Teaching Artist

Welcome to Kids Expressive Art!

I love encouraging children to try on new creative endeavors, to push possibility and explore their unique style of creativity. In these classes, we use color and crafting to explore creative ideas, access emotions, and give children creative outlets to express them. I incorporate (SEL) Social-emotional learning as a healing salve for children and adults to express themselves freely in a safe space of creativity. Everyone learns differently and art is a great tool for translating our unique experiences.

Available for events, classes and workshops.

I work primarily with Bellingham Public Schools in various formats: Allied Arts of Whatcom County Education Program, Community Events, After School Enrichment classes with Rachel’s Whimsical Arts and with BAAY. Glad to support you in art and creativity.

I use art as a healing modality to help children and adults actualize and empower themselves through Expressive Arts (visual mediums: drawing, coloring, collage, creative writing, mixed media, painting) and dance. Children and adults thrive when given tools to express themselves freely. They become creative explorers opening up possibility.

I consider myself both a student and a teacher, incorporating a beginner’s mind to new experiences, which help me stay open to learning and curious for possibilities. Play is a great tool for this, and I infuse it every chance I get, keeping art as a fun problem-solving adventure and experimentation.

Allied Arts https://www.alliedarts.org/arts-education-project-about-the-project/

Allied Arts Teaching Artist Profile: https://www.alliedarts.org/arts-education-project-schools/

HOME – Visual Arts Portfolio (semillasanchezvisualarts.com)

Lesson Plan

Kids Expressive Art

Grades: K-5 Time Block: 1-hour 

In these classes, we will be using color to explore feelings and give children a creative outlet to express them. Some of our projects: Animal Mosaic (oil pastel or paper crafts), Clay Art (dragon/dinosaur eyes and silly faces), I Love Me! (Hand Map), Watercolor Seasons, Design Your Own Shoe (cardstock, markers), Space Art (mixed media), 3-D Art (fun techniques w/pencils and markers), Self-Portraits (mixed media), Bottled Up! (emotions and color), Mini-Shadow Boxes (mixed media), Feeling Monsters, Gratitude Tree, Feeling Mandalas, Envelopes & Cards, Design Your Own Room (mixed media), Under the Sea (oil pastels), Circle/Shape Art, Magnet Art (mixed media), Where’s Big Foot? (mixed media), Sunsets and Moon, Pizza Party. Using a variety of colorful mediums (crayon, color pencil, markers, oil pastel, cardboard, magazine cutouts, glue sticks). Teaching Artist will use prompts and class participation to channel emotions into beautiful works of art. 

Address a variety of themes around socio-emotional learning (SEL), by teaching self-awareness, healthy expression of emotions, interpersonal skills, empathy for others, and self-actualization. 

All material provided. 

Feeling Mandalas.  

Grades: K-5 Time block: 2–3-hour workshop  

In this workshop we will be creating Feeling Mandalas using color and imagery as an access point to express emotions. Using images cutout from magazines and colored craft paper to glue onto round paper discs. Teaching Artist will use prompts, varied themes and class participation to channel emotions onto circular paper rounds using craft paper, magazine cutouts, markers, oil pastels and glue sticks.  

Address a variety of themes around socio-emotional learning (SEL), by teaching self-awareness, healthy expression of emotions, interpersonal skills, empathy for others, and self-actualization. 

All Material provided: paper discs (12-14 inches), magazines, craft paper, markers, crayons, oil pastels, glue stick, scissors.

Expressive Arts & Dance 

Grades: K-5 Time Block: 1-hour class 

Art in Motion. Using music, movement, dance, and art as a channel to move creativity in the body and onto canvas. Music warm-up, followed by art, using a variety of color mediums (crayon, oil pastel, magazine images, glue stick) to create through intuitive imagery.  

Exploring healthy expressions of socio-emotional learning (SEL) through art and movement by teaching self-awareness, healthy expression of emotions, interpersonal skills, empathy for others, and self-actualization. 

All material provided.  

Inspiring Little Artists