Art

Louisiana Story Fest Residency Day 4

by admin on February 14, 2008

Valentine Gifts 2-14-08

Friends:

Happy Valentine’s Day! This morning my family woke up and found that Cupid visited! A bevy of treats awaited them at the kitchen table, decorated with rose petals, red and pink candes. Eliana loves her pink poodle, “Lovey.” Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays! I love showing the people I love and care about how important they are to me. It’s my greatest reward all day.

This morning, I set a heart-shaped box of chocolates on each table in the teacher’s lounge, along with a giant card, just to let the teachers and staff know how much I appreciate them. They were all tickled. The chocolate was pretty much devoured before lunch ended!

LA Story Fest - Snow White 2-14-08

Above is a picture of Snow White with the dwarves who love her so much. This beautiful mural graces one of the walls in the main hall of the school.

As usual, I had a fantastic day. All of my classes were superb (needing minimal correction from me – yay!). Third grade enjoyed their role playing and came up with a cool rap for their story chorus in the story theater they are performing called “Take Care of My Cabbage,” a Louisiana tale full of French words. Here are some third grade students depicting a high society woman walking her dog in Central Park, New York.

LA Story Fest - 3rd Grade 2-14-08

For my second visit to the lower grades, I told the stories “Pulling Up the Sweet Potato,” my Louisiana version of the Russian folktale, “The Enormous Turnip.” I also told “The Cajun Cornbread Boy,” my spicy version of “The Gingerbread Man,” which will be my first picture book. Here are pictures of me telling in a kindergarten and a first grade classroom.

LA Story Fest - Telling to Kindergarten 2-14-08

LA Story Fest - Telling to 1st Grade 2-14-08

My day ended with my sweethearts – my husband, Antonio, and my beautiful girls, Soleil (17) and Eliana (7). Soleil surprised the family with a plate of Godiva chocolate-covered strawberries (good thing I walked my two miles today!). Soleil special-ordered them and designed them herself. She said they were “dark dipped, white tipped and red drizzled.” They were gorgeous AND tasty! I had to eat them! My husband gave me a book I wanted, A New Earth: Awaking to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckard Tolle. He also sent me a miniature pink rose bush and chocolates from Harry and David. Eliana spent her own money and bought me a heart-holding panda snow globe. Check out these strawberries… Mmmmm!

Valentine Chocolate Strawberries 2-14-08

Today was definitely a chocolate-dipped strawberry day. It began and ended — sweet. Sweet dreams, my friends. Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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Louisiana Story Fest Residency Day 3

by admin on February 14, 2008

LA Story Fest Residency - Bayou Backdrop 2-13-08

Friends:

It was another fabulous day at the school where I am doing a Louisiana Story Fest Residency. The picture above is a backdrop of a bayou on the school cafeteria stage. Just beautiful.

I am just in love with the teachers, staff and students at this school. We are having a fabulous time sharing Louisiana folktales, performing story theater, and exploring Louisiana music. The picture below is of kindergarteners working with scarves. This time, we explored Dixieland Jazz music (Johnette Downing & Jimmy LaRocca’s new CD, Dixieland Jazz for Children). With our scarves, we played all the instruments in a jazz band – the drums, the bass, the trumpet, the trombone, the piano and the clarinet. We also waved like the Mississippi river and created a collage of scarves as colorful as New Orleans. Take a look…

LA Story Fest Residency - Kindergarten 2-13-08

The picture you see below is of two third grader students. During this role playing activity, I require that the students pair together in boy-girl partnerships. The students below objected so strongly to working together. In the end, they made the best partners and exhibited the most cooperation amongst their fellow classmates. They worked as a unified team and had fun together. They are portraying a bride who has been left at the alter and the mother comforting the bride. The boy even had the courage to take on the role of the bride. This was a perfect example of story theater in action!

LA Story Fest Residency - 3rd Grade Mother & Bride 2-13-08

A fifth grader gave me this beautiful flower made of out paper. He agreed to teach me how to make one. I can’t wait to use it in a story. Children are so creative and inspiring!

