Spooky Ghost Paintings!

Photo from Middleton Public Library

 Looking for a relatively cheap and fun program that you can do for all ages this month? Try out thrifted ghost paintings. This trend was pretty popular last year, so you've probably seen some great photos. I had originally planned this program as part of my 'Tweens Try It series, but then our teen librarian hopped on board. We're already planning to do this again but for all ages next year! You only need a few supplies and you're ready to go!

Supplies:

1. Thrifted paintings of a wide variety. We used landscapes, photographs, home decor and more. We struggled a bit to find paintings, but if you've got enough thrift stores close to your library, you should not have any trouble. 

2. Paint, brushes, pallets. We included white paint, glow in the dark paint, and some neon paint. We set up some black lights so the kids could see how their finished work would look when it was glowing! Heads up, be sure to tell the kids that the neon paint does not dry clear. We had some unhappy campers when the black lights were turned off and they could still see the paint.

3. Screwdrivers. Some of the paintings might require disassembly. We found some of the older paintings needed tools to remove the backing. Some of the kids didn't want to wait and painted directly on the glass, which worked just fine for them! 

Trash or Treasure?

I was recently reminded of the value of found things and re-using materials when I attended a workshop on enhancing early childhood learning experiences in the outdoors. My peers at the workshop were all working in EC education settings. 

The workshop presenters and attendees demonstrated a number of amazing ideas that used recycled materials instead of fancy store-bought geegaws. Here were people with far less funding than Ihad available in my library work making magic with upcycled swag. I was truly impressed. 

A recent ALSC blog post celebrates the treasures our trash holds. Stop here to read it and share your best ideas that stretched YOUR program budget! [The Art of Being a Trashy Library Person. Steinbauer, Amy. ALSC blog. October 12, 2022.]

Fun Aviation Opportunities for WI Youth

As we head into the holiday season, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Bureau of Aeronautics and partner organizations would like to invite Wisconsin educators, students, and families to participate in the following upcoming activities.  

• Aviation Art Contest – Call for entries
• Looking for something fun to do over the holiday break? How about creating an art piece for WisDOT’s aviation art contest? Youth ages 6-17 are invited to participate in WisDOT’s annual Aviation Art Contest. The top three entries in each age group will advance to the national contest and receive a $25 gift card (with prizes sponsored by Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium and the Wisconsin chapters of Women in Aviation International).
• The deadline to post entries is Tuesday, January 19, 2021. More information is available on the WisDOT Art Contest webpage: http://wisconsindot.gov/artcontest  

• Special Virtual Movie Screening – “Fly Like a Girl” (January 23^rd)
  • Join the Wisconsin chapters of Women in Aviation International for a free virtual screening of the new documentary “Fly Like a Girl,” featuring accomplished female aviators, as well as a live Q/A and prizes with Wisconsin aviators afterward.
  • A special guest will soon be announced, and registration link posted, on the event webpage: https://www.facebook.com/events/3777633092270015

Thanks so much for helping us get the word out about these opportunities! Feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

Meredith Alt

Aviation Education Program Manager

Wisconsin Department of Transportation/DTIM/Aeronautics

Vice President – Women in Aviation International, Four Lakes chapter

4822 Madison Yards Way, 5^th Floor, South, Madison, WI 53705

608-266-8166 

Meredithl.alt@DOT.wi.gov

Illustration: Image by thejakesmith from Pixabay 

Happy Trees! Paint Like Bob (Ross)

Have you been yearning to try a Paint Night for your patrons, but can't afford the cost?  Maybe you have an avid group of artists always looking for a new challenge?  You should host a Bob Ross Painting Party!

For those of you unaware of the calming majesty of Bob Ross, his Emmy-Award-winning Joy of Painting program--aired on public television in its heyday, but now also available on Netflix, Youtube, and in DVD format--is one of the most popular and recognizable art programs on television.

For our first go, we decided to pick the Bob Ross video tutorial "Grey Winter" - - only three paint colors were necessary and most of the brushes were readily available through our craft suppliers of choice.  We had 20 of each brush available, but depending on your budget, you can always add or subtract (and have folks share.)  We decided against buying the painter's knives and instead encouraged participants to use the back end of their smaller brushes or popsicle sticks for the portions of video that called for that particular technique.

For canvases, we ordered these handy-dandy 9x12 boards from Nasco.  At $1.20/each, we knew we'd be hard-pressed to find a better bang for our buck.  We also purchased our three acrylic paint colors from Nasco and had more than enough for two separate sessions of Bob Ross goodness.

On the day of the program, we set up our room and dispersed the necessary materials, giving each participant a paper plate to use for their paint palette.  Each station also had a book display stand to serve as an easel.  NOTE: Make sure to cover the base of your book stand with masking tape or the like, as they're likely to be painted upon!

Before beginning, reassure folks that everyone's art will look different--and that's ok!  Rather than focusing on the finished product, they should instead enjoy the process and exploration. 

While each Bob Ross tutorial is around 30 minutes, plan for at least 60-90 minutes for your program, as you'll like want to pause the video after each step.  This allows folks to catch up without feeling like they need to create at professional-artist-speed, as well as gives them the opportunity to replenish any supplies, review a previous step, or simply take a break.

Other supplies that will come in handy:

• paper towel (lots!)
• individual cups of water

We had a blast with this program and definitely plan to revisit Bob and his happy, happy trees in the future.