Working with Kids in the Arts

So below is from my Artsy Journeys blog and I wanted to share another avenue of creativity that I work: teaching art. 

I don't get too psychological about it because art for children is a fun world. But I have discovered over the years (lol-first with my own) that given "free rein" to create "anything" often leads to nothing at all. And kids are no different from adults in that!

The trick is to start with a plan-an objective-and an idea of how to get there.  With that big roadblock pushed aside, the way is paved for the artist (big and little) to explore the levels of creativity as they take that path. A new lesson, a new path. That's how it works :-)

 

Working with kids in the Arts

Everyone has ideas about how to work with children in the arts.  No other subject, like ART, has so many different opinions and ideas and confusion as to "what it is."How can something so fun be so confusing?

Artsy Journeys is more about art exploration than disciplined art yet they go hand in hand.The two work together. For instance, it takes discipline to sit down and create something in a journal or on paper. It takes discipline to go to the shop or read a "how to" book or article. It takes discipline to put away your tools, try something different or work till you feel you have completed your project.

Working with clay and armatures

Working with children is often about creativity coupled with "directional" discipline. Kids need and want direction. The ones that jump into a project without waiting for direction are usually the ones that soon start complaining about not being able to "do it." That can have a bit of a negative impact on those kids who are creatively following directions so when the kids start new projects, they get the best results by ...yep...paying attention to me before we start!

There's no secret to it-I keep it short and sweet. "Look into my eyes, let's go over the tools, now we'll look at the examples.......tell me what I just said."

3D sculpture with marshmallows and toothpicks

This works SO well-just as I did with my own children. I love the kids-love to work with them. They love to learn, But too much initial freedom  in the arts is confusing to them and actually gives them mind blank! In art we call it the "blank canvas" syndrom. Writers love to talk about "writer's block." It's all the same thing. We ALL need a direction to start!
 
When the child is given the required tools/materials for an Art project and pointed in a particular direction with a few guidelines, THAT is when the enthusiastic creativity begins to happen!

One of my "grown up" students with her Sculpey sculpture!

The Art of Chickens

The Art of Chickens   

(from my post in ArtsyJourneys) 

Artists seem to ponder the most absurd things sometimes.....take the chicken for instance-good for baking, casseroles, frying and yum-lots of eggs.That's about where most people end their thoughts about this versatile bird.
But sometimes the smallest and least conspicuous thing in your day to day world can have the most  interesting history, tantalizing colors and absorbing social scene. And the chicken has it all.
We just added chickens back to our mini "homestead" farm and art studio. We had them 10 or so years ago but lacked the proper fencing.....oh we had plenty of fencing and the bills to show it...just not the type to totally foolproof ranging neighborhood dogs. The numbers dwindled and we gave the last few roosters to a farmer.
Now I had chickens when my children were small-in fact in another life (it seems) I had a Grade A Dairy Goat farm licensed for making feta cheese. My chickens were the Aracaunas and other mixes so we routinely collected pale blue and green "Easter Egg" eggs plus the white and brown. So I am very familiar with the work and rewards of such a life :-)And it is hard to sty away from!

The first batch 6 weeks old March 1. 10 of them!

So the first batch we picked up locally and they are a trip. Alert, inquisitive-s a few very friendly ones, the others a bit stand-offish. Their treat is bread pieces. A mixture of Buff Barringtons, Speckled as well as purebred.

5 month old Dorkings

The next ones are also local-from a Dorking breeder outside Louisburg, NC. Ancient breed-pretty feathers-4 hens about old enough to lay...5 toes...originally brought over to the British Isles by Romans! Regal aren't they? 



Ah well, the kids interaction with a chicken is no problem! The youngsters below were at an art lesson at our studio and did not hesitate to walk in with the chicks and hold our gentle ones!

So as artists we find ourselves studying the colors.  As humans we find ourselves smiling at their antics.....listening to the multitude of sounds-clicks, murmurings, croonings that are unique to a chicken....and hey, who knows how we, and our many students of all ages,  will incorporate feathers and colors into our art?

I'll keep you updated!

Art Party!

Wonderful results from participants in 2 START classes we  held in Stantonburg,NC April 23

Here I am playing around with a collage of photos taken April 23 at a wonderfully fun art party we held with a group of artists at one of the members lake cottage! Hmmm-it's a little small but spending a day painting can be a tremendously enjoyable event!

I took the outdoor photos before the sun came out and took the fog away but you can still enjoy the view that we had!

Art as Comfort Food

Really, all we needed last night in our studio was a crackling fire to add a little more of the already present ambiance of the evening! Munching away on cookies and relaxing with hot coffee and lemonade (the wine has to be next for the all adult classes!) the two hour class zipped by. It was "comfort food" in the form of art!

Part of the idea behind the START (Stop Thinking Art is Really Tough) classes is to engage and re-engage artists of all ages and give them the opportunity to not only create but to experience new mediums and techniques.

In this class, we concentrated on dog portraits in acrylics. Our mother and teen daughter duo had never used acrylic paints. They travel a lot and were delighted to discover the ease of use and quick dry times of acrylic paints!
Our participating Dad, with his teen daughter, at the class after a long day at the office, relaxed completely as he became immersed in his painting! The interesting thing is how delighted the parents were at their own efforts. They easily slipped into the Art Zone after years of disuse!

I suggested to several adult siblings recently when they asked me how to get their mom back into painting, that with the holidays coming up, they purchase some art supplies, as well as an easel and taboret for their mother. Better yet, sneak into her home and set up a mini studio so that all she has to do is walk in and sit down to paint!

Add a gift certificate to a START class and they have given back to their mother, all the encouragement that she showered on them through the years!
The cycle doesn't get any better than that!

Diligently working away

Kids painting portraits

It is interesting to note that not one of my professors in college ever showed me how to paint a portrait. Either they did not know, or they were so locked into the fear factor of a university "what is art" wrath that I make a point now, of showing the ropes to anyone who wants to know!

The results are pretty amazing! And there is NOTHING better to a tween/teen's self esteem than creating a piece of art that goes far beyond what he or anyone else thought he/she could create! See the examples of these very first portraits!

Ashley age11

Joy age 17

Ray age 13

How do you describe HAPPY?

Natalie was delighted with her dog paintings!

Just like this! Amazing what learning to draw can do for your self esteem!

Dad took the class with his daughter!

FiIming at Burning Oak Studios

Working with Burning Oak Studios out of Raleigh NC, this is me on the set demonstrating
"How to paint the Family Dog in Acrylics for Fun and Profit." Participating was fun-a professional group with an easy going atmosphere.
Earlier I had both DaVinci, our Rottweiler, in the studio as well as little Louie, a Cockapoo, to demonstrate the best lighting to photograph a dog.
To the right is the demo I created in acrylics of DaVinci.

Teen Art Boot Camp

What a great week with working with a group of teens! We worked in acrylics, oils, graphite, charcoal and conte. They learned Art presentation, Art journaling and Art Marketing!

Still lifes, landscapes and portraits, all in the traditional mode helped expand their vision and stretch a bit more from them. We also taled about what to look for when selecting an art schoo for college-a very necessary topic to save tens of thousands of dollars for the parents!

Next camp is July 6-10 and the final is August 3-7. They run from 10-2 pm.