Teacher News

Teacher News

Congratulations to the winners of the "Create a List, Win a List" sweepstakes!

Art Project Leaders who created Art Room Aid projects by November 27, 2011 were eligible to enter the "Create a List, Win a List" sweepstakes. Ten prize winners were selected to win $300 each in Blick merchandise for their project, classroom, school or organization. Congratulations to the winners!

For more information about creating a project, visit Art Room Aid. For complete details about the sweepstakes, see the Official Rules.

Blick congratulates 2012 Illinois Tollway Map Cover Art Contest Winners

Blick, a proud sponsor of the 2012 Illinois Tollway Map Cover Art Contest, offers its congratulations to Grand Prize winner Lewis Cafaro, a senior at Lincoln-Way North High School in Frankfort, Illinois. Cafaro and three contest runners-up were presented with Blick Gift Cards at an event sponsored by the Illinois Tollway on Thursday, November 17, 2011.

"We're thrilled to see the level of participation in this student art contest," said Blick Chief Executive Bob Buchsbaum. "Seeing so many innovative designs from these young students makes us excited about the future."

The Illinois Tollway received 76 entries from high school artists, and more than 10,000 votes were cast by the general public to identify nine finalists. The grand prize winner and runners-up in each of three categories were selected by a panel of judges. The student artists with the top votes were:

Dominika Rog, a senior from Elmwood Park High School in Elmwood Park, Illinois, for Distracted Driving. "I was inspired to create a design that would catch people's attention and show them what could happen when you text and drive," Rog said.

Ashley Miyagawa, a senior from Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort, Illinois, for Green Transportation. "I knew immediately I wanted to submit a design in this category," Miyagawa said. "I was happy to participate in the contest and was honored to be chosen as a finalist."

Kaylee Sherrod, a junior from Steinmetz Academic Centre in Chicago, Illinois, for Tollway of the Future. "Thank you for the great opportunity to be in this contest," Sherrod said. "It is important to know that future tollways should not only be eco-friendly and safe, but also use American ingenuity to make our roadways the best in the world."

Artwork created by the grand prize winner will be featured on the cover of the Illinois Tollway's 2012 map, which is distributed at no cost to more than 125,000 tollway customers every year.

Art Room Aid relaunch features new tools for teachers

Making your art projects a reality is what Art Room Aid is all about. Now it's even quicker and easier for teachers and other art project leaders to get the supplies they need.

Why join Art Room Aid? We've streamlined the process for requesting supplies, promoting projects and managing contributions. We've also made it possible for contributors to give any amount to the "accounts" associated with art projects to encourage more donations and eliminate the hassle of gift cards for art project leaders. But that's not all...

Projects will be featured on the Blick website to encourage our customers to give

Special promotions will encourage Blick shoppers to visit the new Art Room Aid site and give generously to the project of their choice.

The best thing about the new Art Room Aid is that any school, classroom, community art program or organization can participate and receive supplies to make their art projects a reality.

If you already participate in Art Room Aid, welcome back!

If you're new to Art Room Aid, we look forward to helping you continue to create art.

NAEA Conference Grants

Congratulations to our 2011 NAEA Convention Grant Winners:

Caitlin Lash
McLoughlin Middle School
Vancouver, WA

Cynthia Stevens
Cromack Elementary School
Brownsville, TX

2011 winning entries were drawn from over 4,000 that were received in the Blick Art Materials booth at state art education association conferences during the fall of 2010. The two grant winners received an all expenses paid trip to this year's National Art Education Association Convention held in Seattle, WA March 17-20, 2011.

2012 NAEA Convention grant recipients will be drawn from entries received Oct-Nov 2011 to attend the convention in New York City March 1-4, 2012. Click here for Official Rules.

Blick Art Materials is proud to continue as a Platinum sponsor of the 2012 convention as well as an exhibitor, welcoming attendees to its large exhibit space on the convention floor and inviting visitors to participate in hands-on projects.

Blick supports state art education organizations as well as the NAEA by attending conferences, placing advertisements in organization publications, as well as providing door prizes, handouts, samples, and workshop presentations. We understand the value of professional development and peer interaction for art teachers, and are aware that all too often attendees of both state and national conferences must pay their registration and travel expenses out of pocket.

Rewarding educators who attended their state conference and visited the Blick booth allows us to show further support of art education organizations and provide these individuals with an opportunity that only a small percentage of art teachers nationwide are able to experience — the chance to attend NAEA.

If you haven't taken the opportunity to attend your state or national art education association conference, we strongly recommend you do so.

Click here to visit the NAEA website.

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program

As our continued commitment to further the arts and art education, Blick Art Materials is proud to be a Presenting sponsor of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Our support recognizes the Regional Art Affiliates that handle the art exhibitions and ceremonies at the local level, the Art Gold Medal and Art Silver Medal teachers, a scholarship for a Scholastic Art Portfolio Gold Medal recipient and sponsorship of the first-ever traveling exhibition of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners 2011

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the country's oldest and most prestigious awards and recognition program for creative teenagers, announced the winners of its 2011 competition including sixteen high school seniors who won the Portfolio Gold Award, the highest level of achievement that includes a $10,000 cash scholarship. In addition, 400 graduating seniors who received a national award are eligible for scholarships at more than 60 colleges, universities and art institutes across the country that provide $3.9 million in scholarships annually to help these young artists and writers pay for college. The teachers of top winners were also recognized with cash awards.

