In the Art Studio with Mrs. Elliott

*Update 5/23/2026 below*

Hello there!

My name is Maria Elliott!

Your artists call me "Mrs. Elliott" aka "Mrs. Maria and or "Art Teacher​"

All I love.

I teach elementary visual arts education at:

Oakland: ASD, DK, K, 3 (Opferman), 4 (Dyjewski), 5

Oak Ridge: All

We will be using a variety of art materials in the art studio. From watercolor, tempera paint, clay, fibers, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media and much more! We will learn about past/present/far, near artists. As we try to keep all the paint/materials on the paper, etc. If your artist needs to wear something where you wont be concerned about wear/tear please be advised on the day your artist has art.

As an Art Educator, I can create a space of respite for your artists. A space to have a creative outlet to express their ideas, to learn understanding of other's opinions is of importance in a young artist. I'm an art teacher because I find purpose in the arts as a way to show support, belonging, and to help problem solve.

To learn more about me and my art- as I'm an artist too please click here or see below.

Also be sure to watch for new artwork uploaded on Artsonia- a online portfolio of your artist work through out the years as well as current year 2025/2026. Click here for more info.

Amazon wish list- click here

Please reach out if you have any questions @ maria.elliott@royaloakschools.org

This year in the art studio, our young artists explored creativity through a wide variety of materials and processes including clay, oil pastel, chalk pastel, collage, illustration, painting, sculpture, fibers, photography, and printmaking and more!

Artists participated in collaborative artworks, school and community art shows, and creative problem-solving experiences that encouraged experimentation and imagination. Throughout the year, students practiced taking a closer look at the world around them, trying new techniques, learning from mistakes, and discovering new ways to express their ideas through art.

More importantly, our studio community continued to grow through creativity, curiosity, encouragement, and collaboration. It has been incredible watching students build confidence as artists while supporting one another and celebrating each other’s unique ideas and artistic voices.

Thank you for supporting the arts and encouraging your young artists throughout the school year!

Thank you PTA at Oak Ridge for the grant fundings. Mirrors for the art studio will be a tool used for years to come. A tool that is important for being able to see themselves and help them grow as a artist. Not only for drawing but for also interesting visual display to come. Thank you so much for seeing the importance for this material - our art studio will be grateful. Thank you for all your support throughout the year to Oak Ridge and its community.

Thank you PTA at Oakland for the huge undertaking of the Oakland Elementary art show! Beyond the set up, this opportunity to showcase the artwork of these young artists gives them a time to present and be prideful of their uniqueness, ideas in their creativeness. Thank you for the donations of art supplies/and tools like a tablet to help better process for ideation and tools like markers, paper, glue to help create that idea.

THANK YOU PTA FOR BEING THERE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY OF YOUNG ARTISTS!

Happy New Year Artists and families! I hope everyone had a fantastic break with whatever makes you happy and of course some art exploration in there also!

My break was good, I spent it at home with my family and just stayed there and enjoyed :)

Oh my goodness has time gone by--- a month has gone by since I've updated our page but here we go.

Adaptive art had been working on winter scenes, printmaking, using a variety of art materials. Also fireworks using same skills. Most currently adaptive artists are working on their self portraits inspired by Pop Art Artist Andy Warhol- connecting with color and printmaking using a copier and various art making tools.

DK Artists had been working on crating snowman, using mixed media to crate the letter of their first name. Artists this week also were working on a self portraits inspired by Pop Art Artist Andy Warhol- connecting with color and printmaking using a copier and various art making tools.

K Artists were working on winter memories. Illustrating what they love most about the winter and using pencil, sharpie and watercolor to add color and love to their work. K artists are currently working on color mixing with tempera paint to make a collage of a flower bouquet.

1 Artists also ceramicists. Made hand made pinch pots that they formed and glazed with colors of their choice. Artists are currently working on silhouettes of themselves, details of things that they love on the inside of their silhouette. We will add texture and paint in the last few chunks of lesson.

2 Artists were working through observation on leaves. Drawing them with detail and adding their colors of real or what they wanted the leaves to look like. This week they are learning about the stlye of art Keith Harring brought to the art world. Drawing the body simply and giving the body movement with line and color.

3 Artists before break created weavings using paper, oil pastels, glue and exploring color theory with blending two colors. This week they used clay to create a ceramic piece of their choice- scoring. slipping and attaching to make their clay stick!

