I am so grateful for all of you that take the time to look at my site and write me a kind note — you have no idea how happy it makes me feel!
Teaching art is my passion. I absolutely love my job and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I am so grateful that I am able to do what I do!
I hope that my lessons, teaching ideas, advice, and insights are helpful to other art educators out there, and that you enjoy reading my posts whether you are an art teacher, other educator, parent, student, or anyone!
If you would like to add a comment- you can fill out the form below (you can tell me not to include your name if you’d like) and I will add it to this page!
Comment bar is at the very bottom of the comments
Thank you!
Emma Vall says:
WOW! From a retired teacher to you, this is the most fantastic, unselfish, beautiful expression of art and dedication that I have seen in many years. Sharing step by step your work with the students is helping more new Art Teachers that you can imagine. Work like this must be shared with the world. The creativity is excellent, the student’s pictures are gorgeous and joyfull. The art is impressive. I have looked over your posts, and extensions many times. It brings joyful memories and happpiness just to read, and look at everything. Thank you from me, my grand daughter, who is beggining as an art teacher, and from many little art enthusiasts who are loving your work. My congratulations to all the little artist who participated in this. This is July 2025. Can you imagine that people are still reading, enjoying, and learning from all of you? This is priceless. The little artists are all grown up around 14 years old, and still sharing with the world. I wish everyone success, and to you, your work will always enlighten others, and that is what Art is supposed to do.
Matthew Graham says:
You’re an amazing art teacher! I’ve been teaching art for 11 years, mainly in the older grades but I started teaching the younger ones a few years ago. Your lesson ideas have been an instpiration for me. Thank you!
Cassie Stephens says:
Thank you so much for this!! Doing this with ALL my kiddos, I love it so much. My sub will be starting it while I”m away. Thank you for the details!! xo! Cassie
Christi Tallent says:
We love your art class ideas!!! Years ago my two kiddos and I did your Christmas trees with the black night sky and stars. We are going to do the owls next! We just got new watercolors!
Thank you so much for sharing this content with the world. You make it a better place.
Kimberly Ferguson says:
AUGUST 5, 2025 AT 3:56 AM
Really like how these 5th grade art lessons build both skills and confidence. Perfect mix of creativity and guidance!
Amber says:
JULY 29, 2024 AT 3:49 PM
You are awesome! You remind me so much of my elementary school art teacher. Whom I have fond memories of and learned so much Freon. Mostly, to be creative and to love art! I’m so excited to have found your page. Thanks you, for being an inspiration and a wonderful teacher!
Dianne M Papes says:
Love your website! I’m an art therapist but find your ideas so helpful!!
Sarah says:
APRIL 10, 2020 AT 2:10 PM
These are amazing. Thanks for sharing. I cannot wait to do these with my own kids!
Jacquie says:
JUNE 29, 2021 AT 11:08 AM
Wow! Very impressive art creations! Thank you for sharing. I will be teaching grade 2 art this coming year and your ideas are just perfect.
jean priest says:
Love your art lessons. I have tried so many of them. Thank you!
Alice Herz says:
I love your Op Art 3D Paper Cone Drawings! Thank you for sharing all your wonderful ideas!
Katerina says:
These are beautiful!! Thank you for sharing all the steps with great explanations and visuals!! I tried this a couple of years ago with 5th graders and did not have such amazing results. I would definately love to try again. Where did you get the building/ architectural reference sheets from?
Katie says:
JANUARY 7, 2021 AT 1:16 AM
Can you be my art teacher? You must be an angel! These are going to help me so much during my first semester of teaching. Thank you!
Teresa Sheeley says:
Hi there! Do you have a blog post about teaching from a cart? I’ve taught in the regular classroom for 10 years and was just hired to teach art K-5. I may have to be on a cart and am trying to find any help I can get! Thank you!
Tee says:
FEBRUARY 3, 2021 AT 9:15 PM
I am loving these projects! After 30 years of teaching language arts, I am now an elementary teacher of art :-). Thank you so much for sharing these lessons.
icisharmon says:
All of these art are so amazing.
Lilly Lee says:
MARCH 10, 2025 AT 10:13 AM
you are such a giver to the community, I can see how much the kids enjoy your art projects!!! you are a blessing, God bless you!
Jeff Turick says:
I love seeing the Primary Colors music video shared. Glad it was useful for your curriculum. It was such fun to film!
Elizabeth Lee says:
Very impressive project. Your students are amazingly good! Makes me miss my teaching.
Linda Dougherty says:
Mrs. Filmore, You are a true inspiration, last days of school are filled with some fun art thanks to your creativity!