LA Story Fest Residency - Paper Flower 2-13-08

My day ended with second graders who were an absolute delight. It was magic in the classroom. When I told stories, they listened so intently; it was like we were engulfed in a magic story bubble. I love those enchanted moments! Plus, they have a dream teacher — so patient and warm. I wish she was my teacher!

Before I left the school, I visited the librarian. She brings books to life through creative drama. I love that. This week, the students are working on The Hat by Jan Brett. The librarian printed out the masks from Jan Brett’s website. The kids use them as they act out the story.

LA Story Fest Residency - Library - The Hat 2-13-08

She took the story even further and re-created the clothes line featured in the tale. Ingenious.The librarian and I agreed that THIS is the way that children should be taught. They are too overwhelmed with standardized testing. It takes all the fun out of learning. And learning should be fun!

LA Story Fest Residency - Library - The Hat Clothesline 2-13-08

I am blessed to be able to do what I do. My work allows me to teach, enrich, and inspire children. But more than that, the children teach, enrich, and inspire me!! Tomorrow is going to be another great day -PLUS it’s Valentine’s Day! I love Valentine’s Day! Happy Hearts Day to You!

Warmly, Dianne

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Louisiana Story Fest Residency Day 1

by admin on February 12, 2008

Strehle Residency: Pelican Board 2-11-08

Friends:

Today was the first day of my Louisiana Story Fest residency at a local school. The whole school is participating in a year-long study of Louisiana. Each grade is focusing on a different aspect of Louisiana. The school hired me as a teaching artist, through an arts grant, to work with the students using my signature story theater method. Our theme is “Louisiana Story Fest, based on the ideas outlined in my book, Story Fest: Crafting Story Theater Scripts. For grades PK-2, we are studying Louisiana folklore and music. I am telling Louisiana stories and doing scarf activities to explore Louisiana music (Cajun, Zydeco, Jazz). Here are first grade students using scarves and dancing to Zydeco music.

1st Grade Scarves

For grades 3-5, we are studying Louisiana folktales. I developed story theater scripts for each class, based on Louisiana folktales. The students worked with scarves, doing dramatic role-play. The scripts are designed for whole class participation. Everyone gets a part. The stories are divided into individual storyteller roles and then parts for a story “chorus.” The storytellers will narrate and act out the story while the chorus sings, chants, and dances their part. It’s a lot of fun. The fifth graders below are acting out a Mardi Gras parade, depicting a float with a king on top and Mardi Gras revelers surrounding the float.

5th Grade with scarves 2-11-08

I was tickled pink when a first grade boy gushed, “Ms. Dianne, this was the best day of my entire life!” A kindergartner told the class, “Ms. Dianne is better than the President of the United States!” Wow! Maybe the White House should hire me… LOL

The residency will culminate in grade level performances by grades 3-5. In addition, the lower grades and parents will be invited to watch the show. Story theater is a great way to explore language arts and reading comprehension in a fun and dynamic lesson. The whole brain is engaged as the students develop sequencing skills, work on problem solving, perform group work, and learn the stories. I look forward to the rest of my week with these students. It’s really cool that my work having a school-wide impact because I get to work on a longer-term basis. It’s not just a 45 minute performance. The skills and self-confidence students gain from performing can have lasting, life-long effects.

Support the arts in the schools! Happy Tales to You!

Warmly, Dianne


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Re-Cycling Creativity

by admin on February 8, 2008

Friends,

Eliana, my 7 year old, is a bundle of creative energy. She loves to recycle old materials and turn them into new treasures. Today was a “lazy” day in that we stayed home all day (last day of the Mardi Gras holiday). So Eliana took her saved aluminum cans and toilet paper rolls and went to work. All of her industrious inventiveness was unbeknownst to me – she did the work by herself. She “unveiled” her grand plan after dinner, showing the family the frame of what was to become a bicycle for her bear, Butterscotch. Armed with only aluminum cans, toilet paper tubes, tape, and her imagination, she created what I dubbed the “Recycle Cycle.” Take a look…

Butterscotch on the Recycle Cycle 2-8-08

The bicycle is complete with wheels, handle bars, and even pedals. I love how unencumbered children’s imaginations are! The bicycle won’t last long (it’s not even Duck tape) but the memory of her achievement sure will. Here’s to unleashing the imagination and “recycling” creativity! Butterscotch will cycle his way to new adventures. Where will your imagination take you?

