practice makes perfect
Just like any other skills, artistic skills need to be repeated and practiced. We all were born with the possibility of becoming an artist, or 'every child is an artist' as Picasso put it. We all have the potential for immense creativity during childhood. The question is if we are encouraged, if we persist, if we practise and believe in ourselves. Creativity and artistic skill develop over time with repetition, practice and enjoyment. Your child needs to feel encouraged, trusted and free to explore her/his interests with minimum adult intervention. Expect your child to repeat an artistic skill or explore a subject many times over extended time periods until the child has explored the possibilities of the medium or subject matter to their satisfaction. Not to produce a masterpiece. Not to please you or me. But to extend his/her artistic vocabulary and skill. Over time skills and creative expression grow and develop in complexity. To grow their creative thinking children need to have art materials available every day if possible, to enjoy and explore at their own pace, following their own innate motivation. That is why we have three areas always available at the studio. Clay table, glue construction and painting easels. To offer familiarity and an opportunity to connect deeper over time with materials. There is only one area, the big table, that has different materials set out on for every class. And even here there is always the possibility for the child to re-arrange. To choose some other materials from the shelves and follow their own agenda. My pedagogy is rooted in and inspired by the teachings from Reggio Emilia, the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner and Magda Gerber. I believe with any form of teaching it comes down to respect and relationships. And so I teach by stepping back and providing a consistent environment, art materials, encouragement, and inspiration.
As a parent you can foster your child’s creativity by: -having art materials readily available daily -celebrate their artistic achievements no matter what -display their work with pride in your home -comment on their art with details you notice (the thinking you can see, the emotions expressed, the colour combination, the lines making patterns...) -do not ask "what is that?" ask instead "what can you tell me about that?" If you ask what a shape is you are telling your child that you can't recognise what she has worked so hard to create. Art is not always about depicting something. It can be about a story or an experiment in colour. -not being critical (you're not an art critic, you are a parent. Your child doesn't want you to tell them what they did wrong, they want you to accept them for who they are). -be respectful of your child’s efforts, don't throw their art away in front of them (do it when they are not around)
-be a rolemodel when talking about art (if you say "I'm not an artist, I can't do that, I'm terrible at drawing" your child will begin to think like that too. Say instead "I guess I need to practice some more, I don't feel like that's right yet, I'll try again")
-visit art galleries and art museums -be enthusiastic about art yourself