Nancy Mboya says:
MAY 16, 2025 AT 7:05 AM
Hello. I like your blog and thank you so much for your blog. I was looking for fun activities in Arts for my grades 1-3 learners. I’m Nancy Mboya from Nairobi,Kenya.
Sha Clark says:
Mollie,
I am writing to thank you for sharing your incredible art lessons. I am a fifth grade science and social studies teacher in California. This summer, I was invited to teach at a K-8 school in China, all expenses paid. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go to Asia, so I said yes! After months of emails and efforts to determine what subject and what ages I would be teaching, I was assigned to teach Western Art to one class of 1st and 2nd graders for four hours a day. Although I love art and first and second graders are cute, I had little experience with either. That’s where your fabulous art lessons came in…3d paper sculptures, Monet’s water lilies and the Japanese Bridge, Matisse’s cutouts…the students had so much fun learning about these artists and recreating your ideas. Now that I’ve returned home, I wanted to take a minute to thank you so very much. Your creativity shines through in all your clever projects and your generosity in sharing your ideas is so very much appreciated. My little artists had a ball. Thank you!
Heather Hansen says:
Hi Mollie! I’m a soon-to-be art teacher. I just love your lesson plans and I am so grateful for your resourceful website! Keep up the fantastic work and thank you for sharing so much!
christina De Sousa says:
Your blog is really amazing!
I love how you have organized your infor & I am always afraid your blog will be removed, please never do!
I have a beautiful dog too. She is a ten year old lab mutt & has been recently showing her age, I know the love of our fur babies can never be replaced.
robin williams says:
I absolutely love your lessons and so do our students, parents, and staff!
Thank you
Robin
Cara Borcherds says:
WOW .. and now we have read aloud story time to go with your inspirational ideas !
Perhaps you could make up a catalogue of your books. I can spy some of my favourites on your bookshelf in your art room.
I was incredibly lucky to study foundation phase teaching in Cape Town, South Africa, with Prof. Karin Murris who introduced us to philosophy for children with picture books, Picture books and read aloud’s is a must when working with young children.
Eagerly awaiting your next read aloud and blog posts.
Judit says:
You are so inspiring, the artists seem to be having lots of fun wirh you ideas! I am excited to try a few of your ideas with my students! Thank you for sharing, the muses be with you 😉
Greetings from Berlin! Judit
Dawn says:
I’m homeschooling my 1st and 2nd graders this year and this is by far the best art resource I’ve come across. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful ideas!
Dianne M Papes says:
These are so colorful, creative, and vibrant!!
Lisa Lachler says:
Thank you for sharing your art project ideas! I am wondering if you can share your plane template for the skywriting project?
Tiffany Fenzel says:
Hi Mollie. This year I am homeschooling my 8 year old son who is starting the 3rd grade. Creating a curriculum with no past experience has been a struggle. Thanks to you, I now have the tools for him to exceed in Art class. I greatly appreciate all of the work that you have put into your page.
val says:
Hi – I love this project and would love a copy of your questions if possible so I don’t reinvent your wheel 😉
Megan says:
Hello Mollie, I have found you on the web. I am homeschooling my youngest three children (3, 9, and 10) and we are so happy to have found you. We will be doing ALL the things 🙂 Yesterday we completed the bear portraits and today we’ll start the tissue hearts. I wanted to say I especially love the read-a-louds. I bet you’re everyone’s favorite teacher! From one old teacher to the next–keep it up!
P.S., I really liked your portrait of Petey. Very distinguished. We recently lost our dog, Sable, and I think in time that may be a nice project for the kids.
Thanks so much,
Meg Wolfe and the Pups
Nathalie says:
Thank your for all these detailed and wonderful ideas. I can’t wait to try many of them with my grade one students next year.
Jennifer says:
Thank you for sharing! I want to do these with my kids and with my future students!
marlise says:
wow thank you thank you! for these lovely ideas for my grade 1 class.
Shantel Peaden says:
I just want to say that this is such a wonderful resource! Thank you for sharing such detail in your explanations including what the learning goals are and how you teach them. You clearly are a wonderful teacher and I’m so grateful that you are willing to share your talent and hard work.
Yochana Sandler says:
Fabulous ideas, and well planned. After a long hiatus with art finally getting back into teaching. I’m looking forward to it and your blog will definitely be a big source of ideas and inspiration. Thank You!!
