"Owning the Art Show: How to Conduct a Student-Lead Art Show" is a presentation style workshop where participants will learn how to plan, prepare, and present a school-wide art show that focuses on student ownership and accountability. In this workshop, teachers of every experience level will learn how to empower students to plan an art show that centers student voice and the school community. We will cover everything from how to encourage students to take on responsibilities related to curating and displaying art, to organizing, storing and displaying the art in a "Wow!" worthy way.
In this hands-on workshop, attendees will explore mandala art as a meaningful K–12 art strategy that supports pattern, repetition, radial balance, symbolic imagery, and mindfulness. Attendees will paint a mandala stone design and collaborate on a group mandala arrangement while discussing classroom adaptations for grades K-12, connections to social-emotional learning, and creative expression. All supplies provided.
Take your students to the next level starting with a simple sketch. Where can they go? Painting, graphing, enlarging, Sculpture, Clay, 3D rendering, the possibilities are endless. This is a hands on workshop where you will paint, think and share.
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In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how child artists’ monster drawings can become the starting point for soft sculpture, social-emotional learning, cross-age collaboration, and community connection. Based on a project in which young students explored emotions through The Color Monster and created monster drawings that older students transformed into handmade plushies, participants will practice translating an “ish-style” drawing into a small felt plush object while considering both creative interpretation and responsibility to the original young artist. Participants will sketch or work from a sample monster design, create a simple pattern, begin sewing and stuffing a plushie, and discuss classroom adaptations; a $8–10 materials fee is requested to cover felt, stuffing, thread, needles, pattern paper, and embellishments.
Discover how a cross-school & zone partnership transformed imaginative kindergarten drawings into dynamic three-dimensional sculptures created by high school students, highlighting the power of process and vertical curricular alignment. Participants will explore the project’s development, view student work, and engage in a brief collaborative brainstorming activity to adapt the model for their own settings. (For this project, 60 student pieces of artwork were created in total: 20 drawings, 20 clay sculptures, and 20 written creature origin stories. One "exhibit" consists of three works, one 2D, one 3D, and one write-up. We will showcase multiple exhibits of the Collaborative Creatures project at our presentation.)
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Discover how collaborative art projects can unite students across grade levels, strengthen school culture, and leave a lasting impact on both campus and community. This session will highlight creative strategies for designing and implementing large-scale collaborations, including everything from vertical round-robin projects where elementary/middle/high school students each contribute to a shared artwork to grade-band legacy projects that result in permanent installations celebrating student voice and school identity. Participants will explore planning tips, management strategies, and adaptable project ideas that foster connection, creativity, and ownership at every level.
Through the use of observation and evidence-based interpretation, Visual Art Thinking Strategies (VTS) encourages students to learn to respect diverse perspectives and collaborate on collective meaning-making. Participants will practice using VTS to foster class discussions and learn about paid professional learning opportunities to further their VTS knowledge.
ArtEffect is a movement initiated by the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. Through the Unsung Hero Project, students learn about individuals who had a significant impact on society, but haven't been acknowledged in history. Through art integration, students are able to explore the lives and contributions of these role models and bring their inspiring stories to light. Attendees will learn how to implement an ArtEffect unit in their classrooms and communities. Resources provided include lesson plans, group and individual activities for students, community outreach examples, and the Unsung Hero Directory.
is presentation is not about turning art class into a game; it is about asking what teachers can learn from game designers about structure, choice, challenge, and creative participation. The central idea is simple: curriculum is the game we design for learning. Using game design as a playful metaphor for curriculum planning, participants will examine how goals, rules, materials, constraints, feedback, and student choice can help learners explore, experiment, take risks, and make meaningful artistic decisions.
Get ready to celebrate the most wonderful, COLORFUL time of the year with fresh ideas and creative energy centered around this year’s YAM theme, “Your Community, Your Story.” Participants will enjoy a make-and-take lesson that’s designed to amplify student voice through meaningful connections. Discover fun, impactful ways to advocate for your art program while planning exciting, community-driven events that bring everyone together. Whether you're new to YAM or a seasoned pro, you’ll leave inspired and ready to create a vibrant, unforgettable celebration!
