SPONSOR A NOVICE ART TEACHER!
Would you like to foster the growth you have experienced by attending NATA Fall Conference?  Are you a novice teacher of 5 years or less and ready to join NATA?  We have the perfect match for you!  
Sponsor a novice teacher to attend fall conference for 2 days.  The new teacher will be required to join NATA/NAEA before or at fall conference ($80).  The mentor will receive a discount rate for purchasing a novice registration.
Register to win if you have 5 years or less teaching experience and you want to be entered to win a 2 Day fall conference registration.  On September 12th, 2014 we will draw as many names as we have sponsored registrations.  Winners will be notified immediately so arrangements can be made to attend conference. You must be available to attend September 26-27, 2014 in Aurora, NE.  If you are notified as a recipient, you must join NATA before or when you arrive at the conference.

ONE WEEK LEFT!  TIME IS RUNNING OUT - PRE-REGISTER NOW FOR FALL CONFERENCE
September 6 registration fees will go up and lodging cannot be guaranteed at The Leadership Center conference location.  Register now!

FEATURED ARTIST WORKSHOP FOR FALL CONFERENCE
Elizabeth Ingraham : Textile Image Transfers
Learn to stencil botanical forms (or anything else!) onto fabric using freezer paper and simple tools. Play with scale, shape, contrast, and positive and negative space, understand how how surface design can inform a flat or volumetric surface and gain a new perspective on the natural world. Stenciled designs can be intricate, simplified, large or small and can be done anywhere by any skill level.

Gina Tolstedt, Curriculum Facilitator
Gina has taught with Omaha Public Schools for 27 years, currently teaching K-6th grade at Dundee Elementary.  Her teaching experiences include Junior High, High School, and University levels.  Tolstedt has written curriculum for OPS for 25 years serving on curriculum committees for most of those years.  With a BA degree from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley and a MA degree from the University of Illinois in Champaigh-Urbana, throughout her career she has had a passion for arts integration with a focus on writing. Gina also served on the 2014 writing team for the new Fine Arts Standards.

Janie Helt, Naturalist
Janie is an artist, educator, and NE Master Naturalist.  She currently teaches third grade in the heart of South Omaha.  During the summer she works as a nature educator at Fontenelle Forest providing nature and environmental education to students of all ages. Helt holds a BA in Studio Art as well as a Master’s in Elementary Education.  She is a passionate educator who incorporates her love of art and nature into her general education classroom.  With a background of incredible opportunities working with at-risk youth in her community, she has served as a supervisor in the youth employment program at Boys Town, as a program specialist at Girls Inc. of Omaha, and as a mentor artist for teens at the Kent Bellows Studio and Center for Visual Arts in Omaha, NE.  Her love of nature and art is evident in everything she does. Experiences with many different art forms such as papermaking, bookbinding, clay arts, printmaking, drawing, painting, mural art, and jewelry design leads to a love for creating lessons that incorporate visual, hands-on and kinesthetic learning.

Museum of Nebraska Art presents George Catlin’s North American Indian Portfolio    On view through December 7, 2014
George Catlin (1796-1827) was among the earliest artists to venture to the West undertaking eight years of field research and visiting 48 tribes to produce a rich record of Native Americans. Comprised of 31 images, MONA is proud to feature its Catlin Portfolio in its entirety.
For more information contact the Museum at (308) 865-8559.

The annual Riverpoint Arts Festival is on Saturday, September 27th, 2014 from 11a.m.-4p.m. in Johnson's Park in Norfolk, NE. Each year this festival brings artists, musicians, community members and families together to celebrate creativity and enjoy artist booths, food vendors, drum lines, and creative activities for all ages! Booth space is still available for area artists to sell their artwork and demonstrate their craft. Attached you will find an Artist Registration and Event Information forms. Details on cost, set-up and guidelines are included. The registration deadline is September 13th, 2014. If you have any questions, please contact info@norfolkartscenter.org

NebraskARTS Award Nominations Sought
Nominations for the 2014 NebraskARTS Award are now open and online.
Consider honoring a Nebraska school board or school which has supported and encouraged achievement in: Media Arts, Visual Arts, Dance, Music, Theatre.

Recipients will be recognized this fall in a ceremony at the Nebraska State Capitol. Nominations are due Friday, September 5th. Additional information and the nomination application may be found at  http://www.nebraskansforthearts.org/programs/nebraskarts.html  

Apply for the Nebraska Governor's Residence Exhibition Artist Registry
Submission Deadline: 10/17/2014
Media Contact:  J.D. Hutton, Artist Services & Communications Manager, Nebraska Arts Council: 1.800.341.4067; 402.595.2122; email: jayne.hutton@nebraska.gov

AURORA ART WALK
25 artists are registered to sell their work during the Aurora Art Walk in conjunction with fall conference, Sept 27, 1-5pm., downtown Aurora, NE.

PROMO VIDEO FOR FALL CONFERENCE
Here's a quick tour.......

FEATURED ARTIST WORKSHOP FOR FALL CONFERENCE
Nancy Childs : Handmade Paper
We will start with the basics of making handmade paper experimenting with different fibers; cotton linter, rag and abbaca. Then we will move to adding materials and color to the paper. The basic setup for the classroom will be discussed. We will explore the question; "what makes paperwork and why an artist would want to work with handmade paper." We will also explore what can be done with handmade paper. Examples will be provided. Reflection on the process and ideas about presentation will also be covered.  The afternoon session will introduce the process of mono printing with a new product - Gelli Plates. These are gelatin slabs that can be inked and decorated with textures. The build up of multiple layers generates beautiful prints. It is quick and easy and FUN! A set of 6 Gelli plates will be given away to one of the participants.

