Triada Samaras: Mindful Art and Yoga Teacher Training

I have started a very special Teacher Training Certification Course in Mindful Art and Yoga. I just completed this exercise below Breath Drawing. This exercise is copyright Cynthia Hauk MFA,  2025, Mindful Creative Muse Creator (see below for more info).  

I will have much more to say about this process as I continue but I do want to say that I have become inspired to travel in this direction due especially to my continuing Healing Journey with Long Covid at Mount Sinai Hospital Long Covid Treatment Program (especially emotional regulation support groups). This led to my creation of a new Professional Development Workshop for teachers  "Art for Emotional Balance" workshop in Spring 2025 for YANJ/PA  encouraged by the always brilliant, Michelle Marigliano Sr. Director of Education and Equity at Young Audiences Arts for Learning NJ/Eastern PA

And this all led me directly to Cynthia!  Mindful Art and Yoga Teacher Training Accredited Certification created by Cynthia Hauk MFA

Life like Art is PROCESS.

warmly Triada

Triada Samaras: Trenton NJ Professional Development Day: Art for Emotional Balance

Above: From: Diving Beneath Behaviors | Lori Desautels | TEDxBrown County Schools   Neuroscience and Education

Trenton Board of Education

October 7, 202

Professional Development Day: Teachers K-12

Art for Emotional Balance

Triada Samaras with Young Audiences of New Jersey/Eastern PA

Art for Emotional Balance | Young Audiences NJ & Eastern PA

"Using Visual Arts Practices to Support Emotional Equilibrium in the Classroom: In this interactive workshop, educators will explore simple yet powerful visual arts practices that support emotional regulation and student well-being. Techniques such as mindful doodling, slow drawing, neurographic art, and color exploration help students manage stress, improve focus, and engage more deeply in learning. As Dr. Lori Desautels, a leader in brain-based education, explains, “When students are regulated, they learn better,” and these practices offer practical strategies for achieving just that."

What is emotional regulation?

"At its core, emotional regulation is about recognizing how you feel, understanding why you feel that way, and choosing what to do next. It includes the ability to pause before reacting, to soothe yourself after a difficult moment, and to keep going even when something feels hard."

Why is Emotional Regulation important for teaching and learning?

Using Anchors for Emotional Regulation Dr. Lori Desautels

Connection to: SEL Standards in New Jersey: Teacher's Guide | Speechscape

Key Components of SEL Standards:  Self Awareness, Social Awareness, Self Management, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision Making

What does emotional regulation look like in the classroom?

• Taking deep breaths when feeling overwhelmed or upset

• Naming emotions instead of lashing out

• Choosing a calming art activity when they feel dysregulated e.g. mindful doodling, slow drawing, etc.

• Asking for help instead of withdrawing

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Workshop

1. Breathwork 

2. Emotional Regulation Chart and Feelings Wheel: Self Research

3. Mindful Doodling (Squiggling) Free Walk, Spiral, Waves, Invent an Image,

4. Neurographic Art

5. Closure:  Back to Emotional Regulation Chart

More Resources:

Emotional regulation in the classroom: Why it matters more than ever

More than 8 out of 10 U.S. Schools Implement SEL, Nearly All States Have Supportive Policies 

Art/Relaxation/Breathwork:

Flower & Candle Breathing for Kids | Mindful Breathing for Kids | Calming Techniques 

Pause for five purr-fect breaths

The Forest Guided Imager

Minute Guided Beach Meditation For Kids, Preteens, Teenagers, and Classrooms

Neurographic Art | Art Therapy: Step by Step Instructions

Draw Yourself Calm: Draw Slow, Stress Less: Maricle, Amy

Art for Emotional Learning

Target Audience: K-12 Teachers Aligned Standards: New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Visual and Performing Arts and New Jersey and New Jersey Social and Emotional Learning Standards/SEL 1-5

Triada Samaras, an accomplished arts educator and visual artist, will demonstrate methods that teachers can easily integrate into any grade or subject area. These techniques align with New Jersey’s Social and Emotional Learning Standards and can be implemented with minimal time and resources, helping teachers create a balanced, supportive classroom environment where all students can thrive.

