The Art Cafe

The computer desk-also known as another work space.

My desk and my big red tote!

"the art cafeteria room"

Extra cafeteria tables found a place in my room

I wanted to name my room the Art Cafe because I have cafeteria tables in my room. At first, I hated them. I wanted those nice tall ones with stools as chairs but when school started and I saw how they were with regular chairs and regular tables (they are moved like five feet each time)-I was happy-I mean lucky with these cafeteria tables. They’re pretty heavy so they stay put. Chairs are attached so they can’t shove or move them. Try them out-you will thank me!

My Art Room

the closet

shelving unit

pencil sharpener-I swear..the things I get excited about!

Like any first year teacher, I was overly excited and nervous about seeing my art room for the very first time. I braced myself for disappointment. I heard some horror stories about small rooms. The school building was an elementary school in the past so it has its fair share of small rooms. But I was more than pleased to see my room. I had one of the biggest rooms in the building and the warmest! It had a projector, a big closet, desk, shelving units, tables and chairs. Awesome. Now, all I have to do is decorate it with color and fill it with students!

However, it wasn’t all perfect. There was two drawbacks. There was no sinks in the classroom and the restrooms weren’t too far but they weren’t that close either. I can just imagine middle school students tracking water down the hall and slipping and sliding. The biggest disappointment was that we couldn’t have a kiln. Our building is old and Dominion Power was giving all it can give without the building shutting down completely. Ugh! I was totally excited about getting a kiln in here. But there’s always a silver lining in everything. Buying a kiln and all the extras that needed to come along with it would have eaten all of my budget. We had a nice budget for our first year of art. It’s not a starter budget-trust me, my art room would be decked with the works if we did. But it was enough to get the basics and then some. I was able to purchase a heavy-duty paper-cutter, dry-rack, printing press, print making supplies, movable gallery wall, drawing mediums, paint, display items, paint brushes, drawing boards, canvas, matte boards and paper. I went a little overboard with paper. We’ll be good with paper five years from now!