In this hands‑on workshop, participants will explore how Artsonia empowers students to make their mark through creative‑ish lessons, process‑focused documentation, and legacy‑building community projects. Attendees will engage in a guided Artsonia upload demo, design a mini lesson incorporating process documentation, and collaborate on a legacy‑project brainstorm. Participants should bring a mobile device or laptop; the presenter requires Wi‑Fi access, a projector, and one power outlet. No fees are required.
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Participants will explore how art, storytelling, and STEM intersect through the creation of illuminated paper circuit artwork using conductive tape and LED stickers from Chibitronics®. In this hands-on workshop, educators will design and build interactive artworks that literally “make their mark” by lighting up through simple circuitry concepts. Participants will learn foundational paper circuit techniques, experiment with creative design solutions, and leave with a completed light-up artwork and ideas for adapting the process across grade levels and content areas.
In my workshop, we will explore the ACEO (Artist Card, Editions, and Originals). While the artist trading card has been around for a while, the demand for human made, original artwork has risen in the face of AI and an increasingly digital world. Some artists are leaning into, and even making their entire livelihood of of ACEOs especially in a time of financial hardship. We will talk about the commonly accepted “rules” of ACEOs, how they are sold on the internet, talk about ways to implement this into an art class, and we will even make our own to trade with others at the end of the workshop.
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Move away from "perfect print" anxiety and explore the inherently experimental aspects of Gelli monoprints. Participants will produce 8 - 10 prints using a variety of techniques and then use some of those to create individual mixed media art as well as one collaborative work. I will to need tables to work on, outlets for hairdryers and water for cleanup. All materials will be provided.
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Explosion books combine paper engineering with creative storytelling, resulting in, interactive books that "explode" into a series of square and triangular pages, revealing hidden content when opened. The lesson teaches students how to create an "all about me" book utilizing a variety of media and techniques.
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Once you've done traditional block printing, what do you do with the blocks? We'll play with leftover blocks to create collages, bookmarks, monoprints and more. This is a great way to reuse materials and could even work well for fundraising!
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Discover the art of stained glass in this inspiring workshop! You’ll learn the tools, materials, and techniques essential for creating stunning displays. Together, we’ll collaborate on a meaningful project that will shine at the NAHS auction. This hands-on experience will empower you to embrace your creativity and become comfortable working with glass. All tools and materials will be provided, and there’s no fee to join.
Friday October 23, 2026 10:00am - 11:50am EDT Heathcote2 10th St, Augusta, GA 30901
Explore ideas and strategies for improving your program! Sometimes advocacy feels daunting, but you can build relationships and develop proposals to help you school program or any project you are working on. We will go over how to utilize recent laws and data dashboards to add validity to your ideas!
There’s no single “right” way to interpret an object. This session embraces creative-ish freedom through object-based learning strategies that encourage curiosity, open-ended inquiry, and multiple perspectives, helping educators create space for exploration, wonder, and student-driven meaning making.
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The written word sparks students’ imagination and encourages them to see the world through a creative lens. Join us for this workshop as we open the books of our Keynote, Peter H Reynolds, and explore the possibilities for creating an engaging creative experience for our students, both young and old.
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Join us for a hands-on introductory lesson for felting techniques. 2D and 3D variations with lesson options and material suggestions will be taught and 2 lesson samples will be made and available to take home.
Join Jeff Bostic and learn how your school can become an Artome Art Ambassador school. This is a community-focused program that places student artwork on public display in local businesses, medical facilities, and community centers.
How the Program Works Beyond the Hallway: The program moves student art out of school buildings and into local spaces where families and community members can enjoy it. No Upfront Cost: Participating in the program is currently free for schools. Fundraising Potential: It serves as a meaningful way to help raise funds for school art programs while giving young artists public recognition
A strong presentation for teachers on how to publish articles, student work, and lesson ideas should be practical, inspiring, and give them immediate next steps. I am an experienced educator with published work in SchoolArts Magazine; my perspective could make this especially powerful.
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Explore the rich connections between artistic and scientific thinking in this interactive session. Through open-ended artmaking and reflective discussion, participants will examine how choice-based classrooms can function as both studios and labs, spaces of observation, experimentation, and discovery. Leave with flexible ideas and strategies that bridge creative and critical inquiry.