4 Artists are courageous and committed to making their stop motion just right. Most are mid taking photographs for their stop motion film. And should come to a complete in the next two weeks. I have seen so much collaboration, problem solving, humor and such hard work as a studio class. We will share the stop motion work as soon a they are complete and celebrate with a viewing party to showcase their work.

5 Artists have been working on alot of illustration, storytelling in their work. We had worked on a memory of their choice and illustrated and painted using their choice of medium. These works are still a work in progress. Older artists have become more detailed, taking their time and thought og their work- work takes time to build in this stage of an artist. We have used a art medium also called art dice where you roll dice to create a prompt to draw using the categories displayed when rolled. The story telling that comes out is thoughtful, funny, reflective and can be challenging. Artists in between their illustrating, they have been working with clay. Their pieces have come out of the kiln and artists will start glazing their work and will be fired to have them shine.

Lots happening and growing in the art studio!

Conferences I will be at Oakland Elementary Wednesday November 12, 4-7 pm and Oak Ridge Elementary November 13, 1-3 pm & 4-7pm.

If you would like to email me with any questions- maria.elliott@royaloakschools.org

DK/K -Our youngest artists are learning the joys of being in the art studio! They’re practicing cutting, gluing, and creating with paper as they explore how to use art materials safely and responsibly. We’re learning how to share space, care for supplies, and express big ideas through small hands!

1-Students are discovering the world of architecture—learning about shapes, structure, and design. Through printmaking, coloring and painting we’re thinking like architects as we design our own dream buildings and creative cityscapes.

2- Inspired by colorful Mexican folk art, our 2nd graders are designing their own imaginative creatures called alebrijes! We’re learning paper mâché techniques and exploring pattern, color, and storytelling through sculpture.

3- Third graders are studying the expressive, energetic art of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Using bold lines, layered colors, and personal symbols, students are creating their own mixed-media artworks inspired by Basquiat’s unique visual language.

4- Fourth graders are exploring landscapes through drawing, painting, and photography. We’re studying perspective, light, and composition—learning how artists capture the beauty of places both real and imagined.

5- Our oldest artists are combining technique and imagination! Students are practicing zentangle drawing for focus and mindfulness, studying Dale Chihuly’s glass art for color and movement, and creating Tim Burton-inspired self-portraits that blend whimsy with self-expression.

Adaptive artists are engaging in a variety of art making/skills—cutting, gluing, sculpture, drawing, painting, photography, and self-expression. They are exploring materials and techniques at their own pace, building confidence, creativity, and joy in the art studio.

Good Evening all families, friends, and admires of Oakland and Oak Ridge artists!

At Oakland, I'm happy and excited to meet and learn about new artists that I've seen in the halls at Oakland as I taught only a few grades. Oakland holds a very special place in my heart as it is the school my son went to, the educators that have taught my son and connected with my family over the years. I have always been eager and grateful to share art with others- and I'm so very honored to be able to share/explore/create art with your artists.

This year at Oak Ridge I have the entire school creating in the art studio. This year I see all grades as I'm the only art teacher at Oak Ridge. We will have Mrs. H near by and hopefully pen palling with her artists at Keller and Upton.

I feel it's important to create community in the art studio and with the community it self. Making connections is important to me as a teacher and a resident of Royal Oak. In the art studio, I hope your artists can find ways to connect with their art, and with their peers artwork as well.

These first few weeks we will be reminded and practice high fives (Oak Ridge) and utilize them also at Oakland.

Kind

Respectful

Responsible

Cooperative

Safe

All of these we will use in the art studio. Being Kind to themselves and one another, respectful to themselves, one and another and as well to their art supplies. Responsible for themselves and art supplies and space. Cooperative with one another. Safe with themselves, others, art supplies and art studio.

If you have any questions. Feel free to email me @ maria.elliott@royaloakschools.org

Creating in May!

DK- TEXTURE TEXTURE TEXTURE- have them sing apart of the texture song lol. We're using art materials to create texture- (how something might feel, look, what it's made out of), line and expression with color in their artwork. We are using tempera paint, cardboard, paper, crayon, watercolor and glue.

K- Texture! Artists creating BIG MOODS. Learning about EMOJI, and why we use them, how artists use emotion in their artwork. We will be using Paper, Crayon, Sharpie and tempera cakes.

1- Painting! We've been exploring with tempera paint and making new colors. Subjects have been flowers and the night sky!

2- Printmaking! Artists made a stamp of their choosing of subject with styrofoam. We will make prints of their stamp using ink, paper and left over paper from their splatter exploration.

