Illustrated Vimy Oaks piece in the Toronto Star

Last week, the Toronto Star featured a beautifully illustrated true story of the Vimy Oaks that has to be read to be believed. A wonderful historical tale with oak trees at the centre, illustrated by fellow Sheridan grad Kagan McLeod.  Have a look here:
http://projects.thestar.com/vimy-ridge-100th-anniversary-vimy-oaks-return/

This would make a great starting point for a lesson in a variety of classes:
- any history, geography or social science course as an article analysis and reflection;
- a science class to cover how to germinate and graft trees and the effects on the environmental of transporting trees and associated restrictions;
- a communications technology or media studies course, covering visual communication using traditional and digital media to illustrate a piece for a newspaper
- and of course any art class, as an intro to illustration and visual communication.

- Patrick

Gardiner Museum Partnership Ceramics Summer Course (for Grade 11 + 12)

I'm very excited to have helped develop a partnership course between Blyth Academy and the Gardiner Museum, for a Grade 11 + 12 Summer Course in Ceramics. The course is a senior-level visual arts that focuses on ceramics - course code:  AWC3M / AWC4M.

This course will run in July 2017, Monday-Friday from 9:00am-3:30pm. It will be based out of the Blyth Academy Yorkville campus and will include many visits to the Gardiner Museum, four of which will be ceramics studio sessions and several more will have the students explore the collection and sketch in the galleries.

Looking forward to it!

- Patrick

Prints for order of The Elements & Principles of Design!

By far my most viewed post is about some classroom handouts that I made to teach the elements and principles of design.  I have them printed larger for my classroom and I wanted to make it easy for others to be able to order them printed at various sizes, and in higher resolution. They're available for order here:

The Elements of Design

The Principles of Design

A full Elements and Principles of Design Unit plan (complete with lesson plans) is also available on my Teachers Pay Teachers site, here.

The letter-size worksheets by themselves (without the lesson plans) are available on my Teachers Pay Teachers site, here.


- Patrick

Art Show @ the Brockton Haunt last weekend

I had a great time at the art show at The Brockton Haunt last weekend. The show featured my work as well as work by Phil Bowen and Andrea Fairfoul. It was well attended despite the evening's snowfall. Thanks to everyone who came out, we hope to have another one in the spring!

- Patrick

Art Show @ the Brockton Haunt this weekend

I'm taking part in a show this Friday. I'll have some originals and some prints up, all are welcome! Treats and drinks are available. Please see details below:

We are hosting a TWO night art show featuring some great local artists! There will be beer, wine, coffee and snacks for sale.
Feb. 10th and 11th 7:00pm-11:00pm.

Featured artists:

Friday Feb. 10th - Phil Bowen and Pat Butler
Saturday Feb. 11th - Andrea K Fairfoul

Phil Bowen- https://www.instagram.com/el_serpentine/
Pat Butler- https://www.instagram.com/phbutler/
Andrea K Fairfoul- https://www.instagram.com/akfairfoul/

Sketching The Line

If you take the T.T.C. regularly, you will have seen the "Sketching The Line" series of artists' drawings of scenes/people on the T.T.C. Submission are open now until February 28th for anyone interested. Find out details here: http://www.artintransit.ca/archives/pattison-outdoor-and-the-ttc-announce-call-for-submissions-for-sketching-the-line.html

Happy sketching!

- Patrick

The Ultimate Cheatsheet for Critical Thinking

"The Ultimate Cheatsheet for Critical Thinking" has been circulating recently, likely in response to educators feeling the heightened need for students (and everyone) to develop these skills due to the recent fake news epidemic.

The source is https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/, however I saw it on the OAEA's facebook page, as well as on the National Geographic Education's facebook page. Definitely a valuable resource!

- Patrick