Creative Painting Boredom Buster (Great for a Rainy or Sick Day!)

It's that time of year... and we've all been sick with colds or the flu.  We're all stir crazy with some serious cabin fever.  So, in frantic attempts to calm the sibling battles we threw out the paints and a fun new challenge.  



I told the kids to rummage though the house to find 3 random objects each that could be used to create a masterpiece. 



My 3 rules for the objects: 

1. It had to be ok to throw away when we were done, or
2. Very easy to wash after, and
3. Mom had last say on veto rights (i.e. my daughter wanting to hold her little brother upside down and use hair as a paintbrush... Um no.  But 10 points for creativity!)

Other than that anything goes.  Here is a picture of some of the "tools" we found.

Some of the favorites ended up being the snake (of course), the pipe cleaner bent into a spiral, the toothbrush, and the hair clip. (and of course at the end the fingers were used in the end to really make some messy fun.

So if there are any others out there looking for a sanity saver with all of the bugs going around here is a fun distraction from the frustration of being quarantined from the rest of the world.

And a little challenge for you!  Try this activity and see what your kids come up with.  And when you do send us pics or comment below and tell us what fun "tools" they came up with! We'd love to hear!!

Motivating Your Kids with artists like Norman Rockwell!

One of the fun ways to motivate your kids in their work is by sharing fun success stories of others.  We are excited not only to celebrate Norman Rockwell's birthday but also to use some fun tidbits from his younger years.  

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FINDING MOTIVATION 

-Watch for exhibits at nearby museums featuring fun and interesting artists 

We currently have a local museum displaying some of Norman Rockwell's work.  It was so fun to take the kids and see his paintings, his process, and watch a fun film about his life.  Getting out to the exhibits is a little more hands on and exciting than just reading about them.

  "Runs in the family. Norman's grandfather was an English artist, 
Thomas Hill, who specialized in very detailed animal drawings. 
Norman's father liked to copy illustrations from magazines, and 
would pull up a chair for Norman to do it with him."

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-Search for fun facts on the internet

If a museum is not possible we have so much information at our fingertips.  Pull up a chair with the kids, pick an artist and see what you can find!

"Silver lining. As a boy, Norman was very thin and awkward. His pigeon-toed 
feet caused him to wear corrective shoes at the age of ten, and glasses 
at twelve -- giving him the nickname "Moony". Poor at sports, 
he found he could entertain his friends through his art."

-Visit your local library

This one can be a win-win for your students who have to read a variety of genres in their school classes.  Not only can they be inspired by these talented men and women but they are also fulfilling an assignment for school!  

"Early work. When he was just five years old, other boys played with store-

bought ships to have naval battles. Since he couldn't afford them, Norman 

cut some of his own out of cardboard and painted them. They became 

so popular, other boys asked him to make some for them!"

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Once you've found some resources help your kids find the inspiring stories that will spark their interest.  The possibilities are almost endless.  There is sure to be a story for your kids!

"What a start! He had his first paying assignment by the time he was sixteen. 

By the age of nineteen he was the art director for Boys' Life magazine. 

His first cover of Saturday Evening Post appeared in 1916, when he 
was just twenty-two. He got the job with the help of his roommate 
who was already doing cartoons for the magazine."

Hopefully these fun facts about Norman Rockwell will be something to encourage your up and coming artists.  What has inspired your kids?  How do you encourage them?  Please share in the comments below.  We'd love to hear your success stories!

3 Ways Painting Can Make You a Super Parent!

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We've already posted on some great reasons why art is so beneficial (Here and Here), and we're going to talk a little more about that as we focus this month on painting!

So here are some tips on how painting can help out as you work with kids...



* Connecting with your Child:
  
I got this great little insight from the Penn State Extension site.

"Painting with young children allows us to see much more than a simple picture. If we observe with careful eyes and ears, we can gain tremendous information about each child. We can share with families what we have discovered and why we feel it is important. We can create enjoyable experiences and support development at the same time; what a masterpiece!"

