da Vinci was one of the people on my list! Thank you all for listening to my lecture today on Da Vinci. I know that it was longer than I usually talk! You were all so attentive and enthusiastic, that made me feel good. 

Life opens up when you receive wisdom and knowledge. Your world becomes larger. I want to widen your world view. Art is a great way of seeing the world....art defines culture, culture defines art. If art is a vehicle for expression then as we study art we can see what that society was focused on at that time. We ask ourselves, "what has come out of that society; what did they express?" We discovered that today in class when we looked at 'what came out of the Renaissance' period; a 'rebirth' and enlightenment of the arts, literature, philosophy, music, politics, science, religion, and other aspects of intellectual inquiry. Now we know (that's my new favorite phrase...now we know)!
 
Tonight I feel like reading a book, instead of painting. I'm not in the mood to paint, so I am going to read the book that you see in the photo. There is a chapter on Da Vinci so if I discover anything new, I will teach what I learn tonight to you tomorrow while you are drawing. I can't wait to see what all of you come up with tomorrow in class when you begin your 'funny Mona Lisa". It was fun laughing with you today when we looked at the funny Mona Lisa's on the internet. Good night tigers! Ms. B.

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Sunday night...I'm getting ready for the week!

3/16/2014

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PictureMona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci 1503-1506
 It is Sunday night! I'm getting ready to teach a new unit to all of you tomorrow! It will be a short week this week...Spring break, YEH! So many of you like the funny Mona Lisa that I have on my classroom door. I had a lot of students ask me, "hey, Ms. B., what's the big deal about that painting? Why is it so famous?" GREAT QUESTION! I can't wait to teach you all about this painting. There are so many fascinating stories about who she was, why he painted her and all about her famous smile. I will read and study tonight so that I can give you my best tomorrow. Later I will work on the watercolor painting. I will post the progress of the painting on my morning blog post. Have a wonderful peaceful night. The art room will be opened at 6:00 a.m. The morning group is getting larger and larger. Pass the word around. I will also be staying after school late on Tuesdays for all of you who need more studio time to paint. See you tomorrow. Ms. B.

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The things one learns teaching high school......

3/15/2014

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Today I learned.....that I "photo-bombed" this "selfie"!!!!! How funny is that...I never heard those words before. What an education you all are giving me. I'm going to be way to cool for my old self!!!!!!! Thanks for the EDUCATION!!!! 

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The "perks" of teaching high school!!!!!!!!

3/14/2014

 
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Ahhh, how lucky am I? My lovely girls decided to give me a 'make over!" I'm think'n...brades...no extensions....no, bun...ah, too much work! I'll just be me! Thanks for pampering me ladies....love you guys!

Art:   Light & Dark Contrast Areas             Life: The Good Times & Bad Times

3/14/2014

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     Good morning! Last night I showed you in my drawing how I darkened and lightened areas in order to create more contrast in the drawing. This morning I want to talk to you guys about contrast...contrast in art and contrast in life.

Contrast in art refers to light and dark...

Contrast in life refers to what we call "the bad stuff or things that went wrong"...
   
​      In life contrast isn't always a bad thing. When stuff goes wrong, don't fall down...curl up and cry about it (like I did in my drawing). Instead embrace it. Pick yourself up...brush off your shoulders and tell yourself, "OK, that sucked, I really screwed that up, but....now I know."  Remember when I told you, "when you know better you do better!" 

     I have learn so much in the last couple years but two things stand out as major life lessons:
1. there is never 'mistakes' in life...everything has a purpose.
2. when something goes wrong, embrace it and be grateful... I just tell myself, "now I know."

     I never regret mistakes or so called, 'failures' or bad relationships or things that I feel make me go backward instead of forward.  It is all these times that have taught me what I want...by experiencing what I don't want. CONTRAST. The dark times in our lives make the light times all the more brighter!
      Just like in art and just like in my drawing, even if I make a mistake or if I don't like something or simply don't want to work on it anymore...I make choices. 
     I can chose to erase, start over, throw it in the trash or simply put it away for now and revisit it later. I'm the artist. I'm the master over my creation. I can create any picture that I want to create...or I can chose not to, it is up to me, I have free will!
     Have a great tiger day! I love you guys, Ms. B...xoxoxoxo



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Good morning! It's 6:15 am...I'm here! Thought for this morning....CHANGE!

3/13/2014

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Good morning. I didn't get back to the drawing last night I chose to go to a Pilates class instead. This morning I was thinking....thinking about 'choices'. The drawing that I am working on portrays me sad and lonely in NYC. It portrays me well, I was sad and lonely. But I had a choice...to stay in that 'state of mind' or to 'rise above my circumstances.' I chose to rise above.

We all have choices in life. We all can make changes in our lives, just like we change our art work if it doesn't please us, we can change the direction of our life as well.
 
It sometimes is not as easy as picking up an eraser and erasing out the parts we don't like...but it can be. Here's my opinion on 'making changes in our lives'.

Change starts in our 'head' not our feet. Just like my drawing...I wasn't pleased with it...I knew I wanted to change it...I stopped, I looked at it 'thinking' first about what I wanted to change (I didn't just start erasing) ...once I figured out what needed to be changed, I went for it! It was a mental choice first then I put it into physical action. Turns out what I thought I wanted to change ended up not being what I needed to change after all.