Nearly 1,500 of the most talented students in grades 7-12, representing 45 states in the U.S., as well as students in American schools abroad, were chosen to receive national medals. A complete list of winners is available here.

The competition attracted 185,000 submissions in 30 categories including poetry, humor, journalism, novel writing and science fiction as well as painting, sculpture, photography, fashion design, film and animation, and videogame design. The student works were adjudicated first locally and then nationally by panels of judges comprised of renowned artists, authors, educators and arts professionals. The works were judged on originality, technical skill, and the emergence of personal vision or voice.

The nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, which administers the Awards, will honor national winners at a special ceremony at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York City on May 31. Select award-winning art and writing will be exhibited at the World Financial Center Courtyard Gallery in Lower Manhattan from June 1 – 19. New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has declared May 31 the official Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Day and the top of the Empire State Building will be lit in gold in honor of the students' achievements. Learn more about the winners here: http://www.artandwriting.org/Awards/NationalWinners

What is it?

Founded in 1923, it is the oldest, longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for student achievement in the visual arts and creative writing in the United States.

Who's it for?

Creative teenagers in grades 7-12 from public, private and parochial schools throughout the U.S. and its territories, Canada, as well as American-run schools abroad, home-schooled students and students who make art and writing through community organizations.

What is the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards?

• The Awards recognize student achievement in the visual arts and creative writing—in more than 30 categories, including poetry, graphic design, fashion and science fiction.
• Each year, 15 recipients (8 visual artists and 7 writers) receive the Portfolio Gold Award, plus $10,000.
• Through the Scholarship Provider Network, hundreds of seniors who are recognized with a national Award are eligible for nearly $4 million worth of college scholarships at 60 schools and universities.
• The Awards offer opportunities for creative teens such as scholarships, recognition, exhibition, publication.
• An Award signifies to parents, teachers, community, and colleges that a student is an accomplished artist or writer.
• At least 30,000 teen artists and writers will be recognized in their regions.
• There are 96 Regional Affiliates throughout the country.
• Each work is reviewed by a panel of arts professionals for the following criteria: originality, technical skill, and emergence of personal vision or voice.

What is The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers?

• The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers runs the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program.
• It is a not-for-profit organization with the mission to identify, motivate and validate the next generation of artists and writers.
• They provide resources for creative youth to encourage, connect and empower them, through event and online networking, workshops, scholarships and career exploration with alumni role models and industry mentors.
• The Alliance also serves as source of information for organizations and individuals who wish to support the creative development of our nation's teenagers

To learn more about the Alliance for Young Artist & Writers www.artandwriting.org

Blick's 2012 School Catalog: Resources for Art Educators!

Our annual Art Materials Catalog is 648 pages of resources and lesson plans for grades 6-12 art educators. Contains an extensive array of paints, mediums, brushes, canvas, papers, frames, airbrushes, screen printing, sign making, woodworking, sculpture, and ceramics supplies, easels, art furniture, books, DVDs, and more. Teachers Pick Blick! Order your copy today!

    

Blick's 2012 K-6 Catalog: Created specifically for educators!

The question "Why teach art?" is everywhere these days. As funding for the arts is being cut from school, after-school, camp and recreation programs, Blick believes it is critical to reinforce why art education is important. When children participate in activities that embrace art, the positive effect on their physiological, cognitive and psychological development is irrefutable. Numerous studies show, and parents and teachers concur, that participation in art makes kids better students and better people. So to help introduce art into the early years of school, we developed this new catalog directed to K-6 grade levels. Order your copy today!

Young children experience a sense of pride and accomplishment upon completion of individual and group art projects. The millions of refrigerator door "art galleries" across the country are testament to this! Perhaps more importantly, art lessons that incorporate core subjects such as math, science, reading, and writing deepen children's understanding of those subjects.

We developed our new full-color K-6 Classroom Art catalog with 15 fun and informative lesson plans. Whether you're a trained art teacher, a community center, camp, or park district activities director or a classroom teacher attempting to incorporate art into the curriculum — we're certain our catalog will prove to be a value-filled and valuable resource. Blick has been serving customers since 1911. Our competitive pricing, unparalleled selection, and superior customer service can aid you as you "teach art."

Throughout my career as an art educator...

• Development of small muscles and improvement of eye-hand coordination occurs when students manipulate art materials and tools.
• Skills of observation, communication (including vocabulary acquisition), and respect for the opinions of others are taught when students explore and discuss art.
• Critical thinking skills learned in art seem to transfer to other content areas, thus impacting learning across the curriculum.

The Classroom Teacher and Art

I have been painting with children...

With our huge product selection, superior customer service, ease of ordering, and competitive pricing, Blick can help you maximize your arts funding dollars. Follow these links to order a catalog or order online, and to discover unique lesson plans. Teachers Pick Blick!