I read a great blog that talked about being able to do things that you enjoy and still spend time with the kids.  For example, coloring books for grownups are one of the latest crazes.  So, if you are not already a painter try your hand with a brush.  Enjoy creating but also enjoy watching your kids explore and experiment.  They don't usually have the boundaries we somehow set as adults.  Break those rules and get messy! And enjoy the connection with your kids.  

* Build Their Self Esteem:

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Raising Small Souls points out that:

"By learning to paint, children gain a skill which they can be proud of. It gives them a foundation to look at the world with the confidence they can accomplish a goal. The response they get from others in regard to their work can boost their self-confidence. Because there is no right way in the arts, children who paint can be proud to be unique and to express their artistic style.

Children need to work with other children and adults while they’re learning to paint. This interaction will boost their confidence, and also give them social skills to help them in other aspects of life."

You can become a super parent by providing the supplies, complimenting them and encouraging their progress, and displaying their work.  I have a wall in my kitchen that is dedicated as our family museum.  I joke that I probably won't have the funds to collect "fine art" but I sure have some of my favorite pieces hanging right in my home!  

* Ease their stress and pain:

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Artist Jeannina Blanco wrote:

"People who immerse themselves several hours painting or creating something enter a purer area, in a very strong state of concentration; they abstract themselves from their surroundings and time passes by without noticing it. Physical pains fade away...and we can spend hours without feeling tiredness, pain or other conditions (unlike other activities.)...

"Painting helps us get distracted from our problems; it helps us take anguish out and transform it in something nice... This helps us identify the feelings and increase our expression capabilities." 

Ok, so that sounds great for the kids but I'm thinking I could use a little of that myself as well!  Who doesn't need a little vacation from the challenges of life. And for those of us who can't afford that break as often as needed this is a pretty inexpensive way to escape.  

Our kids are pushed so hard in school these days.  There isn't a whole lot of time to play, let alone express their own personalities and talents.  Art is a simple and effective way to let them take a break.  

So there you have it.  Three simple, feasible, and effective ways to make you a super hero in your kids eyes.  And the more you can play with them the better! 

What are you waiting for?  Grab some supplies and start creating together!

Gettin' Creative Around Here

     Boy, are things busy here at Young at Art!  The creative juices are flowing big time!!
Our Book 2 is almost ready to go to print, supply shipments keep coming in and our research and development team, creative design team, and project development team have been crazy busy!!

     Check this out for a sneak preview:

Modeling clay for a young Donatello, Michelangelo, or Rodin.  You know your kids have got talent!  Give them some stories and tools and watch them create.  E made this pink alligator eating a chocolate chip cookie. 

The team of A, L, and E created aluminum foil sculptures in the style of 

Alberto Giacommeti.  Imagine walking into a gallery someday and seeing the work of your child!  

Whoever said a sculpture has to last forever?  These sculptures, made by the team of M, P, and K might not have even survived the day since they were made from candy!  With a little inspiration and imagination, your kids will see art in everything they do!

Some master artists succeeded in spite of the fact that their parents thought that art was a waste of time.  Other master artists succeeded because their parents encouraged and supported their work. Creative parents understand that creative children learn problem-solving, communication, ability to see the world in different ways, positive emotions, collaboration, and the list goes on and on.

At Young at Art we believe, like Picasso, that all children are artists.  We want to help and encourage them to keep being artists even when they grow up.  By doing that, we think the world will be a better place.

"Why should we all use our creative power?  Because there is nothing that makes people so generous, joyful, lively, bold and compassionate."

Brenda Ueland

You can see Young at Art Book 1 and bag at 

We Are Young At Art (Etsy)

or

young-at-art.com

and watch for our Book 2 and sculpture bag coming soon!

For every bag sold, we will donate one to a child in need

Something Beautiful

     We once listened to a gallery owner tell the story of opening their brand new gallery, (the gallery they had worked so hard for and wanted for so long) for the very first day... on September 11, 2001.  As you can well imagine, no one came into the gallery that day. They had some serious reservations about what they had just done. The second day was the same.  No one came in. 
      Sitting at his desk on the morning of their third day of business, he heard the bell ring as someone walked in.  He could hardly believe it.  He walked into the showroom and warmly greeted his customer and invited her to look around.  She quietly walked from painting to painting viewing the amazing art on the walls and then said, "I just had to turn off the TV and look at something beautiful".