3- Weaving! Using textiles like yarn, string, ribbon can be a whole new sensory feeling, medium in their art making. No matter how big or small their weavings are- they gave it a go and I'm so proud!

Persevering artists!

4- Plein Air/Drawing! 4th ARTISTS are moving on from the technology/handcrafting sets from their stop motion and are entering a more rooted art experience! Plein Air- painting/and or drawing in the open air. This experience is an amazing way to learn and view their art.

5-Imagination! 5th Grade Artists have finished creating their "Door to anywhere". Illustrating a door and having the door open into a place they want to go- imagination/real/not so real place. We are going to be exploring art outside the last couple of weeks with Cyanotype and splatter paint (requested by almost middle schoolers).

Adaptive- Artists finding some comfort in their art materials and using the materials that help them create best! Trying new and old ways to create their work! We've been using tempera paint, dotters, paper, glue, oil pastels.

It's Spring time? LOL yes, yes it is. With the wind making it just a tad colder, but any weather is good for Art Studio. I'm very happy to be able to have artists have a place and time to create!

DK Had some play with making colors to create a rainbow with cardboard and tempera paint. After we used found items that went with that color and used bottle glue to put them on! Artists learning and play!

K artists at Upton are working on drawing/coloring painting what they want to be when they grow up. Brainstorming even if their not sure- what their hearts/brains think right now- might be silly to us but it is the world to them. They will have choice on which art material to color it with. At Oak Ridge artists are working on their own Artist inspired Jasper Johns Alphabet. Using mixed media to create their special alphabet using many of the art materials already used in studio and some new.

1 Artists at Oakland have painted and beaded their batik and are getting ready to hang soon for their Art Show April 23, with Trivia Night! 1 Artists at Oak Ridge had some play with a printmaking technique using Styrofoam, makers and water to create unique native Michigan flowers.

2 are using a new material-Rooving wool to create a image of their choice. Using fibers can be a challenge that has it rewards in the material.

3 will be exploring with fibers- weaving on cardboard with yarn/beads. Make a small step in using weaving can open the artists into new ideas on their artwork.

4 stop motion makers are in the middle of taking pictures for their short stop motion picture. Taking a lot of photographs and putting them all together to create a mini movie/clip. I'm so proud of the teamwork and really putting their ideas together to create.

5 Are currently in printmaking with Legos. Play with flat Lego pieces on, creating a image, design and them printing it using brayer(roller) and ink.

Adaptive artists are able to explore and use tools that are new, old, comfortable working with. Artists have been printmaking with stamps, forks to create backgrounds for multiple projects. We've been working with fibers, stamps and collage also.

All artists do get to explore Open Studio time, when they're finished with a chunk of the art project, they're able to go into open Studio-where they can choose the art that they would like to create with a selected amount of materials. Open studio is important for them to explore more at random their ideas, feelings and to problem solve and work with others. Open studio is so very much wanted but it is also earned. As long as the artist is coming in quietly, waiting for instructions, working on their art, cleans up, treats others and the art studio spaces respectfully, they will have that time.

Always a great time/important/ needed time to make art.

Happy Youth Art Month!

We celebrate Youth Art Month every time we come into the art studio. Everything time you pick up a mark making tool to create and express! Why not have a month of the year to highlight all the goodness that comes from Youth Art!

Adaptive: Creating works with cardboard, glue, paint and mixed media inspired by artist Josef Albers.

DK: Recently worked on artwork inspired by the book "The Dot" by Peter H Reynolds. Artists had mixed media to create their dot and made it their own.

K: It is also reading month- are artists are making mini pop out books of their neighborhood and room. Using paper, pencil, markers, crayons and colored pencils. We will finish with a small puppet of ourselves.

1: Artists are learning about batik and the culture this artwork finds its self. Our design will be about things that are important to us and or we like. We will be using fabric, glue and watered down acrylic, popsicle sticks to create our batik.

2: We're problem solving through weaving and using recycled materials. We have one final step of weaving handmade painted paper through our warp. Artists had a awesome playful experience with splatter paint,.

3: Artists are finishing up with their geometric and organic shapes -work inspired by Artist Reggie Laurent. We will put that final touch using a white posca marker and make our mark through their shapes.

4: Stop Motion is in motion for 4TH grade artists. Stop motion is taking a series of pictures (ALOT) and putting them all together to make a short movie. We started with brainstorming individually, worked our way into groups and playing with tablets. We are now staring to create our set. Lots of teamwork, problem solving and creativity to be had for stop motion!