Ana says:
DECEMBER 26, 2019 AT 10:49 PM
Wow! I totally appreciate your detailed steps for this lesson. So excited to try it with my students!
ana maria says:
MARCH 22, 2020 AT 6:23 AM
que maravilla de ideas para hacer con nuestros niños y niñas. Muchas gracias. (What wonderful ideas for things to do with our children! Thank you so much!)
sarrah Dillon says:
2020 Quarantine: Thank you so much! I am hosting a virtual art club and your ideas are amazing.
Jen says:
Thank you for your absolutely amazing blog. During the 2020 Quarantine, you are hands-down the best art resource out there. I love your lessons, your explanations and we’ve done most of them. As a person who’s not a trained teacher you’ve made it easy for me to teach about art and how to explore the world in different ways through shape, pattern, color and thought.
Caroline Gilbert says:
Wow! Thank you so much for all these great ideas!
Narelle says:
Wonderful, concise lessons.Terrific art process. thank you for your generosity in sharing.
Tracy McMillan says:
APRIL 1, 2024 AT 1:07 PM
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas!
Cara says:
MAY 21, 2019 AT 2:30 PM
I love your abstract/black and white picture and color background with statements about themselves! Very cool! Which paint would work best on canvas?! How would you glue the pictures and statements on canvas? Should I use some hodge podge?Thanks for your help!!
Sarah says:
I will be a new art teacher in a couple weeks. Thank you so much for the wonderful ideas!! My favorite place I’ve been to on Pinterest so far!!
Lori says:
Great ideas for a new art teacher! Thank you for sharing!
Jamie says:
Thank you for putting all this together! This is going to help me so much! I’m not an artist but I’m trying to bring fun art projects and art lessons to a small school that doesn’t have an art program right now. Love it! Thank you!!!!
Connie says:
As a homeschooling mom with limited artist ability, I struggle with art projects. I’m good with crafts, but I’m lost with art. Thanks so much for the awesome project. I did this with my 4 and 8 year old for a homeschooling art display. They loved answering the questions and seeing their photos on their works of art. My 8 year old son found an abstract work of art and duplicated it in his own style. Thanks again!!
Judit says:
Such vivid art and simple ideas! Thank you so much for this wonderful site! Best wishes, stay healthy and creative! Judit
Monica says:
As a new to homeschool mom, I thoroughly enjoyed teaching these lessons to my daughter during our inaugural school year. Even though I majored in art (fashion design specifically), I struggled to translate my knowledge into lessons suitable for a second grader. This was the perfect solution. Thank you for your time and dedication to documenting and sharing your lessons and these beautiful projects your students completed. Sending you peace and continued good health.
Sarah says:
Thank you for sharing these beautiful projects! I am also newly homeschooling this year and was looking for ideas to increase our art time each week and make it a little more intentional. I love all of these ideas! I noticed in the Birch Tree Landscapes section you mentioned giving students a packet of “how to draw animals” instructions. Would you happen to have a link for this? Thank you!
Christina says:
MAY 28, 2021 AT 2:40 PM
Just wanted to let you know that these artworks are the best ever!! these are such great ideas and thank you for sharing. i am working for a Housing Authority with Resident’s Children and we are going to try some of these out.
Jennifer says:
All of these projects are just super awesome and it has helped me in my research of how to present art lessons as a new homeschool teacher to my niece. (I’m helping by working on specialty lessons for her and I think she will absolutely love and be proud of her work! In the first project you listed, the self-portrait, what questions did you ask the kids by chance? Thank you again for sharing your amazing ideas, work and tips!
Arlene Wilson says:
I absolutely LOVE your journal idea. I wish I had seen this at the beginning of the school year. I teach art to all the K-1 students in my school every Friday. There have been times when a student journal would have been so helpful! I will definitely do this next year!
Mel says:
I am from South Africa tutoring grade 1 and 2 We have done 2 of the artworks so far. Under the sea and self portrait. My kids loved them and they came out amazing. Thank you. I am so looking forward to more art. And best of all is I am not even an art kinda person yet these turn out awesome.
Nadia Gutierrez says:
FEBRUARY 19, 2021 AT 4:49 PM
I am very glad to find your blog. Greetings from Peru.
robin williams says:
SEPTEMBER 18, 2024 AT 1:55 PM
These ARE amazing thank you for sharing you are SOOOOO generous!!!
I will implement many of these lessons of which I needed b/c the day before school started they needed an afternoon elementary art teacher, these lessons are a life saver for me, gracias!
ZEHAVIT says:
DECEMBER 10, 2024 AT 5:28 AM
Great job for everyone!!!! i used some of your ideas and the kids were thrilled with them. THANK YOU AND GREETINGS FROM ISRAEL.
Lynnea Gordon says:
Thank you for this amazing resource! I used your 2nd grade lessons and am looking forward to this year and following your 3rd grade guides while homeschooling our twin 8 year olds.
mathewlovesart says:
omg I love this art ITS SO COOL!!!
