Greetings friends!     I can't believe it but it's almost time to submit your students' work for Youth Art Month 2024! Remember, we now accept entries from PreK through 12th grade! IMPORTANT DATES January 3rd through January February 3rd: Drop-off artwork deadline February 14th: Notification of selected…

This month, the staff of WMA had the opportunity to go on a tour of the exhibition currently on display at the Dothan High School! Dr. Wylly, head of the Art Department at the High School, collaborated with the Alabama…

Did you know that WMA has 3 Little Art Supply Libraries in Dothan? One is located in the lower level of the museum, one is at the Andrew Belle community center, and one is at the recreation center by West…

In the month of October, the Alabama Art Education Association (AAEA) celebrated turning 100 years old. AAEA is dedicated to advocating for the highest quality visual arts education and providing for the advancement of knowledge through service, leadership and research,…

We have added a new friend to the Lair! Meet our new School Programs Coordinator and Art Educator Janin Wise. We are so happy to have her here at WMA. Let's get to know our new educator with 5 quick…

August 23, 2023 As summer is coming to a close, we must celebrate the success of our Messiest Art Camps! Here are some summer projects I would like to highlight from our camps and outreach this year. Trashion Day Trashion Day…

Dothan’s Messiest Camps are nearly SOLD OUT but that doesn’t mean that you can’t create with your students this summer. Here are three of my favorite summertime projects that are sure to engage and inspire your young artists. Tissue Paper…

Would you like to squeeze in some professional development this summer but aren’t sure how to find time in your schedule. We’ve got you covered! WMA is offering both of our online, at your own pace professional development courses for one…

My father had an inoperable brain tumor. Because of the location of his tumor he had short term memory loss, which affected his concentration and focus, as well as motor skill deficiencies, especially on his right side as his tumor…

2023 was another record-breaking year for Youth Art Month at the Wiregrass Museum of Art. We received 813 submissions from across 5 counties and over 40 organizations, including public and private schools, homeschooled students, and students from private art studios!…

I am not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. I understand the appeal academically speaking. They’re a way to usher in a new year on the “right” foot; but starting the year off with a self-inflicted ultimatum really sets my…

Looking for something to do with the kiddos during the last week of school before the winter break? Why not make some musical noisemakers and host a sing a long?  How can you do that? EASY! You don’t need any…

Being located in Southeast Alabama, that cool crisp fall air has finally made its way to us and we are in the mood to create some fall inspired art! Here are some of our favorite fall projects from around the…

I’ve been off of my blogging schedule over last couple of months and I am so sorry! But I'm back and I wanted to share with you some of my experiences from the Fall 2022 Alabama Art Education Association (AAEA)…

How is it August already? We are really excited about a new school year at WMA so I thought I would take this opportunity to outline all the things we’ve cooked up for your students and YOU this school year!…

Now that we’re deep into summer break, I’m sure you’re looking for something to occupy your young artists’ time. We’ve searched the internet for some fun OUTDOOR art activities that are sure to engage your little ones and keep the…

It’s June and that means that Arty Pants is back at WMA. What is Arty Pants, you ask? Arty Pants is a quarterly class for toddlers (18 months to 4 years old) and their guardian that encourages exploration, play, and…

When the world shut down in 2020, we wanted to ensure that our regular guests had access to art supplies so that they could create at home. We pulled together as a team to create and distribute thousands of art…

This fall WMA launched their first ever teen council with the express purpose of giving area teens the opportunity to interact with the museum that were meaningful and relevant to them. We also wanted these students to learn about museum…

Each March, the Wiregrass Museum of Art is filled with works by talented young local artists for our Youth Art Month exhibition. Works are submitted by their art teachers or parents, and we set forth organizing their work and preparing…

In honor of Black History month, I wanted to share a video lesson I created for our summer activity kits that features paper story quilts inspired by the work of the amazing painter, writer, speaker, activist, mixed media sculptor and…

We've added a new friend to the lair! Meet our new School Programs Coordinator and Art Educator Alexandria (Alex) Turner. Let's get to know Alex in just six short questions! 1. Tell us a little about yourself!  "I was born…

The days are long, and inspiration is running low. It's winter break and you need something to keep your kiddos from climbing the walls. We've got you covered! Here are ten of our favorite things for the holiday season! ARTIST…

The life of an art teacher can be a lonely one. Often, you are the only one in your subject at your school. Your rainbow-colored classroom (or cart) singles you out as the weird one, the lone unicorn, in a…