5: Artists have been working on one point perceptive. We explored making cubes, and now are creating a one point perspective room using collage as a way to bring that room to life.

*All Art Studio artists!*

Please make sure we are using our studio expectations. Being respectful with your voices and words, using the art materials safely, cleaning up after your artwork. It's important for all of us.

March 22nd is the Royal Oak School Districts art show. I wish we could have all students work up, but at this time, there's a selected amount of artists. Please see info above. Hope to see you there regardless to support our young artists.

Last year, 191 entries and dozens of storefronts came to life with colorful student artwork. Only 16 days left for submissions, with cash prizes and the opportunity for student art to be viewed by the 600,000 monthly visitors to the district.

https://www.romi.gov/1827/I-Love-Royal-Oak-Drawing-Contest

SOO MUCH GLUE!

Adaptive Artists: Through inspiration from Charles McGee sculpture, artists printmaking strips and assembling them to create a sculpture that pops off the paper!

K Artists: With our painted paper and vases, K artists are putting together a collage of flowers - uniquely their own. Cutting, gluing, assembling, and using materials creatively and safely.

1 Artists: Exploring brush technique like artist Alma Thomas. Also learning about warm and cool colors. Artists will be creating an inspired by Thomas painting with tempera paint.

2 Artists: Weaving with recycled materials. Students will be creating the start of their weaving- by assembling a warp with cardboard, paper and glue. We will weave various materials under/over.

3 Artists: With snow days- we are still working on our self portraits with black glue and chalk. When completed we will be focusing on geometric and organic shapes inspired by Artist Reggie Laurent.

4 Artists: Artists are exploring and playing photography. They started creating sculptures with paper and were to be mindful of angle, light and "noise" in their snap shot. Being mindful what's in the frame. We will step into taking "selfies".

5 Artists: Contour pop self portraits using their school photograph. Exploring what is a contour, how to add color with various materials such as watercolor, texture plates. After complete artists will explore painting with tempera paints. Artists need to continue being mindful of the art space and utilizing materials creatively and safely. Also to make sure we are seated when creating unless they need a material.

It has been amazing in the art studios - but the amazing just gets better with every class!

Our artists continue exploring a variety of materials as well as putting thought through ideation- creating their ideas with brainstorming, studying the materials with play. Practicing and utilizing the art studio expectations with every class.

Adaptive Artists(Addams, Oakland, Oak Ridge): Collaborative Self Portraits using mixed media to make their marks. We will be glazing their clay creations, and then firing them afterwords. Artists are really finding ways to express themselves in their art by choice.

DK Artists (Addams): Artists just completed their collaborative self portraits using mixed media. Artists finding a routine in the art room. Practicing/and utilizing our art studio expectations is always in motion.

K Artists (Oak Ridge and Upton): Artists have completed their self portraits using pencil, sharpie and tempera cakes. Learning what a self portrait is and finding features they like about themselves, colors to fill in them and background. Students should be receiving their clay back soon to take home.

1 Artists (Oakland, Oak Ridge- Karczewski and Smith): Artists are working on their self portraits with mixed media and should be bringing home their pinch pots soon if not already.

2 Artists (Addams- Parker): Artists are currently working on their self portraits with watercolor and glue.

3 Artists (Oak Ridge- Kosnik, McBath): Artists have competed their coil pots and hopefully most have brought back home safely. We are moving on to self portraits with chalk and glue.

4 Artists (Oak Ridge): Artists will be bringing home their clay soon and starting on photography this week!

5 Artists (Oak Ridge- Snavley): Artists will be bringing home their clay soon and starting on self portraits using their school photograph and studying the contours, texture and color.

Brrrr it's December!

DK artists- Artists have continued working with paper, scissors, glue, crayons, and pencils as well as found objects to create assemblages of their initials.

This month we will be creating their own snowman using, pencil, paper, sharpie and watercolor. They will also continue with Open Studio- exploring materials they're continue developing.

K artists- Artists were able to explore clay using a stylus and clay in making their own mark into the clay. Once bisque fired into Kiln, artists will glaze. While we wait for firing, we will be working on the theme of winter and what that means to them in illustration.

1st artists- Artists are beginning to complete their silhouette collage and will be working on clay very soon.

2nd artists- Their "not just a pinch pot" clay creation has been fired and they will be glazing very soon. Artists also are making snowflakes for a collage to come later.

