I think everyone has days when they pick their kids up from school and they wish they would tell a little more about their day. When it comes to art, talking about it should be fun! Even if they are still at home and just playing with finger paints.
In our house there is always a lot of art happening, in different styles, in different ways, with different mediums. Then there is always the girl who gets everything green and spends eight times longer washing her hands than painting.
Since my girls were young, like 18 months young, I’ve left out art supplies for them to be creative with. I try to respect everything they make – whether it is a gluey mess or a Picasso masterpiece, keeping in mind that this is serious business for them. My hope is that they never feel like they are too old to create, or that there is ever a wrong way of going about it.
They go to a Montessori school that has a full-time artist who teaches the children’s art classes. Recently she sent home a note to parents with tips about how to talk to your children about the art they bring home from school. I thought it was brilliant.
It feels a bit weird not to credit this special art teacher for her job well done – as I pass on her words of wisdom to you. But I’m just going to keep that knowledge to myself, out of privacy for the where my daughters spend their days, when they are not with me. I hope you understand.
Here is what Ms. Art Teacher had to say.
First off she explained that in her classes they focus on the process of creating rather than the product.
“When focusing on the process, art skills may not be mastered but the student has progressive successes such as holding scissors properly or gaining knowledge on perspective,” said Ms. Art Teacher.
Then Ms. Art Teacher shared ways to encourage conversations about art with children, that respects their work and offers open-ended discussion points.
Once the art comes home she gave the following tips for asking questions about their art.
1. Tell me about your picture…
2. Why did you choose blue?
3. Who is this?
4. Tell me how you made this.
Here are the statements she suggested making about the artwork that comes home.
1. I can see a lot of detail in your work….
2. You choose many different colors in this artwork…..
3. I noticed the brushstrokes added texture to your painting….
4. I can see you used the primary colors…..
She also went on to explain some of the art vocabulary they use in class, from primary colors to warm colors, to shade and tint. So that parents can know some of the lingo to spark the conversations about art.
I love talking about art with my girls, to see their eyes light up when I’m interested in their work and to feel their sense of pride and excitement when they are asked to share about it. Even my 2-year-old will bounce off her toes to talk about “a bird” she made.
So yeah, I was happy to have Ms. Art Teacher pass on the inspiration for converstation. I hope it serves you well too.
Happy art times!
