OK, I admit it. I'm a huge art dork. I love art. I love making art, teaching art, looking at art, buying art, reading about art. There is something magical about transforming a clean white canvas into something beautiful. Art is one of my passions.
So, it is only natural that my children are surround by art. We try to do something creatively messy every day. Yes, you heard me, I said "MESSY". Those of you who know my pre-occupation with neatness will giggle when you read this. So let me explain - art mess is good mess. Clutter, laundry, dishes are bad messes. But enough about that. Let's get into the messy fun part!
My first piece of advice is this: buy the best quality of art supplies that you can afford. Sure, the kids may fly through them, but it is so much better letting them experiment with the "good stuff".
Second, get rid of those coloring books and craft kits! Now, if you search our household, you WILL find these things tucked away in a cabinet, but we save them for long car trips when we need something to do on the road! I prefer "open art". That is, BLANK sheets of paper and a collection of interesting found and purchased art objects.
Third, make messes. If you are a tad bit fussy, like someone I know, you can use plastic chopping mats, newspaper, or wax paper to cover your surface. If it's something super messy, take it outside or in the garage if the weather isn't co-operating.
We have two "art shelves" in the dining area, since most of our art is created at the kitchen table. One is for mommy, one is for the children. I keep theirs well stocked with things like watercolors, tempera paint, oil pastels, polymer clay, model magic, brushes, pencils, rolling pins, cookie cutters, dried beans, sea shells, yarn, shiny stones, buttons, pipe cleaners, scissors, glue, a spin-art machine, a small sewing machine, felt, scraps of fabric, water color paper, drawing paper, construction paper, origami paper, chalk, pom poms, tissue paper, foil, mod-podge, feathers, and more. I also keep a supply of blank canvases that we only use on special days. Things I do not include are stickers, craft foam, coloring books, and craft kits. There is nothing wrong with these things - they are just not my favorites.
I like to introduce new materials when they are available - interesting books to tear apart (gasp!), bubble wrap, stamps, cardboard, wire, old hardware, pine cones, bits and pieces of broken jewelry, post cards, tags, blocks of wood, lace, anything vintage . . . .
I keep things in clear, glass jars. If the kids can't see it, they won't use it and I want them to use it! Glass isn't the best option, though, for families with tiny ones!
Beside the art shelf, there is a basket of art books. If the kids hit a creative wall, I encourage them to look through a few books. We have art books filled with artwork by Michelangelo, Cezane', Monet, DaVinci, and Rembrandt. We also have a beautiful book called Artist to Artist filled with art work by children's book illustrators.
If my little artists STILL feel uninspired, I lead them to the how-to books. They will chose a project and take off. It's interesting that their artwork will then take on a life of it's own and the finished product rarely matches the project they chose from the book. Individual creativity always wins out!
Bailey enjoys sewing, so for Christmas, Santa gave her a cute pink and purple sewing machine made by Singer. It is a finicky little thing and not something she can use on her own. If I am not able to sit down with her to sew, she will get out a needle and thread and do some hand sewing. If you have a little seamstress in your house, I highly recommend a book called My First Sewing Book. It is easy to read and filled with fun projects that can be completed with OR without a sewing machine.
My two favorite sources of inspiration are Create With Me and The Artistic Mother. Both are filled with ideas on how to create art WITH your children. I love to paint, art journal, and create mixed media projects. As soon as I sit down to work, I will have a little person sitting next to me wanting to "help".Create With Me is a magazine. At $14.99 an issue, it is a little pricey, but very much worth it. It is my "go-to" source when I have little "helpers".
The Artistic Mother is written for moms who are artists and provides practical solutions for fitting art into everyday, busy lives. It is beautifully written and very inspiring.
Art can also be a field trip or even a day trip opportunity!
The Amarillo Museum of Art is a beautiful place. It is small enough to enjoy in an hour, which is perfect for children. Admission is free and they have permanent as well as traveling exhibitions. The Panhandle Plain Historical Museum in Canyon houses some incredible art galleries as well. The museum is HUGE, though, so I recommend making one trip for just art and go back a few days later to enjoy the rest of the museum.
Another treasure in our city is the Sunset Art Gallery. It houses the galleries and studios of over 60 local artists. They sponsor several events throughout the year including the "First Friday Art Walk".
We are within driving distance of The Citadelle in Canadian. This little-known gallery in an unlikely place is the home to the most impressive art collection in the Panhandle. Who would have ever dreamed?We also live close to Tulia, the home of Kenneth Wyatt. His gallery is in his home, so call before you make the trip! If he is in town, he will either be mingling with the visitors or in his studio, painting. He is very warm and friendly and loves talking to children about art.
When we return from one of these wonderful places, the kids walk in the door and head straight for the art shelf. It never fails.
My great "wise one", Zack, has now become an art critic. He is an astute student of art and has some very strong opinions. Yesterday, when telling him about our plans to visit the Theodore Wadell exhibition, he said, "Well I hope this is a good one. The last artwork we saw was horrible. Some people have lost the art of art." I have created a monster - I have created an art critic!
So, now it is your turn -
What do you do to keep your children creatively happy?
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