In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore creativity, problem-solving, and artistic risk-taking through a simple yet engaging sketchbook activity called "Dot, Dot, Make A Lot." Using a paper filled with dots, participants will create original artwork by choosing to connect, transform, incorporate, or intentionally avoid the dots as part of their design. This open-ended activity encourages creative thinking, personal expression, and the discovery of how simple starting points can lead to limitless artistic possibilities.
Your first year of teaching can be eye-opening, challenging, and inspiring - all in one class period! This workshop explores what I learned during my first year of teaching, including teacher calm-down-corners, boundary setting, and classroom organization. Other new teachers are invited to come and share their own experiences as part of this workshop. This workshop is designed with Year 1-3 Teachers in mind, but all are welcome.
Mentoring Matters will share practical teaching strategies, professional wisdom, and lots of creative service learning lessons learned throughout a career! Designed for teachers at every stage, this session celebrates the power of mentorship, collaboration, and lifelong growth in art education. And we’ll make stuff too! Debi will be joined by Drew Brown and Kirby Meng for this great session.
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In this hands-on workshop, participants will design and build a roaring T Rex clothespin automata, combining art, engineering, and simple mechanical principles. Using a wooden clothespin, cardstock, craft materials, and basic linkages, participants will create a moving dinosaur whose mouth opens and closes when the clothespin is pressed. Throughout the activity, participants will explore how simple machines and mechanical motion can bring characters to life while developing creativity, problem-solving skills, and fine motor abilities. The workshop encourages experimentation with design, color, and movement, allowing each participant to personalize their T. rex while learning fundamental concepts of automata and kinetic art.
Students scroll past images, ads, memes, AI-generated content, and misinformation every day, but many are less prepared to question what they see than they realize. This presentation shares classroom-based research and practical artmaking prompts that help students slow down, analyze online media, and visualize their own relationships with smartphones, social media, manipulation, anxiety, and trust. Participants will leave with adaptable strategies for using visual analysis, discussion, reflection, and artmaking to make critical media literacy feel relevant in the art room.
Go beyond the classroom walls and discover how murals can transform school spaces into vibrant, student-centered learning environments. This session will share real-world experiences and practical strategies for creating impactful school murals, advocating for compensation for mural projects completed outside of contract time, and involving students in meaningful collaborative artwork. Learn how murals can strengthen school culture, celebrate community, and leave a lasting visual legacy that enriches the educational experience for all.
During the State of the Arts presentation, participants will learn about the GaDOE Fine Arts initiatives for K-12 Fine Arts including the new instructional resources available to all Georgia Arts teachers. These resources include curriculum maps, unit plans, example lesson plans, instructional videos, and assessments all housed on the GaDOE Inspire platform.
Discover how to spark a creative movement in your community by launching a highly successful, county-wide summer art camp. This interactive workshop provides a step-by-step roadmap for camp logistics, innovative visual arts fundraising strategies, and impactful grassroots advocacy tools. Attendees will walk away with a ready-to-use playbook to secure funding, mobilize volunteers, and keep visual arts education thriving both inside and outside your school district lines.
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We will be exploring and designing Barn Quilts. From selected patterns, images can be altered to suit your motif, mascot or theme using geometric shapes. You will be selecting a color scheme and choice of art medium to complete your Style-ish Barn Quilt. Please bring a ruler, pencil, glue and scissors or small sliding paper cutter.
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Take the fear out of clay! This session is designed for new art educations or anyone who wants to build confidence in using kiln-fired clay by learning essential clay management skills, kiln operation basics, common mistakes to avoid, and practical storage solutions. Participants will leave with a variety of successful clay project ideas for different grade levels and ability ranges, along with favorite tools, tips, and time-saving strategies for a successful ceramics program.
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Ever wanted to have your students create a collaborative quilt? Come learn with someone who has taught it twice- with both hand sewing and machine sewing! Participants will learn hand sewing methods, access resources for machine sewing, receive a lesson plan, and create their own quilt block. Participants are encouraged to bring their own fabric scraps but many will also be provided.