Spooky season is upon us and we searched the interWEBS for the coolest, most ghoulish art activities around. This year we decided to focus on SPOOKtacular, artist inspired art projects to infuse your Halloween fun with a bit of art…

I always seem to have the Earth, Wind, and Fire song “September” stuck in my head this time of year. Sorry…you probably have it stuck in your head now, too. As we slowly begin the journey towards our new normal,…

We eased back into face-to-face programming this summer with four SOLD OUT camps. It was wonderful to host young artists at the museum again. Their creative energy breathed so much life back into the building! And it was equally wonderful…

Summer is here, and we’ve searched the internet for the messiest, silliest, and most fun art projects that will keep your young artist creating all summer long! Popsicle Crafts Nothing says summer like your favorite popsicle! Why not hang on…

The flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing, the birds are singing…it must be spring! We’ve scoured the internet looking for engaging spring themed art activities, so you don’t have to. Here are twelve of our favorites! The birds… I’m…

We are nearing the end of one the strangest, most challenging years I’ve ever experienced as an educator. I am tired. My body is tired. My brain is tired. My heart is tired. This time of year is rough in…

544 submissions from 24 area schools (including homeschool). Let me type that again: 544. That's the second highest number of submissions we’ve ever received for Youth Art Month. During a global pandemic. Amazing! Our area students created art during unprecedented…

Mahatma Ghandi said “Where there is love, there is life.” I couldn’t agree more! And while Valentine’s Day is often celebrated as a day to celebrate romantic relationships, I have always loved the platonic love celebrated by friends and classmates…

“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” This Japanese proverb has been running through my mind for the past two months as I have had the pleasure to work with a group…

2020 has been a difficult year. No amount of candied yams can sugarcoat that statement. However, this November the Education Department’s focus is on gratitude. We are thankful that the museum is open and sharing art with our community. We…

There seems to be a hint of cool crispness in the air and the leaves have started to shift to shades of gold. That means that spooky season is upon us! We know that our little ones may not get…

Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s ESSENTIAL! Now that school has likely started for everyone, whether online, face-to-face, or some combination of the two, it’s time to take some time for YOU! Much like dealing with oxygen masks on an airplane, you…

We’ll be back in our classrooms soon! Or will we? Maybe part time? Life is full of uncertainties right now, but one thing is certain: we all need to be flexible and ready to move our instruction online at a…

This past year, on any given Monday or Tuesday, the museum was filled with the sound of little feet and not so little voices. During the 2019/2020 school year, we hosted more than 3000 students on weekly tours, many through…

Because we are addicted to Pinterest and love helping you, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite summer art projects that are sure to inspire your little, and not so little, artists! Most can be created with items you have…

Father’s Day is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate dad than with something made with your own two hands! We searched the internet for projects and made a list of our ten favorites, with a focus…

Memorial Day can be a complicated holiday to discuss with children. We gather to celebrate our freedom with food, family and fireworks, but it is important to also remember why we celebrate: to honor those who sacrificed their lives for…

In an ongoing effort to share ways to create with everyday household materials, we present our latest art from home challenge: relief foil sculptures! What’s a relief? Wikipedia actually provides a great definition: “Relief is a sculptural technique where the sculpted…

After weeks of fun, at home art activities, you likely have enough work to start your own gallery! Why not do just that? An important component of any museum or gallery is the label. Labels help visitors view and appreciate…

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching, and we’ve compiled a list of our favorite projects with links to full instructions. Create a gift for mom or find a project to create with her and create memories and art! And remember, whatever…

We’ve had a lot of severe weather in Southeast Alabama over the last few weeks. In the latest round of storms, my neighborhood took a big hit. While we were very lucky, we did still have a big tree come down…

Have you ever wondered why we named our blog The Educator’s Lair? Hopefully, the educator part is self-explanatory but why lair? Seems a strange word to describe an educational space… If you’ve visited the museum you probably remember a ceramic…

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.” This quote was written by a woman who, despite her inability to hear, see, or even speak,…

I’m not sure what I can say about COVID-19 that hasn’t already been said. My emotional state is scattered as I navigate the new normal that was so quickly thrust upon us. How I squandered my last classes with my…

Stuck at home with no fancy art supplies? No problem! We have a few fun projects that you can create with coffee filters, washable markers, water, and a few other optional supplies. Create with us!