Schnora Gardiner says:
these are some great lessons. this is my first year teaching art in the primary school grades 1-6 and these lessons will help me a lot. thanks
Vickie Boggs says:
JULY 20, 2019 AT 2:48 PM
Love the printing techniques with the colorful backgrounds. Been teaching for 25 plus years and I am always looking for new ideas. Great ideas. Thank you.
Tina Stoner says:
Thank you so much for posting these wonderful projects! Our elementary doesn’t have a designated art teacher (makes me sad!), so I try to fit in several art projects each year with my 4th graders. I’m going to use the Believe in Your Selfie the first week of school! I would also like to find the time for the Radial Symmetry Printmaking. It’s nice that the project can be divided into different days. Where do you get the styrofoam for the printmaking? I was thinking about using styrofoam plates. Thanks!
Clare says:
Oh my goodness, I am a first year art teacher who was feeling a little lost for inspiration and now feel like I have more than enough!! Thank you so much!
Kat says:
FEBRUARY 24, 2021 AT 9:02 AM
OMG!!! I am in College now and have been stressed as I am only 2 semesters away from graduating and am having to come up with lesson plans that can be taught from k-5 right now and have stressed when thinking of how to do elementary! But I am loving these ideas and i also love how you go step by step about your days and give examples of the outcomes! I am so nervous to begin my infield experience but I am so thankful for this resource you have provided! saving this to my book marks now !!
Renee says:
Mrs. Filmore. Thank you. I love your lessons and they are so thorough. Question: What brand of oil pastels do you prefer for the classroom. I adopted an art room with a box of mish-mash chalks and I need to invest in a good set in a large quantity. Thanks again.
Terri says:
Since this lock down I have found some wonderful inspiration from here to share with my kids. Thank you! We made the paper cones today and I have a list of three other projects I want to start with them soon just from your 5th grade section. Thanks for putting this out there! I shared your link with friends as well.
Heather says:
SEPTEMBER 19, 2020 AT 6:17 AM
Thank you so much. I am homeschooling this year and the only course without a book for me to follow was ART! Your lessons line up almost perfectly with our curriculum goals for grade 5 so with some Artist research I now have a great plan to start the year with and don’t feel as intimidated.
Dawna Talgorn says:
Love these lessons! Question: what kind of paint did you use for the blue in the evening forest perspective paintings? And what kind of black markers do you recommend for the “Falling for Foreshortening” lesson?
Thanks!
thomas l scelza says:
thanks so much for the ideas, just did a value study and had left over paint, evening forest is a perfect place to use it. thanks.
Fran Jackso says:
APRIL 30, 2022 AT 6:54 PM
Thank you, they’re great ideas which I can adapt slightly to enable my students can fully access our visual arts program!
Mary Harris says:
JULY 25, 2022 AT 8:57 PM
Love your work! I have an autistic son and work as a paraprofessional with autistic students. I have led many art projects over the years. I love the students’ enthusiasm for the arts. I can tell you do also.
Matthew Giordano says:
APRIL 6, 2021 AT 9:47 AM
Hi, Mrs.Fimore I wanted to check your app when I saw it. I will see you soon! The art looks great. I am going to show this to my friends so they can check it out. It is Matthew G. From Amvet!
Matthew Giordano says:
Hi, It’s em Matthew. I saw that you had this and I wanted to check it out. See you and art. I am happy you liked the art video I did. I hope you stay as the Art teacher. It’s Matthew From Amvet. I will see you later. Miss you. Have fun in Art classes.
Belinda Pritchard says:
Thanks you so much for sharing these with us. I love creativity and so as my kids. I will definitely try the water lily. Looks amazing and very easy to do.
Thanks again.
Schnora Gardiner says:
This is my first year as an art teacher, teaching grades 1-6 in the Bahamas. This site will help me greatly. Thanks great ideas
Sally says:
This is an awesome blog! I’m so glad I found it. This is my first year teaching art!
Do you have the powerpoint and videos for the super hero pictures?
Joan Carlson says:
Love your ideas!
Danielle says:
I Love your lessons!!! Thankyou for the inspiration!!!
Megan Anderson says:
APRIL 9, 2024 AT 5:26 PM
I LOVE the projects you have! Especially the 4th grade options. My wonder is if you have lesson plans or directions with templates available to use? 4th grade teacher that is NOT artsy and want to bring more art into the classroom.
Ana says:
Hi! Do yo have any videos or activities for like Mother’s Day or other special days classroom teachers need ideas for? LOVE YOUR PAGE! We just did the Bunny with the watercolor background!
