Laoshi's Paper Cuts 老师的剪纸

大家你好！ 这是我的剪纸！你喜欢不喜欢？

Hello Everyone! These are my paper cuts! Do you like it?

Summer Paper Cuts

Summer School Crafty Kids have been learning more about creating paper cut shadow puppets. Crafty kids experimented creating bats, clowns, cats, crabs, trees, and even anchors. I love the way as the week progressed and student's skills enhanced how they began to add more color, new shapes, and shadow puppet stories blossomed. I even got to enjoy lovely shadow puppet shows presented by the student artists.

Ms. Decurtis has took time out of her busy schedule to draw more templates for cutting. I can't wait to finish her lovely Chinese bonsai tree for our shadow shows. What a treat kids will have when they return to school!

More Paper Cuts Please!

Summer Fun 1st graders had a good time creating their own paper cuts. After students created their masterpieces we hung it in the window. Even Ms. Tori had a good time trying her hand at a paper cut.

Paper cutting is not just a Chinese art of the past. Modern day artists all over the world create a variety of paper cuts to wow and charm your senses. Check out this list of websites to learn more about the many, many varieties of paper cut art:
http://www.suzy-taylor.blogspot.com/
http://www.ruralpearl.com/
http://papercutting.blogspot.com/
http://www.papercutters.org/

When are you going to try making your own paper cut? It is easy to get started. Simply print a stencil (I like to use Google Images and type in "paper cuts"). Once you have copied your stencil grab your scissors and cut away!

Stand by for detailed instructions.

Chinese Paper Cutting

Summer Fun grade 1 and 5 students have starting paper cutting. Ms. DeCurtis (LJA Artist and Physical Plant Manager) created lovely symestrical designs for us to start with. We cut butterflies, turtles, tigers, bears, fish, and traditional Hawaiian flowers. Students enjoyed Ms. DeCurtis drawing difficult designs for us to tackle! Getting started in paper cutting is easy. All you need is a nice pattern and a pair of scissors.

The ancient art of paper cutting orignated in China. The Chinese word for paper cutting is 剪纸 jian3 zhi3. 剪 jian3 means scissors or to cut with scissors and 纸 zhi3 means paper. To this very day Chinese people are very fond of decorating their doors, windows, and classrooms with lovely, original paper cuts. The artist uses red paper to create the design and then mounts it on a white background to display and enjoy. And everybody knows the Chinese invented paper! They certainly found a lovely use of their invention!

While paper cutting is widely attributed to the Chinese culture, many cultures around the world have beautiful forms of this charming art. Some countries are know for the use of vivid colors (Mexico and Poland) or folding the paper before cutting (Japanese kirigami), you may even find watercolor splashed in a paper cut. Take a look at Angie Pickman's modern American paper cuts at http://ruralpearl.com/blog/. Her work will dazzle and inspire you!

Paper cuts can come in all sizes and shapes and you can make one, too. Try making a bookmark, a wall hanging, a greeting card, or even an invitation to tea. The possibilities are endless. Hey! Maybe Ms. DeCurtis would give Keiki Chinese artistic license to publish one of her designs for you to print and cut at home. Don't forget to show me your finished product!

Sorry...no student photos today. Stand by, the pictures will be ready soon.

Shen Yen Performing Arts

Laoshi and Mrs. Allen (LJA Music Teacher) attended the Shen Yen Performing Arts show yesterday at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Shen Yen is an interesting mix of western and Chinese music and dance. The performers are New York based Chinese who have dedicated to Chinese music, dance, and martial arts. The Blaisdell was a packed house and the show was a real crowd pleaser.

The Red Dragon Society Mah Jongg Club is still looking for a fourth player for Thursday 6-10-10. Anyone intersted in learning or joining in a friendly game or two?

Learn Mah Jongg !

Red Dragon Society Mah Jongg Club was in full swing yesterday. Welcome to our precious Mrs. Allen who joined our club! Lisa, as always, was a wonderful and patient teacher. It is enlightening to start understanding a little strategy and how it applies.

Our next Mah Jongg Club meeting will be Thursday, June 10, 2010 from 3:30 - 5:00. We are looking for a third player! Don't worry if you don't know how to play. We are all about learning!

Check out the American Mah Jongg Association website http://www.amja.net/ for a few tips on getting started.

Mah Jongg Vocabulary

麻将 ma2 jiang4 mah jongg
生词 sheng1 ci vocabulary
打牌 da3 pai2 play mah jongg
花 hua1 flower
时节 shi2 jie2 season
竹 zhu2 bamboo
圈子 quan1 zi circle; dot
汉子 han3 zi characters
北风 bei3 feng1 north wind
南风 nan2 feng1 south wind
东风 dong1 feng1 east wind
西风 xi1 feng1 west wind
中 zhong1 middle
红龙 hong2 long2 red dragon
白龙 bai2 long2 white dragon
绿龙 lu long green dragon
拌沙拉 ban4 sha1 la1 tossed salad
一 二 三 四 五 六 七 八 九