One of our previous posts outlined how to make Native American inspired pinch pots from home made air-dry clay. We thought we’d show you just how easy the clay is to make! Watch Brook walk you through the process, using…

Out of the (Art) Box 2020 is a wrap! This innovative installation competition has been at WMA (in various forms) since 2010. But wait! What’s an installation you ask? The Tate explains, “the term installation art is used to describe…

Held every March, Youth Art Month is a month-long celebration of student artists in which WMA partners with elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the Wiregrass region to display student artwork in the museum. The exhibition is open to PK-12th…

Even though it’s 45 degrees outside as I type this post, Punxsutawney Phil said that Spring is here and I choose to be hopeful! We have searched the internet for a variety of fun Spring art projects for you and…

This week we walk you through three different techniques you can use with a Gelli plate. Not sure what a Gelli plate is? A Gelli plate is a reusable gelatin-like printing plate that allows you to create a textured print…

This week marks the end of our weekly tours with our A+ Art Schools: Beverlye Intermediate School and Hidden Lake Primary School. It has been a pleasure having so many young students visit the museum each week! During the extended…

First, you’ll learn how to make your own puffy paint with only three easy to find ingredients. Then, we show you how to create a puffy moon painting inspired by Deborah Underwood’s book, Interstellar Cinderella. Read books and make art!…

If you’re looking for an art project that all ages will enjoy, look no further. With just three ingredients (glue, salt, and liquid watercolors) you will be able to create a textured painting that pops off the page! You can…

This torn paper technique teaches weaving without using a complicated loom. Paper weaving is a great way to work on fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. While creating remember the phrase “over, under, over under” and you’ll be weaving in…

Out of the (Art) Box is an innovative public installation challenge hosted at WMA that challenges participants to reimagine the space they are assigned and to incorporate the theme they are given with the materials that are available. Learn more…

A pinch pot is a traditional clay handbuilding technique that has been used for thousands of years. Initially, hand-built vessels were made solely for utilitarian purposes, with little consideration for artistry. Later, decorative designs began to appear on Native American…

Pop up art is a fun way to incorporate 3D elements into your classroom. This method can be used to create cards, books, or a stand-alone piece. You can also incorporate multiple mediums like watercolor and/or oil pastels for even…

Encaustic painting is an art form dating back to the Ancient Egyptians that involves painting with melted hot wax. This lesson will allow your students to experience this method safely with crayons and a griddle! Download the following PDFs for…

Hand Stitched Art is a fun and creative way to introduce children to a very practical skill! Choose a few simple stitches to focus on and then let your students’ imagination run wild! This is also a great opportunity to…

The Huichol Indians of Mexico are known for their vibrant yarn paintings, created as a form of visual prayer to their gods. In their traditional yarn paintings, they take beeswax melted in the sun and then spread it over a…

We all know how thinly budgets can be stretched, especially in the art classroom. Space is also at a premium and finding room to place or hang student artwork while it dries can be challenging. Drying racks come in all…

Aprons are a welcome addition to any art classroom, but they aren’t always an affordable one and not everyone feels confident behind the sewing machine. We’ve compiled some simple ways to make aprons from old shirts that require little to…

You learned how to make beautiful marbled paper last week. In honor of Veterans’ Day, why not turn some of that marbled paper into cards for our nation’s heroes? With the holidays approaching, it’s a perfect time to recognize these…

Paper Marbling is one of our favorite things to do here at the Wiregrass Museum of Art! We have had great fun working with toddlers through senior citizens on this versatile paper decorating technique. In this video Brook walks you…

The Day of the Dead combines the ancient Aztec custom of celebrating ancestors with All Souls’ Day, a holiday that Spanish invaders brought to Mexico starting in the early 1500s. The holiday, which is celebrated mostly in Mexico on November…

Curious what to do with the mountain of markers your students throw out each year? Turn them into liquid watercolors! All you need to get started are a bunch of dead markers, a cup of water, and a lidded container.…

For educators at Crayola.com offers free lesson plans, creative activities, and professional development resources. <a href="https://www.crayola.com/for-educators.aspx">https://www.crayola.com/for-educators.aspx</a>Art

Have you checked out our online Lesson Plans yet? There are numerous art lessons for all ages searchable by grade and core standard, including how to create an optical illusion! Victor Vasarely is widely regarded as the father of Op-Art…

Watch a quick and easy way to make a glue sponge - a simple tool that leads to less waste and provides a mess-free way for students of all ages to use glue.

In this video, Brook walks you through how to use two of our favorite mediums for the art classroom: oil pastels and watercolors. Click below to order supplies used in this video. 50-count Oil pastels Class set of construction paper…

Welcome to The Educator’s Lair! We are very excited to be able to share this with you and we hope that teachers everywhere are able to ask questions and get help. We look forward to hearing from you soon! -Amanda…