Above: Neurographic Art by Triada Samaras 2025

TRIADA SAMARAS - Artwork

Drawing Lab!

For the fourth and final workshop in Observational Drawing at the Paterson Steam High School, Professor Triada Samaras is presenting a number of drawing topics based on requests from the teachers at the last session There were many different topics requested thus this is going to be a session where teachers can choose what they want and think about the way they would like to integrate into their subject areas in any way they wish.  Professor Samaris will be present to help any teacher with any drawing topic below to the best of her ability given the short time frame and variety of subject areas / grades / previous art skills of teachers in the workshops / and students being taught.  This blog post can also be found at the Padlet called Triada Sessions

House

How to Draw a House using One-Point Perspective for Beginners (10 mins) I

(Use a pencil with an eraser or charcoal to begin plus any markers you wish)

Portrait for Beginners

How to draw faces | Loomis Method  (very short)

How to “see” the Loomis head in a reference (short)

Quickly Draw Heads with the Loomis Method - Part 1  (12 mins / Proko)

(Use a pencil with an eraser and charcoal to begin plus any markers you wish I)

Figure for Beginners

The EASIEST Way To Practice Gesture Drawing - YouTube

This Makes A Drawing Better. Not Details.  (Proko )

(Use a pencil with an eraser or charcoal to begin plus any markers you wish I)

Shading

Making a drawing look realistic using light and shadow

Go From Flat to Realistic Shading! Here’s How  (8 mins / Proko) 

(Use a pencil or charcoal for this) 

Abstract, expressive art

Neurographic Art Tutorial : Mindfulness In Art (8 mins)

Use a black marker or pencil to begin and then add markers or watercolor or paint as you wish

Street Scene

How to draw a street scene for beginners

Draw a Street Scene With One-Point Perspective

Use pencil, charcoal pencil, charcoal for this.

Please take a few minutes to answer these questions to help us plan workshops for the future:

Paterson STEAM Highschool Exit Questionnaire / Observational Drawing Workshops - Google Forms

Observational Drawing in the Classroom Paterson #3 STEAM High School, New Jersey 2025

Review of Artist Residency to Date:
Day One: Spheres
Day Two: Branches:
Day Three: One point perspective
Review of Concepts Learned to Date:

• line

• contour 

• shape

• texture

• positive/negative space

• proportion 

• composition 

Artists Piet Mondrian (20th Century) 

Isaac Wright (Contemporary)

Filippo Brunelleschi  (Italian Renaissance) nelson-atkins.org/gates/gaining-perspective.html 

Purpose of Padlet:  Group discussions and sharing; Materials for Arts Integration
PADLET:  Triada's Sessions
Purpose of Professor Samaras Blog:  Overview of Observational Drawing and Arts Integration Residency; Materials for Arts Integration Provided
Blog LINK
One Point Perspective Perspective for Beginners

Viewfinder
Points of best composition

Quote:  Michelangelo "The artist paints with his head not his (her) head not his hands."

Analyze a photograph using one point perspective:

Above Photograph by Photographer Isaac Wright 

Use See/Think/Wonder Technique from Artful Thinking Artful Thinking | Project Zero
Look at the artwork or object for a moment.
What do you see?
What do you think about what you see? What do you wonder about?
How is the use of one-point perspective used by the artist to communicate with the viewer?

Arts Integration Suggestions Using One-Point Perspective

1. Math
Connection: Geometry, Algebra, Measurement
Ideas:
Use one-point perspective to explore vanishing points, parallel lines, and angles.
Calculate scale, proportion, and distance within the perspective drawing.
Introduce the concept of coordinates and spatial relationships using a graphing context.