     When January comes and the lights and decorations of the holiday season are put away, the parties are over, and even the December snow takes on shades of gray, the world can feel pretty drab, depressing, and dark. 
     

    As  a rule, we generally find what we are looking for.

     Like the lady in the new gallery, maybe this is a great time to "turn off the TV" of drab and depressing.  Did you know gray is the perfect background color to "make colors pop"? Create a still life of fresh fruit with orange, red, yellow, and green.  Pick up a bouquet of fresh flowers from the grocery store and design a centerpiece.  Take a picture of the most colorful thing you can find. Wear the brightest clothes in your closet. 

image from jenkinsartstudio.com

     "Tests have proven that creative expression releases dopamine, a chemical associated with the brain's pleasure or reward center. So dancing, painting, playing an instrument stimulates the very chemicals which boost a person's feelings of well-being, reduces his/her anxiety and effectively works to combat depression." (recoveryranch.com)  

     So if the grays of January are making you feel a little down, consider it the backwash of a new years painting. Sketch an outline, add color, and expect a masterpiece to happen this year!

     Please share with us how you beat the winter grays....

Be the Change

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On December 24, 2015, members of Element 11 donated 40 Young at Art bags to the New Hope Crisis Center in

 Brigham City, Utah.

This donation was given in appreciation for the support that Box Elder County has shown to them for their annual 

arts festival. The Element 11 festival community is based on principles such as "radical self-reliance, leave-no-trace, civic responsibility, and participation".  Their mission is to ignite a culture of creativity and self-expression.

We appreciate their vision.

We think they chose a great way to give back!

New Hope Crisis Center provides all-inclusive victim centered services to stabilize and support individuals and families in their community.

We also appreciate the support shown to us. 

Their desire to give back to a community helped to

further our quest to encourage and inspire all children 

to be artists.

Our desire to give back has been fueled in many ways.

Gratitude to Heaven for blessing us with the love of a wonderful family, good health, and a comfortable home.  

The support and encouragement from family and friends 

to follow a dream to create art

 --and the spark that ignited the fire--

many, many loving and skilled hands that

cared for a tiny little 1 lb. 6 oz. baby boy.
No doubt those loving hands came from hearts
touched by the kindness of someone else.
And so the circle goes.

"Alone we can do so little;

together we can do so much"

Helen Keller

Who has made a difference in your life?
How can you
be the change to make our world 
a better place?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

                    Dear 2016,

                           I am going to paint you AWESOME!

New beginnings, a fresh start, a clean slate...however you want to look at it

2016 is a blank canvas 

and it is waiting to be created by YOU!

Danny Kaye once said,

"Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint 

on it you can!"

What colors will you paint this year?

Red means love, passion, and energy!

Green is natural, restful, and balanced

Yellow gives energy, warmth, and optimism

Orange means wealth, youth, and happiness

Pink brings love, tenderness, and caring

Purple stands for royalty, luxury, and creativity

Blue brings trust, calm, and faith

Today is an opportunity to forget about what is gone,

appreciate what we still have, and look forward to what is coming next.

We, at Young at Art, are extremely excited

for this new year and the opportunities that will come

for us to give, to share, and to make new friends.

A favorite quote of ours by George Eliot says

"What do we live for, if it is not to

make life less difficult for each other." 

We hope that, in some small way, we can do just that.

We believe that every child is an artist, and

we hope that Young at Art can provide a child with fun, encouragement,

inspiration, and sometimes, when needed, even an escape from difficulties.

If we can do this, then we will succeed in our quest.   

We hope you will join us in this exciting journey!!

2016 is a masterpiece

waiting to happen...

START CREATING!!

P.S.  What are you looking forward to most this year?

Please share!

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