Discovering Waldorf - 'Encourage Art and Creativityl'

Oh my gosh, friends... I take a break for a day and a week slips by. So sorry for my absence but, rest assured, we have been having fun! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas filled with love, laughter and lots and lots of magic.

I am delighted to introduce Ren today. How can anyone with such a dreamy name be anything but an artist? When I found Ren's blog, I was enthralled by her aura of creativity and how she is sharing it with her children. I am extra excited to share her article today on how to encourage our children to express their creativity through art... enjoy!

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Art and Creativity are intrinsically connected as one is essentially the expression of the other. Humans, especially children, are fundamentally creative beings. Through Art Education children gain confidence in their creative thinking and problem solving abilities.

Art Education is not about teaching children to be artist or creative but rather a means of facilitating overall learning success. Through art and art appreciation children develop understanding, empathy, expression, imagination, positive self-esteem and communication skills.

Working as a docent and teacher, one is trained to ask leading questions. I am a huge believer in ‘child guided’ discussions when talking about art. It never ceases to amaze me how one single piece of art work can garner so many different interpretations. I have written down some guidelines to help facilitate talking about art work with children. Remember: giving children the proper vocabulary is empowering and makes for a thoughtful dialogue.

Taking children to art galleries and museums is a great way to teach them about art, however, there are resources all around us that do not require leaving the home. Many books, magazines, calendars, post cards and printed reproductions offer the opportunity to discuss and thus stimulate imagination and encourage creative thinking.

Start off by emphasizing that artists create art as a means of expression and encourage them to express how the art makes them feel. Remind them that there are no wrong answers!

The Elements of Art are the visual tools that an artist uses to create a work of art. These elements in turn help give us words to talk about what we see- when we look at a piece of art.

The Element of Art (or Composition) are applicable to all styles and mediums of art.

Color:

Name the colors. Introduction of primary colors (red, blue, yellow) and secondary colors (orange, green, violet).
Are the colors dark (sad), bright (happy), warm or cool? Does the use of color help us establish the mood, time of day, weather or season of the work? How do certain colors attract your attention? How is the artist using color?

Line:

A line can be the outline of a shape or used to create patterns, movement and sound. They can give direction and attract attention. Examples of lines are straight, diagonal, curved, zigzagged.

Where do you see lines? How is the artist using lines to tell a story or make a statement?

Shape:

Is a two dimensional enclosed space. Shapes are created by an outline or contrasting colors. Examples of shapes are geometrical (square, triangle etc.) or organic (free form with curving and irregular outlines). Is the use of shapes used to emphasize? Are the shapes creating a pattern or rhythm? Are the shapes balanced? Are they in harmony and organized?

Texture:

Simply put is the way the art would feel if you touched it. Texture is essentially connected to the medium or material that the artist uses. Is a metal statue going to feel hot, cold, smooth, bumpy? A painting may be manipulated through the use of layering or brush strokes. Is there a part of the painting that looks smoother?

In our ever rapidly changing world we need to channel our creativity. Enjoying an artists creation, combined with innovating and thoughtful thinking, creates sophisticated thinkers and action oriented problem solves. Art education and confidence in creative interpretations as well as initiation are essential skills to the development of learning.

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Thank you, Ren... what inspirational words for the new year. And that last photo... magic!!

Ren's blog is called Lady of the Arts and is filled with such gorgeous images, ideas and inspiration... pop in for a visit.

Here are the other articles in the Discovering Waldorf Series.

Blessings and magic,
Donni