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2. Science
Connection: Physics (light, vision), Environmental Science
Ideas:
Explore optics: how the eye perceives depth and how light travels in straight lines.
Connect to human anatomy: how our vision processes perspective and depth perception.
Design a sustainable city layout using one-point perspective, linking to urban planning and climate-aware design.

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3. English Language Arts
Connection: Creative Writing, Literature, Visual Literacy
Ideas:
Have students create a short story or descriptive paragraph inspired by their perspective drawing.
Analyze how authors create perspective and setting in literature, then compare to visual representation.
Use the drawing as a setting backdrop for scenes from novels or scripts students are reading or writing.

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4. History / Social Studies
Connection: Art History, Urban Development, Renaissance Studies
Ideas:
Study the Renaissance and the invention of perspective (e.g., Brunelleschi, da Vinci).
Recreate a historical cityscape or interior (like ancient Rome or colonial America) using one-point perspective.
Discuss how architecture and urban planning reflect societal values and technological progress.

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5. Technology / Computer Science
Connection: Game Design, Animation, CAD
Ideas:
Teach students how one-point perspective is foundational to 3D modeling and design software.
Explore basic coding for rendering perspective in game development or simulations.
Connect to VR/AR environments that rely on realistic visual perspective.

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6. Career & Technical Education (CTE)
Connection: Architecture, Interior Design, Engineering
Ideas:
Draft a blueprint or interior room layout using one-point perspective techniques.
Explore how professionals use perspective drawing to pitch design concepts.
Incorporate problem-solving and planning of space as students draw a shop, kitchen, or workspace.

Observational Drawing in the Classroom Paterson #2 STEAM High School, New Jersey 2025

 Observational Drawing Workshop #2 – Landscape (35 min)

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SFjL8ROsPO4gSO9CDLbszFiS9m3qyDHm4RZDV7mSfjs/edit?usp=sharing

Below: Link and QR Code for Dr. Bess Padlet

Link   Triada's Sessions  (QR code: )

Drawing Tree Branches/Trees

Paterson Steam High School

Observational Drawing Workshop #2 – Landscape (35 min)

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SFjL8ROsPO4gSO9CDLbszFiS9m3qyDHm4RZDV7mSfjs/edit?usp=sharing

Imagination Warm-Up (7 min)

Imagine tree branches and the space between them in your mind.

See the way the lines reach upward see the spaces between the branches. What kind of shapes are those? Those are the negative spaces. The branches are the positive spaces, so this is a positive negative visualization. 

• What do you see?

• What does it smell like?

• What do you hear?

• What does the bark feel like?

2- 3 mins

Open your eyes. Use charcoal and the paper in the vertical sense to draw what you see. 3- 4 mins

Observational Drawing 8 mins

Carefully observe the actual branches and draw from the branches beginning at the bottom of the paper and go upward. Practice blind contour first then full contour. Use a premade frame. You can do this with your fingers or make a cut out. If you hold the cut out in the portrait way you draw in the portrait way etc. and explain how it’s proportional to the page. Think about gesture. 8 mins

Looking at Art History PIET MONDRIAN 5 mins

Show the artist Broadway Boogie Woogie, and show how he started with the spaces between trees to get to his abstraction. 5 mins

🌳 From Trees to Boogie Woogie: Mondrian's Path to Abstraction  LINK

Piet Mondrian’s journey from naturalism to abstraction is one of the most fascinating transformations in modern art. Here's a quick visual and conceptual overview — from early trees to the rhythmic city grids of Broadway Boogie Woogie.

🌱 Why It Matters

Mondrian’s trees weren’t just botanical studies. They were the seeds of a radical new art — one that stripped away the visible world to find deeper truths in rhythm, structure, and balance.

