KidzArt Official Blog

I attended a TED Talk in Maui this last weekend and had a chance to listen to child prodigy, Adora Svitak. Her speech is called ‘What Adults Can Learn from Kids’ and she discusses the many opportunities that adults have to learn from children. What an inspiration! She reminded me of KidzArt’s tag line “If you can dream you can draw” when she said, “In order to make anything a reality, you have to dream about it first.”
 

Here’s a great example that Adora uses to illustrate how uninhibited imaginations of kids can help adults. The Museum of Glass in Tacoma Washington, has a program called “Kids Design Glass”. The Museum has said that they’ve gotten some of their best ideas from the children in this program because they don’t think about limitations or how hard it is to blow glass in certain shapes. Kids challenged the glass artists to go beyond and into the realm of designs like Broken Hearted Snakes and Bacon Boys with Meat Vision and other whimsical designs that are not reminiscent of any blown glass I’ve ever seen!
 

And, as a parent and teacher, I find this quote from Adora especially prescient: “Adults often underestimate kid’s abilities. We love challenges, but when expectations are low– trust me– we will sink to them.”
 

Watch Adora’s presentation here.

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Despite the declining economy, KidzArt/Art Innovators is proud to have achieved growth in many areas during 2011. As parents continue to make their children’s education a priority, many of our franchisees grew and accomplished goals and noticeable firsts.

Further International Expansion

Responding to an increase in demand for children’s creative educational services globally, KidzArt/Art Innovators added four new international franchise partners to our enterprise. Saudi Arabia, Malta, Canada and the Philippines are now part of our growing list of worldwide locations. People around the world recognize that children with creative thinking skills possess a mindset that will thrive in our fast-changing world and KidzArt/Art Innovators is pleased to lead the charge on this endeavor.

Early Art Ed in Demand

KidzArt/Art Innovators saw the demand for our Squiggles to Grins program double in 2011. Squiggles to Grins is, at first look, an art class for an adult (mom, dad or caregiver) with a child from the age of 2 – 3 1/2. Yet on second look you see a structured class that concentrates on sensorimotor skill development through fun movement, music, songs and touch of varying art textures.

Squiggles curriculum helps students acquire intellect, knowledge, focus, and skill sets they will need in school. The various segments of the 45 minute to 1 hour class, by design, help students hold and expand attention time, thoughts, and actions. School readiness skills are also enhanced through the socialization and interaction within that fun group. All of this leads to an improved kindergarten experience.

In 2012, KidzArt/Art Innovators looks forward to continuing to build on our strengths and expand our marketplaces to bring art to children everywhere.

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Is your child in tune with the artwork of Van Gogh, Rembrandt or Andy Warhol? In the name of art education and as a great teaching tool, try introducing your youngster to some great artists and their works.

As budding artists, it’s important for children to become familiar with different art styles and techniques. What better way than to show them master pieces of famous artists?

Learning about and copying art methods can be both fun and inspirational for kids of all ages. “Hands on” work and imitation can be a good approaches to learning and understanding. By performing art activities related to an artist, children can practice their observation, critical thinking and creative skills.

To help you get started, here are two books that not only introduce artists and their works but also offer games and activities that encourage children to learn by doing.

Discovering Great Artists by Mary Ann Kohl and Kim Solga

13 Artists Children Should Know by Angela Wenzel

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If you’ve never thought of holiday baking as an art form, then think again. The creativity, attention to detail and talent that goes into making beautiful  and delicious holiday treats can be achieved even by young artists with a little bit of help! The most interesting and adorable creations are usually made with the help of children. In addition to decorating traditional cutout cookies or making gingerbread houses, here are a few tasty and artful recipes that you can enjoy making with the whole family.

Candy Sleighs

photo by TasteTester

Ingredients

• 24 fun-size Nestle crunch bars ( any other fun size bar will work)
• 48 miniature candy canes
• 48 gummy bears
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Unwrap candies and have ready, you will need to work quickly.
2. Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on 50% or mediumin 30 second intervals stirring between each interval, until chocolate is thoroughly melted.
3. Use melted chocolate to attach candy canes onto the sides of the the candy bar to create a sleigh.
4. Attach gummy bears sitting on the top of the candy bar with the melted chocolate.

Snowman Pops

photo by 5hungrykids

Ingredients

• 32 large marshmallows ( 1 bag)
• 1 lb almond bark ( white)
• 16 sturdy wooden skewers ( long)
• 1 cup white icing
• food coloring

Directions

1. Place two marshmallows on the flat end of each of the 16 skewers. Do not pierce all of the way thru the top marshmallow. Be sure the pointed end of the skewer is down and not inside the marshmallows!
2. Break almond bark into chunks. Place into micro safe bowl & cook 1 minute in the microwave. Stir. Continue microwaving 30 seconds at a time until melted. Stir each time.
3. Dip the skewers into the melted almond bark. Roll until well covered. Let dry.
4. Color the icing in desired colors and pipe on or decorate with eyes, a carrot nose, mouth, and a scarf or buttons. Let dry completely before proceeding to arrange or wrap.

Source: www.Food.com

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In final episode of Charlie Rose’s twelve part series  on the brain, he explores creativity.  He and his panel of experts and artists discuss the capacity to be creative. 