Warmly, Dianne

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Crafts: Eight is Enough!

by admin on February 6, 2008

Friends,

Today, my house was bustling with eight children (three teens and five children)! Soleil, my 17 year old hung out with two of her friends while Eliana, my 7 year old, had her four cousins over (Jourdan – 10, Camrynn – 8, Ashlynn – 7, and Jasmynn – 5). I had a busy day. Whew!

The day began with a meat-free lunch (today is Ash Wednesday – no meat for Catholics) of bow-tie pasta topped with tomato basil sauce and grated ricotta. Here are the kids getting ready to eat (right to left – Eliana, Camrynn, Jasmynn, Jourdan, and Ashlynn). Say cheese!

The Kids Meal

The teens refused to let me invade their lives with my digital camera, so no pics of them. You have to pretend they exist. After a delish dessert of chocolate cake with peanut butter-chocolate frosting, we started Valentine crafting. Here is Ashlynn, hard at work. Can you guess what she is gluing?

Ashlynn hard at work on her bead heart

Yes, that’s right! left-over Mardi Gras beads! We were making Valentine hearts. Eliana shows off her finished product.

Eliana’s bead heart

Now that’s what I call a work of “heart.” Then we began making Valentine shakers. Here are all the kids with their shakers.

The Kids with their Valentine shakers

A close-up of the Valentine sh-sh-sh-shaker.

Eiana’s Valentine shaker up close

We had fun playing games, singing, and shakin’ our shakers. But boy, am I exhausted! Between the teens and the tots, I spent more energy than I do with a group of 300 students at a performance! LOL

I don’t know how the Brady Bunch did it. Oh yeah, I do. It was TV!! Where is Alice when you need her?!!

Until next time… Happy Tales to You!

Warmly, Dianne

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Soleil, the Artist

by admin on February 1, 2008

Friends:

Soleil, my 17 year old, is a senior in high school and applying for art school. Schools she is considering include Louisiana State University (in state but low on her priority list as she wants to move out of state), Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York (her #1 choice because she is in lust with New York), Rhode Island School of Design, and Savannah College of Art and Design (my husband and I are leaning toward this choice – in addition to art school, it’s a college and set in the beautiful Southern town of Savannah). Ultimately, we have to see where the $$ falls… We’re hoping for a great scholarship/financial aid package. Soleil has the grades, test scores, and school involvement (she is fifth in her class with a 3.63 GPA, received a 28 on the ACT, and is very involved in school). Okay, yes, I am a proud mama!

We have been working hard on getting her art portfolio together. Here are samples of her art pieces. This piece, done in graphite, is called “I am Woman; Hear Me Roar.”

I am Woman; Hear Me Roar

This next piece, rendered in ink, is called “Lone Wolf.”

Lone Wolf

This next one is called “Slave to Fashion.” I love the concept of this piece. It was rendered in Prismacolor colored pencils.

Slave to Fashion

The following piece is a photograph of her sister, Eliana (who was 5 years old at the time), that Soleil took and developed. It is titled “Sleeping Beauty.”

Sleeping Beauty

This final piece, done in ink and water colors, was commissioned by me for my Kamishibai story, “The Magic Pot.”

The Magic Pot

Soleil wants to be a children’s book illustrator. I think she’s well on her way.

I have had so many people make comments like, “She’s so smart! Why are you encouraging her to go to art school?” As a successful “artist” (performing and literary, not visual) myself, how can I not?! I believe that if you are passionate about your dreams, then you should pursue them. Because Soleil has grown up with me as the model of artist entrepreneur, I know she understands how much work goes into establishing a successful career in the arts. I also think that she has the drive and determination to create a successful career for herself.

Life is too short not to try to live your dreams. Where there is a will, there is always a way. Soleil, in the words of Henry David Thoreau, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.”

So friends, find your way and go in the direction of your dreams. You can do it!

Warmly, Dianne

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