3rd artists- Coil pots are out of the Kiln and are ready to be glazed!

4th artists- Artists are working on a pinch pot with a top. Using the pinch pot, and coil method. It can be functional or just what they in vision. Still building these and once all grades complete/ and clay has been dried out. In the kiln it will go and glaze comes next.

5th artists- Completing their sphere watercolor of their own creation. Using different techniques in watercolor but creating a artwork with a sphere form. After we will start on clay.

ASD artists- Lots of tactical materials building up new things every week. This week- a winter scene using mixed media. Also clay snowballs- artists can stamp what they chose on their clay. Once dried out, clay will go into kiln and we will glaze last.

I'm very happy to offer and have students explore art. They have so much creativity, curiosity and drive to express themselves. Our daily routine is important for the artists smooth learning and to make sure they are making safe and responsible choices.

Routine goes like this:

-Come in sit quietly and wait for instruction.

-Demo: Talk about what happened last week in the art studio- what today will bring(the lesson)- what will happen after- questions-etc.

-Studio time: Time to explore/make the art. Open studio if time allows( Where if they finish early, students can explore materials with ideas they might have)

Clean up/return to seat.

-Artist share

-Line up quietly.

Hello November to all!

DK artists- Artists have been continuing exploring with glue, paper, scissors, paint, pencils and crayons.

K artists- Artists have been learning about cave art. Using a variety of materials like charcoal pencil, crayon and paint to create their own version of cave art .

1 artists- Artists have started learning about silhouettes and collaging using themselves as the main subject.

2 artists- Artists had explored movement with human movements- creating a pose of themselves or a peer in movement. Artists will be creating with clay soon!

3 artists- The studio was busy last week as the 3 artists created a coil pot. Once coil pot is dried, in the kiln it will go and artists will glaze pots.

4 artists- Artists are finishing up their printmaking with a sugar skull they created. Artists will be creating with clay soon.

5 artists- Artists are exploring/experimenting techniques with watercolor in a variety of ways. They will take these techniques in creating a sphere of a planet/ or disco ball.

ASD artists- explore in open process with materials and subjects that they find interest and as well one guided instruction process- this week was a poppy field.

Teacher Conferences:

November 14

Oak Ridge 1pm-3pm

Oakland 4pm-7pm

December 5

Upton 4pm-7pm

If you would like to arrange a meeting /or chat other than the times above: please email me at maria.elliott@royaloakschools.org

Thank you so much who purchased an item of my Amazon wish list for Addams. ASD, DK and 2nd grade will all put them to artistic use!

1st grade: has finished their soup cans and should be seen on Artsonia soon and taken home also.

2nd grade: Has finished their Organic and geometric shape paintings, found on Artsonia soon and have hopefully found their way home by artist.

5th grade: Are working on zentangles in way of a "faux" stained glass. We will be adding color this week.

DK: Exploring and working on scissors, cutting, gluing, painting. Keeping the materials moving and changing to learn to play and use materials responsibly. Painting/collage will be up on Artsonia soon and coming home ASAP.

ASD: Working with mixed media and open process with their work. Choice is important as well as exploration with tools they are comfortable expressing with. Open process paintings will be up on Artsonia soon and are hanging in the hallway currently.

ASD Artists are exploring a variety of materials- Tempera paint, paint sticks, washi tape, glued paper, while creating.

DK Artists have been working with primary/secondary colors crayons, with tearing, ripping, cutting, and gluing various colored paper to make a creation of their own.

K Artists are working with watercolor, pushing the paint on the paper. Started with yellow watercolor and using blue to create green leaves on top.

1st grade Artists were given the question- "If I had a SOUP CAN." What would their soup can be filled with? Chicken Noodle soup,Hearts, Pokemon, tornado- are some of the examples students came up with.

2nd grade Artists is exploring organic shapes with oil pastels and tempera cakes. Creating movement and shapes outside the "normal" geometric shapes.

3rd Grade Artists is working on symbolic trees using various lines inspired by Gustav Klimt. Materials used are colored pencils, makers, sharpie-so far.

4th grade Artists are exploring sunrise and sunsets using cool and warm colors with colored pencils. We will learn some sewing, weaving techniques to add more details and media.

5th grade Artists are tuning into zen. Creating zentagles with lines, pattern and repetition. We will take this zen tangle to the next level in a different medium very soon!

*Our class expectations will be posted this week!*