Cheyenne says:
Hi! I was wondering if you have any posts about the first week of art class and procedures you go over with the class?
Adam O’Malley says:
Good Morning! Is there any chance I might use some of the photos of the student’s artwork for a lesson guide on abstract art for my students? Great lessons!
Ted says:
Hello,
Would you please tell me how you created the student images for your abstract self-portrait activity, as well as, how you cut the images out?
Celeste says:
Hi I love so many of your lessons! Thanks so much for sharing them with all of us. Could you please email me a copy of the questions you used for the Abstract Self-Portrait Paintings?
Celeste says:
APRIL 6, 2021 AT 8:48 PM
Thanks again just went through the paintings and made a list of the questions. Very much looking forward to trying this project!
Gladys Roldan says:
SEPTEMBER 4, 2021 AT 12:14 PM
Hello Mrs Filmore
My name is Gladys, I found your page because I was searching for ideas about important supplies for a middle school art classroom. This school year I was given the opportunity to teach art at the Christian school I have worked for many years and I am starting from scratch. A blank slate and a small budget.
I’m searching for ideas to have a successful classroom and a beautiful one also.
I know that it will take time, but I want to know what works well for students from successful teachers.
Thank you for your sharing your classroom and ideas. I love your classroom and wish I could visit but I’m in California.
Do you mind if I take some of your ideas and use them? And also I welcome any guidance you have to share about classroom management, specially safety and clean up. And last do you have any information of free art supplies or grants that could help us to improve classroom.
Thank you again for the information and congratulations on a beautiful art classroom. With my regards Gladys Roldan. ( newbie art teacher)
Erin Taylor says:
You have some amazing ideas! Thank you for sharing!
Nancy Kuenzer says:
Your art room is beautiful! Could you tell me the size of the rectangular tables and are shown first on this web page?
Thank You
Slot333 says:
SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 AT 11:39 AM
Hi! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a team of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche.
Your blog provided us valuable information to work on.
You have done an outstanding job!
Gabby Olvera says:
Hi Mrs. Fillmore,
I want to thank you creating this wonderful site ! I am working on a list art supplies for our Art club at our school. But I have in the past use some of your art lesson and my students have been excited to see their accomplishments. As I scroll on your page art room/organization would you be able to put the size of bins you use? Greatly appreciation !
Gabby says:
Great pictures love the details of the leaves! Did you print the leaves and cut them as templates for the students?
Dianne M Papes says:
Absolutely love your art interventions!! Wonderful, thank you!!
Fran says:
Welcome back! I so enjoyed going through your lessons and examples.
janet wolfe says:
Great end of the year Project!!! Or beginning!!!
Thank you!
Sabi says:
Hi Mollie,
I just descovered your blog and I love it! Thanks for sharing this awesome projects you do with the kids! The way you describe it and add pictures makes it easy to reproduce. And I liked all the useful information you add to it like for the Van Gogh project. Thanks!
Would you mind sharing your step by step drawing instructions ? 😊
janet says:
Love this lesson…did you listen to any particular music for this lesson?
Kerry Summers says:
These are amazing! I am going to try these with my art classes. Do you have the leaf templates?
Ren Wright-Trapino says:
Nice ideal for FALL! Thank you for sharing this fun idea!
Ren
Center Point, TX
Amy Martin says:
DECEMBER 6, 2025 AT 10:55 PM EDIT
I’m a new elementary art teacher, including some special needs classes. I so appreciate you sharing your wonderful art lessons! Thank you!
Hillary says:
DECEMBER 7, 2025 AT 5:00 PM EDIT
Thank you for writing this blog! It’s been the best art plans and ideas I’ve found as a grade 2/3 teacher starting out my first year with my own classroom. We’ve made your negative space hands, a few 3D winter mugs, and are going to be trying this lesson this week. My class and I love your lessons!
jasmine Biary says:
DECEMBER 5, 2025 AT 10:23 PM EDIT
Dear Mrs. Filmore,
I am so grateful for all the fun, creative, amazing art you share with the world, I am a second grade homeroom teacher, and I teach in a small private school in a small town called Panama city in Florida, homeroom teachers were required to teach art once or twice weekly, I would always visit your site to take ideas, I appreciate you taking your time to share your work step by step for us teachers. I shared your website with all my teacher friends so they can find ideas for their classes as well. Again, thank you so much for sharing your Art! It takes a selfless person to share this work to the world! keep doing an amazing job.
Sandra Snider says:
NOVEMBER 30, 2025 AT 10:45 PM EDIT
I love these I cannot wait to try them with my kids in my classroom. Merry Christmas
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