Think about a time when you saw someone complete a task that made such a beautiful or jaw-dropping product, like witnessing a caricature artist at a street fair or a magician pulling off a mind-bending stunt. Would you offer your services and step in to create the next portrait or perform the following stunt? Most…
Category: Exploratory
All art activities that immerse the student in the creative process and focus less on the product.
Celebrate Mindset in your Work Space
Hello There! Consider how simple mantras inspire us everyday to open our eyes, ears and mind to the new adventures ahead. We grow when we feel supported and are celebrated for our work habits rather than the end product we produce. Say Goodbye to “Great Job” and “Super Work” and Hello to a celebration of risk taking, mindfulness and the use…
The Language of Learning: Talking to Children about their Art
For young children, art making is their main means of expression. It is how they are able to share stories and it is how they reflect on their experiences to better understand their world. As a parent and teacher, it is often the adult’s responsibility to foster the child’s interest as an artist and help them to…
What’s in a Name?
In the beginning of the school year, students have to create portfolios to act as folders for their art and as placeholders for their seat during class. Of course, our portfolio must have our name, in large bold letters, written across the front. Natural materials work well for older students who have a stronger ability…
Understanding Symmetry with Rangoli
Happy Diwali Everyone! Nature can inspire assemblages that teach symmetry, design and promote cultural awareness. Rangoli is made during Diwali, the festival of lights, with colored sands and glitter. In the art studio recently, we used nature. The leaf colors this time of year are divine! A strong art historical connection can be found in…
Paper Sculpture
How can you take something flat and change it into something 3-D? Students are prompted with this question and offered the challenge of transformation. Paper sculpture has a strong mathematical connection and allows students to understand form through hands on exploration. By taking a flat paper and rolling it into a cylinder, students see a…
Shape Collage
Collage is a meaningful experience. It helps develop eye hand coordination and fine motor skills. It creates a deeper understanding of shape, form and detail…and of course it’s fun! You can vary your learning experiences during each lesson, while teaching collage through a variety of motivations. Today I am going to discuss the tried and…
Nature Prints in Clay
Much of the texture of an object goes undiscovered when we study something with our eyes. But when we feel it with our fingers or even our cheek, we are able to discover the bumps, nooks and crannies of an object. Printing allows a viewer to discover the textural qualities of an object by sight….
Expressing Emotions through Color and Line
Music can transform any ordinary experience into something profound. Humans are inherently musical beings. As one of the first art forms, it is written in our DNA. For this selection of art activities, I play a collection of songs that have a strong emotional quality and allow students to explore color and line to express…
Joseph Cornell Inspired Assemblage
An assemblage is a work of art that is three-dimensional and is made up of found objects. It’s cousin the collage is primarily flat (2-dimensional) and made up of various torn or cut paper scraps. When you begin to add textured fabric or bottle caps and buttons to your collage, you may want to spice…
Watercolor Blow Painting
This unconventional way of painting will open up students to new ways of using tools to make art. They usually think it is silly and therefore their care free demeanor helps to create a fun and relaxed atmosphere. controlled blow painting creating a tree A more mindful and controlled work of art, this tree painting…
Fuel the Maker in YOU 