YKYAATW #7: Fixation on Visual Organization

by Elizabeth Van Allen for scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

You know you're an art teacher when... your solution to visual clutter goes past obsessing about a labelmaker to labelling with drawings!  This is what happens when an art teacher has a little too much time on her hands and hasn't made art in a while, folks.

This all started with my need to eliminate "visual clutter" from our fun-sized kitchen.

My quest against visual clutter then travelled into the bedroom where, after recently moving into a much smaller living space, we now have to store some of our art-making materials.

Having a smaller place means that the bed is now up on risers to accommodate under-the-bed storage. Now that the boxes are in plain sight, they had to be labeled for quick access and aesthetic purposes!

My most recent completely necessary labelling project has moved us into the closet, seen here beautifully staged for picture-taking purposes. 

How does your pent-up creativity 

purge itself when it's been 

too long since you've made art?

Let me know that I'm not alone, 

share with us by leaving a comment!

YKYAATW #6: Duct Tape!

...and this is just what I had at school!

by Elizabeth Van Allen  for scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

You know you're an art teacher when... you can color-code an entire house worth of moving boxes using only the decorative duct tape you already own. 

Behold my fabulous birthday "cake"!

Don't worry, I only bought a few of these rolls.  The rest was presented to me for my birthday in the shape of a fabulous layer cake!  It should come as no surprise that this "cake" was made by the same creative mind that customized my classroom phone.

As you can tell from the photo below, my living room boxes are coded with duct tape that's grey with pastel polka dots.

Ninja cat, our packing mascot, is clearly not amused 
by my duct tape color coding strategies.

What have you had an unnecessary excess of that ended up being quite useful?

Tell us about it by leaving a comment!

You Know You're An Art Teacher When... #5: T-shirts

by Elizabeth Van Allen  for scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

You know you're an art teacher when... your t-shirt drawer could be mistaken for a cottony collection of art posters.  I proudly present to you a small sampling from my vast collection of art- and artist- themed T's!

I'm a sucker for anything related to the color wheel, and this shirt is no exception.  From one of my favorite shrines to affordable consumerism, shirt.woot!  

My Uncle Branton gave me this T for Christmas last year.  Staying in the artsy spirit, he paired it with an awesome tote bag from his visit to the Van Gogh museum in the Netherlands.

This is one of those beauties that I just can't let go.  Purchased from dELiA*s in my college days, it's still my go-to T when I'm face painting or feel the need to project my artsy-ness!

One of the newest additions to my collection is this ridiculously awesome Jean-Michel Basquiat number.  I admit, I was more than a little shocked when I first saw Forever 21's artist series clothing line.  While I usually shy away from this store (especially right after school lets out for the day- yikes!),  I braved the cooler-than-thou crowds of middle and high schoolers to find this life raft in a stormy sea of trendy teen fashions.

Do you have a favorite artsy t-shirt in your wardrobe?  Tell us about it!

You know you're an art teacher when... #4: My Office

by Elizabeth Van Allen 

scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

You know you're an art teacher when... your office shelf could be mistaken for a still life, a consignment shop display, or the contents of that dusty old pandora's box-looking trunk in the corner of grandma's attic.

Where can you find an African mask, 
an Asian parasol, a skull, and a British royal rubber ducky?  
In Van Allen's office, of course.  It's like the UN of weird in there!

What is the strangest item you've ever unearthed in your office?

You Know You're An Art Teacher When... #3: Toothpaste

Not that I'm complaining, but why include
 green?  You could create so much more
fun & foamy color goodness with yellow!

by Elizabeth Van Allen 

scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

You know you're an art teacher when... you want to get the newest Crayola products, but you can't find a good enough excuse because you don't have a kid.  Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but it's a kids' tooth care line.  

Ummm, hello Crayola, adults want fun oral hygiene products too!

What kids' products have you really wanted, but found yourself without a good enough excuse to actually buy?

Stickers on a
toothbrush?
I'm in!

You Know You're An Art Teacher When... #2: My Bag

by Elizabeth Van Allen 

scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

You know you're an art teacher when... you reach into your bag and can locate at least two or three of the things shown in the real life purse inventory below!  I can't count the number of times I've pulled out that googly eyed monster eye toy instead of something else.  Usually the strange look turns to an understanding nod when I disclaimer the find with "I'm an art teacher."

(don't judge me, I'm one of those creative types)

If you think this is bad, you should see my school apron pockets! They're like an old fashioned magician's hat.  I probably have a confiscated deck of cards in there somewhere...

What eye-rollingly fabulous items have you accidentally pulled out of your bag at the wrong/right time?

You Know You're An Art Teacher When... #1: Chinatown Masterpiece

by Elizabeth Van Allen 

scribblesbyartteachervanallen.blogspot.com

When I reflect on the events that make up my life's version of normal, I often feel compelled to start with the phrase "You know you're an art teacher when...".  In honor of this much repeated mantra, I have decided to launch a series of posts that focus in on the unique thought processes and behaviors that are inherent in those of us who are artists and/or art teachers.  Enjoy this peek into my mind and feel free to post comments!

A laundromat where you can get
 food, a tin of tea, durian flavored
 candy, and a lenticular poster?  
That's a true convenience store! 

You know you're an art teacher when... you go with your friends into a Chinatown store with the express intent of buying fun Asian candy; instead you emerge with a 12"x16" lenticular Mona Lisa Poster to hang up in your classroom.  You are, of course, more excited about your purchase than any of your companions are about theirs.

 If you are thinking "what the heck is lenticular printing?", visit here to learn more:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenticular_printing

Oh sweet Mona, why do your eyes follow me wherever I go? 
 You've gotta love classic kitsch!  If only I could find a velvet Starry Night...

I'm thinking about adding a text bubble that says something like "Are you working?" or "I love watching you work!" to hang up in the classroom with my new Mona.  (Not sure what I mean?  See my post from 7/17/14, 'traversing the summertime creative desert')

What should Mona's text bubble say?  Leave a comment with 
your suggestions!