They emphasize that creative talent isn’t reserved for the special but it’s a critical part of every profession from acting engineering. The brain is a creative machine with thousands of ways to express it. 

According to panelist and neurologist Oliver Sacks, the biology of creativity comes in part from lifting and eliminating inhibitions.  He also states that “imitation may be an essential preliminary to any achievement.”

Panelists and artists Chuck Close and Richard Serra both attended Yale University at the same time along with many other accomplished artists.  It was noted how the environment for sharing ideas and experimenting at Yale and in NYC during that time period fostered and contributed to the development of these great talents.

To learn more, watch this segment of The Brain Series here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUUOHBk5qDM&feature=youtu.be

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According to The National Center For Creative Aging, research is showing the positive impact that creativity can have on the health and well being of people as they age.  Clinical evidence has revealed that older adults who participate in the arts have significantly better overall health, fewer falls and doctor’s visits, diminished use of medications and better scores on the geriatric depression and loneliness scales.

Psychiatrist Gene Cohen, director of George Washington University’s Center on Aging, Health & Humanities has studied creativity and aging for thirty years.  Cohen theorizes that arts participants have a heightened sense of control and social engagement, both of which may boost the immune system. Neuroscientists are exploring how stimulating mental activity such as artistic expression fuels the growth of new brain cells in the cerebral cortex.

All of this suggests that more engagement, pleasure and mental activity translates into healthy benefits for older people.  The arts can be used as a tool to increase the quality of life for seniors, resulting in reduced healthcare costs and older adults who can remain independent and “age in place”.

The National Endowment for the Arts has compiled a list, Creativity and Aging: Best Practices, which includes creative community senior programs all over the nation that can be modeled in your area.  Or check out KidzArt’s SeniorzArt program offered at participating KidzArt franchises.

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Spiders are fascinating creatures who produce beautiful works of art: their webs. Try this fun Halloween project by seeking an empty spider web and turning it into art!

Materials:

• Non-toxic white enamel spray paint

• Black construction paper

• Newspaper

Directions:

1. Find an EMPTY spider web and place sheets of newspaper around the area to protect it from the spray paint.

2. Spray both sides of your web with short, gentle bursts of paint. Don’t spray too much or your web will break.

3. When the entire web is covered with paint, press a sheet of construction paper to one side of the web and pull the web down on it. Let the web dry.

4. Once your web has dried to the construction paper, you’ll have a beautiful Halloween decoration! Take time to examine the details and patterns of each web you find!

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From Guest Blogger: Terry Groehler from Art Innovators in West Los Angeles:

Painting/Collage Project Overview:

Students of Malibu’s Webster Elementary School painted a watercolor wash background on watercolor paper. They drew the jaguar with Sharpies and Prisma markers on drawing paper with options of Prisma water color pencils, Art Stix and the Portfolio Series water based crayons. Then they cut out the jaguar and pasted it on torn heavy black construction paper which was pre-glued to the dried background wash. The foliage was made from torn specialty paper and pasted on. Students were very focused with the drawing part; this took two days to complete allowing time for background wash and glue to dry.  The students loved exploring different mediums with this fun painting/collage project.

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Your kids or students will surely get in the Halloween mood with this easy ghost necklace craft!

Materials:

White Construction Paper

Heavy Yarn (white)

Hole Punch

Black Marker

Scissors

Tape

Directions:

1. Print out your favorite ghost patterns.

2. Trace each pattern on white construction paper.

2. Cut each ghost out and punch two holes 1/4″ from the top of the ghost’s head, 1/2″ apart.

3. With a black marker draw eyes and mouth on each ghost.

4. Cut 30” of heavy yarn. Thread yarn through holes punched at the top of each ghost (wrap a small piece of tape around the end of the yarn to make it easier to thread through the holes). Center all three ghosts in the middle of the yarn. Tie necklace off at the ends.

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“ I found I could say things

with color and shapes that I

couldn’t say any other way—

things I had no words for.”

— Georgia O’Keeffe, artist

The week of September 11-17th was National Arts in Education Week. During that week and since, there has been much discussion and blogging about arts education and ways to make sure it thrives in our schools- from elementary through high school.

The arts can be a rescuer especially during high school years when students are at the highest risk of dropping out (research has show that arts education has an impact on truancy and delinquency problems).

What can parents do to make sure that the value of the arts is a priority at their children’s schools? They can play a very critical role in ensuring that administrators are aware of the value of arts learning. Parents can also serve as a guide to help their teens get the most from their high school arts education.

We recently found a great resource that offers guidance to parents of middle and high school students on how to prepare for, research and be an advocate for quality arts programs. The guide, Getting the Best High School Arts Education, provided by The Center for Arts Education, includes great facts on why art education is important, especially in high school. It also offers practical information such as what questions to ask your high school principal and teachers and what networks or groups parents can get involved in to be advocates.

While this guide is geared toward parents and students in New York City, it still offers wonderful ideas and practical information that can be useful in any city or town. The Center for Arts Education may be working on another version of this document for a national audience. Get your free download here:

http://www.cae-nyc.org/high-school-parent-guide.

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