Connecting to other subject areas using the tree drawings: 5 mins

Music / Poems / Words / Math Equations / Science and more 5 mins

Teacher Reflection on Padlet: Cross-Disciplinary Discussion: How might this practice connects to your subject area? How could you adapt this observational drawing lesson to your own classrooms? 5 mins mins

New Vocabulary: Positive/Negative Space / Landscape Drawing/ Viewfinder / Piet Mondrian / Naturalism / Abstraction / Cubism

LINK Professor Samaras Google Slides

LINK  Professor Samaras References

Below: Padlet Created by Dr. BessTeachers: Please add your arts integration ideas for your classroom

and/or other comments about this drawing experience today to the Padlet

below.

Observational Drawing in the Classroom Paterson #1 STEAM High School, New Jersey 2025

QR Code for this blog page:

Survey Form for Observational Drawing Workshop Participants

https://forms.gle/orQc5ra7jXBrkThXA

Observational Drawing Workshop – Day One: Still Life (35 min)

1. Welcome & Quick Intro (3 min)

2. Observation Warm-Up (3 min)

• Look around and identify circular or spherical objects.

• Describe their shapes aloud.

3. Exploring Shape with Fruit (2 min)

• Observe the fruits and discuss whether they are truly spherical.

4. Blind Contour Drawing (4 min)

• Draw the outline without looking at the paper.

5. Contour Drawing (4 min)

• Look while drawing and focus on the outer edges.

6. Cross Contour OR Mass Drawing (6 min)

• Choose one based on time.

7. Teacher Introductions + Reflection + Form (10 min)

• Teachers introduce themselves, their subjects, and their thoughts on the activity.

• Teachers reflect upon the drawing process to their teaching. Teachers fill out the Google Form.

• Cross-Disciplinary Discussion: How might this practice connects to your subject area. How could you adapt observational drawing in their own classrooms

• Examples:Student Drawings of Food: Still Life with Food Kean University Drawing Students LINK

• New Vocabulary:  Blind Contour Drawing / Contour Drawing / Cross Contour Drawing /

• Mass Drawing / Shading and Volume / Realism / Surrealism / Hyperrealism /

• Triada Samaras Google Slides for these Workshops LINK

• Below: Padlet Created by Dr. Bess

• Teachers: Please add your arts integration ideas to the Padlet below!

Observational drawing of spheres and circles can support high school learning across multiple content areas by developing essential skills such as close observation, spatial reasoning, and an understanding of form, proportion, and light. Here’s how it connects to different subjects:

1. Science (Physics, Biology, Chemistry)

• Physics: Understanding light, shadow, and reflection on a sphere helps with concepts like the behavior of light, refraction, and optics.

• Biology: Sketching biological specimens (cells, eyeballs, fruits) enhances attention to detail, improving scientific observation and documentation skills.

• Chemistry: Visualizing molecules and atomic structures, which often appear as spheres, aids in conceptualizing three-dimensional molecular geometry.

2. Math (Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus)

• Circles and spheres are fundamental to geometry, symmetry, and proportions.

• Helps students grasp pi, circumference, volume, and surface area calculations in real-world applications.

• Cross-contour drawing strengthens spatial reasoning, useful for understanding 3D graphing and calculus applications.

3. Engineering & Technology

• Observational drawing refines hand-eye coordination and visualization, crucial for drafting, CAD, and 3D modeling.

• Helps students understand perspective, scale, and form, useful in designing prototypes or architectural planning.

4. Language Arts & History

• Drawing teaches students to analyze and describe objects in detail, improving their ability to use precise descriptive language in writing.

• In history, studying and sketching scientific illustrations or classical artwork deepens engagement with historical documentation and artistic styles.

5. Social Studies & Environmental Science

• Mapping and cartography often rely on circles (e.g., latitude/longitude, global projections).

• Drawing natural objects like planets, tree rings, or water droplets increases awareness of natural patterns and structures.

6. Special Education & Mindfulness

• Helps students with focus, patience, and motor skills.

Observational drawing is often used in SEL (social-emotional learning) programs for mindfulness and stress reduction.