This presentation will share the story of a schoolwide mural collaboration that brought together student voice, community partnership, and public art through a partnership with Paint Love, engaging more than 600 students in grades 1–5. Participants will learn how our student art club helped shape the mural design process, how community collaboration led to the city adopting the mural as an official student-created public artwork, and how Paint Love’s resources and partnership supported the experience. Whether joined by Paint Love representatives or through shared tools and materials, attendees will leave with practical ideas and resources for creating meaningful, student-centered mural projects in their own schools and communities.
How can ceramics education help students develop the capacity to remain engaged with uncertainty rather than rushing toward fixed answers? This session introduces the concept of “disciplined ambiguity” as a framework for structuring inquiry, critique, and material exploration in the ceramics classroom. Through examples drawn from studio practice and reflective discussion, participants will explore strategies for sustaining interpretive openness, encouraging thoughtful risk-taking, and helping students engage complexity through making.
In this Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) activity, participants will explore the history and symbolism of traditional family crests before designing their own personalized crest. Using symbols, images, colors, and mottos, participants will identify and represent important aspects of their family, values, traditions, strengths, and personal identity. This reflective art experience encourages self-awareness, family connection, and meaningful discussion while helping participants visually communicate the people and experiences that have shaped who they are.
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Literacy in the visual arts classroom empowers students to interpret, analyze, and communicate meaning through both images and words, strengthening critical thinking and creative expression. In a hands-on experience like Japanese stab-bound bookmaking, students naturally integrate reading, writing, and visual storytelling as they design pages that convey personal or cultural narratives. This blend of visual and textual literacy deepens engagement, making artmaking a powerful tool for comprehension, reflection, and authentic communication. All materials for creating the Japanese stab-bound book will be provided—just bring your creativity and an open mind to incorporating literacy in the art room.
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Join a pre-service and mentor teacher team for an inspiring, hands-on fiber arts experience celebrating identity, culture, and belonging through needle felting and quilting! Through photos and stories, we will share a 5th-grade legacy project in which students representing 19 cultures and multiple languages created a companion tree quilt, each adding needle-felted personal symbols to leaves surrounding a central tree. Participants will create and sew their own personal symbol into a quilt square to take home and contribute to a shared group photomontage. Together, we will make our mark through fiber arts - we look forward to creating and connecting with you!
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This hands on workshop introduces teachers to drypoint etching, a direct and expressive printmaking technique where participants use sharp needles to create rich, velvety lines and burr driven marks on inexpensive plexiglass plates. Over the session, educators will learn plate preparation, inking, and printing methods. We will explore ways to combine drypoint with simple monoprinting techniques for unique artistic results. By the end , teachers will leave with practical low cost strategies and lesson ideas to bring high quality line making and authentic printmaking back into their art rooms.
This presentation empowers educators, families, and school communities to “make a mark” by using simple art-based SEL strategies that help neurodivergent and trauma-impacted learners feel seen, regulated, and connected. Through an interactive art activity and practical classroom and homeschool handouts, participants leave with meaningful tools they can immediately implement to build emotional resilience, communication, and confidence in learners of all ages.
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Play in vats of 100% cotton and linen pulp to pull sheets of handmade paper. Pulp painting with multi-colored pulp and pulp printing with ready-made screens are additional stations that offer artistically exploratory ways to make messy marks!
All materials are included - no fee required - all abilities welcome! Pull sheets of cotton rag paper Make a Mark with colorful pulp painting & printing Press & Dry to Go Courage to create, make your mark, and see where the paper takes you!
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Did you ever want to make a handmade journal , but thought it was too complicated? In this hands on workshop, you will make a one of a kind journal, perfect for collage, painting, or other imaginative embellishments. What better way to make your mark than with your own book!! All material will be supplied.
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In this engaging art workshop, participants create bold kaleidoscope designs using symmetry, repetition, balance, and color theory. Participants will learn how to transform their names or chosen word into intricate geometric compositions inspired by kaleidoscopes, mandalas, and patterned design. Through guided instruction, students explore warm and cool color schemes, complementary colors, radial balance, and visual movement while developing creativity and design skills.
Practice a variety of ways to make marks to create patterned papers that can then be used in mixed media collage or negative space paintings. Create a gridded or freestyle sample page in your sketchbook.