DeAnn Hanisch, Curriculum Facilitator

Richard Sutton, Naturalist
Richard Sutton teaches landscape design and landscape architecture at UNL and has degrees in natural resources (forest science), landscape architecture, and environmental studies (land resources).  An expert in both native and ornamental plants he has co-authored two books, Woody Plants for the Central and Northern Prairies and Waterwise: Native Plants for Inter-Mountain Landscapes, plus numerous articles on visual resources, natural and cultural landscapes and green roofs. He is currently editing a book entitled, Green Roof Ecosystems.

WE RETURN EVERY YEAR....
Why do you return to teach every year?  Please stop and remind yourself of those really important things that happen in your classroom, school, and district.  Nurture, push, and inspire your students with all the things we know art does for our world.  Remember everyday.  Post your reasons here.

FALL CONFERENCE WILL INSPIRE YOU....SEE THIS WEEK'S FEATURED ARTIST WORKSHOP
Jenni Brant Ceramics
Workshop participants will be walked through a series of exploratory activities to generate nature-inspired designs for transfer onto raw clay tiles or forms. Following live demonstration, participants will practice sgraffito (reductive) and slip-trailing (additive) techniques with contrasting colored clay slips to create patterned and tactile surfaces in clay. Damp clay work will need to be fired by participants.





Josie Langbehn, Curriculum Facilitator
Josephine Langbehn has taught 7th grade art for seven years. She is highly involved in arts education at the district and state level. Josephine has been on OPS's curriculum writing committee and has just currently served on the state writing team for fine arts standard writing committee. She is currently serving as the Member Services Director for Nebraska Art Teachers Association. 
Jon Garbisch, Naturalist
Jon is the current associate director of the UNL Cedar Point Biological Station, near Ogallala NE, on the south shore of Lake Ogallala.  He has a strong interest in integrating art (in the broadest sense) into the field station experience and has participated in Master Naturalist programs since 2005 first in Georgia and recently here in Nebraska.  Jon’s academic background is in geology and paleontology and his career has focused on natural history museum and field station management. Garbisch has lived in Wisconsin, Mississippi, Kansas, The Bahamas, Texas, Georgia and now a few miles west of Wilber, Nebraska.

FALL CONFERENCE DEADLINES YOU MUST PAY ATTENTION TO NOW
Now:
Get your substitute teacher  lined up.
1 Week from now:
Member poster presentation - Share your professional knowledge with colleagues. August 20th deadline.
Artisan Sale - Register to sell your own artwork during the Aurora Community Art Walk. August 20th deadline.
3 Weeks from now:
Conference Registration - Register for conference and guarantee the workshops you want to take. After Sept 5 the fees will go up.
Lodging reservations - if you want  to stay at the Leadership Center, your reservations must be paid by Sept 5th.
6 Weeks from now:
Fall Conference.

FEATURED ARTIST WORKSHOP for 2014 FALL CONFERENCE
Margaret Berry, Encaustics
"Hot Wax/Cool Art" will provide a brief background in encaustic history and contemporary applications as well as basic safety, materials and equipment information. The focus will be on simple encaustic collage which uses beeswax to layer natural elements together and fits the conference theme most closely, although oil pastel and drawing into the wax will be explored to enhance the collages. Time for discussion on applications in the classroom and links to science and writing curriculums.
Bob Reeker, Curriculum Facilitator
Bob is the current Past Co-President of Nebraska Art Teachers Association.  He served on the National Art Education Association board as Elementary Division Director 2009-2011. Bob is currently on the National Art Education Foundation board as a trustee.  He was on the 2014 state standard writing team working with the media arts standards.  He teaches K-5 Visual Art and Integrated Technology at Eastridge Elementary in Lincoln.
Angela Kubalek, Naturalist
Currently an intern resident at Branched Oak Farm where as well as working in organic dairy production she has had the opportunity for creating art with materials and inspiration that comes solely from the fields, nature, and animals of the farm. Prior to this she has worked extensively in prairie restoration and native plant propagation. In the summers she takes a short respite from the NE heat to commercial salmon fish in WA state, finding ways to make art from the natural surroundings everywhere.

THANK YOU FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS
The following  have contributed to make this amazing conference possible. Please thank them for believing in Nebraska Visual Art Education.
Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Cultural Endowment
Sheldon Museum of Art
The Educational Sketchbook Program
Davis
Glaser Ceramics, Lincoln
Hamilton Communications, Aurora
Hamiltion Community Foundation, Aurora
Pinnacle Bank, Aurora
Bob Reeker, NATA co-Past President
We continue to look for more sponsors to keep member costs of attending conference down.  If you know of someone we could contact to support our conference, please email:  Carolyn Albracht, Lynette Fast, Allison Varah

STEM TO STEAM
Here's an infographic created by University of Florida.  You might want to print it or use it for talking points as you talk to staff and community members this school year.

SAVE THE DATE
The next NATA board meeting will be September 25th, 5-9pm, at the Leadership Center in Aurora, NE.