I Get Wobbly Knees

Beware!

When I read powerful student writing, something happens to my knees. They actually shake. I know that sounds silly, but it just happens. I get weak in the knees. It’s a good thing I am usually sitting down when I read student posts because these days I would have to strap a pillow to my derriere.

Good writing is not effortless. My students are really sweating over their work. I am proud of their willingness to polish their writing and hope you can tell how much thought goes into each blog post. 

The post below is written by Jenna. You can tell she has a topic she cares about, one she has been thinking about. 

Photo Credit: squacco via Compfight

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Art is a passion, not pass time.

I believe with art you can never go wrong with being yourself  and letting your true passion shine. When you pick up a pencil or paintbrush you can just let your feelings flow. I love art because it’s a way to express yourself,  inspire and be inspired.

With art you can express your passion and you can make a difference if you care. My favourite form of art is painting, I usually use acrylic paints and paint on canvas instead of paper. I don’t like painting “exact” but I don’t have a specific technique. There are many forms of art, sculptures, paintings, drawings, clay, origami, etc. Lots of artists have specific techniques that they use every time. One of my favourite artists is Gustav Klimt. I love his tree of life painting and I’ve even done one myself at our local 4Cats Art Studio.


Gustav Klimt
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: David Flam via Compfight

Art is not about being exact; it is about being spontaneous, courageous and creative. Some people get so caught up in trying to make it perfect that they lose the meaning and importance to the the piece because art isn’t about perfection it’s about having fun and being able to express yourself whether it’s with a pencil, or a paintbrush it’s your chance to be creative and I love that about art.

What about you?

Please comment on Jenna’s post here.

13 comments

  1. Dear Ms. Smith,

    That was a very true statement you made there. When It comes to art, I am very patient and quiet, and whenever it’s me free drawing, or just drawing something for a purpose, all of my emotions come together with just a simple touch of imagination. As you can tell from my nickname, (Sketch isn’t my last name), I am very active when it comes to art. My favorite type of art is usually free drawing, or cartooning. If you check on my blog, http://joshfsblog.edublogs.org/ , my background picture is one of the many things that I draw. I hope that you may be able to check out my blog if you get the chance.

    -Josh

    1. Hi Josh, I am sending your comment on to Jenna, who wrote the excellent piece about art. Is your background your own drawing? If so you should add a text box widget on your blog that says so. I left an earlier comment for you–check your spam trap for it.
      ~Ms. Smith

  2. Hi Jenna,

    I’ve been wanting to read your post for a few days, but have been delayed by work requiring immediate attention. You have written quite a thoughtful and edifying post. I had never heard of Gustv Klimt or his Tree of Life, so I looked both of these up to learn more. Now I know he is a symbolist and lived in the first half of the 20th century in Austria. Real gold was used in his painting of The Tree of Life. It was certainly an exquisite piece of art. Thank you for sharing and for helping me learn something new today.

    I bet your artwork is lovely as you describe the feelings you have while creating in such passionate and inspiring terms. I am not very skilled in the visual arts, but I like to think of writing as an artform, and I enjoy working in that medium. Here is one of my favorite quotes about writing and art:

    Detail makes the difference between boring and terrific writing. It’s the difference between a pencil sketch and a lush oil painting. As a writer, words are your paint. Use all the colors.

    Rhys Alexander

    The author of this quote is a college writing professor and a professional blogger! Pretty cool, huh? Perhaps one day, Jenna, you will be a professional blogger and artist. The branches of your tree can take you anywhere.
    Keep up the great work,
    Mrs. Donofrio

  3. Hi there huzzahnians! I am very excited to feature on your ‘blog friends’ section and can’t wait to show my new class when they start on Monday! We look forward to connecting with you in the future!

  4. Hi there Huzzahnians! We are just dropping in to touch base again and to stay connected. We are in our fourth week of our first term of the year. We have four terms a year? How many do you have. We hope that you are having a fantastic year. Our students just began the 100 word challenge and they are loving it….do you do the 100 word challenge at your school??
    We look forward to hearing from you soon!
    Mrs. Sinnott and 5/6 S

    1. Hi Mrs. Sinnott and 5/6 S,
      We have three terms in our school year, but next year these students will have two semesters with two terms each as they enter high school. I have not heard of the 100 Word Challenge before, but I will be investigating! We will be visiting soon,
      Take care & happy blogging,
      Ms. S.

  5. Hi Jenna!

    I am in Mrs. Braidwood’s grade 6-7 class. I thought the painting was very beautiful. It had great tastes in color. The words that you used where very descriptive and straight forward. I agree that art is just being spontaneous, courageous and creative. I love how people can express art through their emotions and when the are finished it’s a one of and kind painting. The painting reminded me of Italy because of the of shapes of the houses. What did it remind you of? What I really liked in the painting is how the trees reflect off the ocean. It makes it look more realistic.

  6. Hi Mrs.Smith, I also like to draw. I like how you can draw what you want, and let draw whatever you want. I also like how there are several different ways to make paintings or drawings, by using paints with paint brushes, you can use pastels, crayons, markers, and colored pencils.

  7. I like the way that you described how reading a powerful piece of someone’s work makes you feel. I have often had the ‘wobbly-leg feeling’ happen to me, and I am easily lost in a excellent fantasy story. I also like how you included an example of the writing that you enjoy. Art is an occasional pastime of mine, and although I am frustrated when a piece of art goes wrong, the pride that I feel after finishing a beautiful piece makes it worth it.

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