Just like in life. We think one part of our life needs to be changed but once we begin making changes it ends up being another area that needed changed. I took the face out of the window because I thought it was too big. I thought I needed to erase it and make it smaller, but eliminating it was the big change I made and I feel happier with the drawing.

OK...to sum this up and make the connection that I am trying to make to all you guys is as follows.....
 
1. recognize that changes need to be made.
2. contemplate...think...pray...meditate...write...ask...look at  what you like and what you don't like about your life...then "mentally decide" on the changes that you will make.
3. now put those changes into action....Just start. Begin to walk it through. Make it happen.
4. See where it leads you. ASK, was that really what I needed to change in my life?
5. Then live the life you were meant to live. I believe that we are all meant to be HAPPY! That's all. It's that simple. The purpose of life can be summed up in just two words, BE HAPPY.
what makes you happy and what makes me happy is different. We all have free will.....find out what makes you happy and go for it....
BE HAPPY!

Chose to Change....Think....Decide to make change...then just do iT!!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS....IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY IN THE ART ROOM!!!!!
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Happy, happy Wednesday!

3/12/2014

 
I'm off to a great start! The puppies slept all night, so I slept all night...I came into school this morning and my room is so clean (thank you Jayson and Gary xoxoxox) I've had three shots of expresso..(thank you Starbucks!).....I'm ready to do this!

Oh, yes...thank you Seaira for teaching me so much! You have taught me not to leave my cell phone laying out on my desk 7th period...now I KNOW!

You guys have taught me so much, thank you. I was thinking about it this morning. You all have taught me...

1. never to leave my cell phone out on my desk (even if its locked!) because photos can be taken with an iPhone without unlocking it...hmmmm, I didn't know that. Thank you for allowing me the pleasure of deleting all those lovely photos that all of you took on my phone, what a surprise that was!!*@!#

2. you all have taught me that high school kids still break crayons and throw them across the room when you are not looking (thank you 7th period boys!), now I know!

3. I have learned that if you remove the storage trays from the back closets, a body will fit inside...hmmmm, I didn't know that!

4. You all have taught me that if I don't have you in your seats after you put your art work away, that you can slip out the door before the bell rings... without me seeing...now I know. When you know better you do better....thus the "stay in your seat rule."

5. You all have taught me that my body needs at least three if not four shots of expresso every morning in order for me to function  teaching 300 hundred teenagers a day...thus the daily sentence..."I will have a triple skinny vanilla latte, grande, please, thank you."

6. you all have taught me that I still love doing this and that I am not ready to retire.

7. You all have taught me that I have the best job in the world and I still can't believe I get paid to do this!

8. You all have taught me that there is something wonderful in every child (even if you have to take time to find it...then nourish it...then watch it grow...and blossom.)

9. You all have taught me that teaching is the most rewarding career one can have...(tell that to my brother who is a doctor, my sister who owns her own business and my other brother who works for the PA Bar Association). I chose well.....I LOVE TEACHING!

Love you guys!!!!!

Good night every one! Thank you for writing to me. I answered all of you. I'm too tired to draw tonight. Love you guys. See you in the morning. Ms. B.

3/11/2014

 
Hey everyone! I just finished answering all your blogs! Thank you for taking the time to follow my art work and to write such nice things to me. Honestly, it  made me feel loved and special. I hope that every day that you are with me that I make you feel loved and special because you all are. 

I see something beautiful and special in every one of you. I have been teaching for 31 years and you guys know that I took the last 1 1/2 off. I wasn't sure if I ever wanted to go back to teaching but after being with all of you, I remember now how much I love teaching. I forgot how wonderful it is to do this every day. I feel that I was born to be a teacher. 

What an honor and a privilege to be with all of you every day. I wake up with a grateful heart knowing that I will spend the day with you. I have so much fun that I don't even feel that it is a job. It feels like we all just 'hang out' and do art. I'm the luckiest lady in the world....I honestly I feel that way. 

I went running tonight (4 miles!), did laundry, took care of the puppies so I''m too tired to work on the drawing tonight. I'm going to read the book that I've been reading, listen to some music and get to sleep early tonight. 

I will open the art room at 6:00 am if anyone wants to come early and paint. I love all of you. See you tomorrow. 
xoxxo Ms. Bonavia

HAPPY TUESDAY!!!!!!!

3/11/2014

 

It's 6:00 am....the art room is open! I'm painting...music is playing...I'm pumped! LETS DO THIS!!! IT'S GOING TO BE A "STUPENDOUS" DAY!

I'm back..I just  have to tell you guys that I just heard a great song by, Pink, "Glitter in the Rain". 

3/10/2014

 
OMG! I love that song....I've heard it before, but I never really listened to the words...amazing words. Remind me to play it for you in the class. Musicans paint with words. As I listen to the words, I see the images that their words create in my mind. Do you do that when you listen to music? I paint more paintings in my head every day than I do on canvas! I love music that draws me in....kind of like a good book. When you read a good book you lose yourself in the story...songs and paintings do that to me too. 

Ok, I'm going to get ready for bed....good night again.
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    Donna Bonavia

    I am an art educator and  a professional artist. I write this blog to guide my students in  (SEL) social, emotional, and academic development. S.E.L. is the District of Columbia Public School's priority because we believe that we must educate the whole child.


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