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The Importance of Unstructured "Free Time" Art
6:00:00 AM |
| Pasta Dinner, from a "Free Time" art student. |
In our studio we try to keep the materials accessible to all artists so that they can fully express their own ideas within the context of a project. During our After School Art Club we reserve the last 20-30 min. of every class for creative free time. This is a time for the children to express their own creative energies, and ideas. They are given access to various loose parts, drawing/painting materials, traditional and non-traditional craft supplies, and low temperature hot glue guns (with assistance as needed). They are encouraged to explore their own thoughts during this time. This unstructured time can look very random to the casual observer, but I believe it is fundamental in the development of their creative minds!
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| A sample of some of our supplies available for self expression. |
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| A collection of some of the "Free Time" art projects from past students and guests to the studio. |
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| A polar bear and penguin habitat created by two girls during their Free Time art session. |
I hear so many adults say that they "don't have a creative bone in their body." I don't believe this is true! I believe that somewhere along the path to adulthood they began to believe this because, perhaps they did not create the gallery style art that society and schools and even parents tend to place value on. They began to attach their idea of creativity to only those highly finished professional types of art. But think about true creativity, the ability to risk a thought that differs ever so slightly, and perhaps to represent that thought in a meaningful way.
Some Benefits Of Creative Play
- Children are able to express their own thoughts and feelings.
- Children can begin to make sense of the world around them.
- Creative play can help children deal with big emotions.
- Creative play builds self esteem, their ideas are valid and important.
- Creative play strengthens problem solving skills through experimentation, trial and error.
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| Wearable art created during "Free Time" allows the children to experiment and solve problems..."How can I make this stay up?" |
Sometimes what seems like a mess is actually big work...
Take for example this group of girls in the video below. These girls have been in a weekly class together for almost 2 years and have had ample opportunities to explore the materials together and independently. For the past month these three girls have been collaborating on a project together which they wanted to be a surprise...meaning they would not tell me what they were making! I had my suspensions that they did not really know themselves. Each week they would pull out supplies and paint or draw, or glue them together. At the end of class they would pile them all together in a big pile which quickly out grew my storage shelf! For a little over a month we would move this ever growing pile from corner to corner of the room. It became a tripping hazard, lol. Finally, I encouraged them to wrap up the project so that we could dismantle it. I was ready to have the floor space back and I could not see that this was really going anywhere in particular. To me it seemed like unrelated piles of materials that just kept growing...Finally they put it all together and explained their work to us:
It was a Water Park! Every little detail was carefully planned and thought out. They worked together generating ideas, solving problems or disputes, and experimenting with possibilities! It was beautiful and amazing to see their plan come to fruition!
So many times I was tempted to recycle all of these seemingly random parts, but something held me back. I am so glad that I followed my gut on this because these children really created something quite special. Along the way they also really taught me the importance of allowing children the space to explore their own ideas.
So what did they gain from this project?
- They developed problem solving skills.
- They learned cooperation and compromise.
- They took risks and experimented with how to express their thoughts.
- They strengthened their critical thinking skills.
- They followed an idea from conception to completion, follow through.
Though the finished project was not a traditional looking piece of finished art, ready for framing and showing off...it was so much more! It was theirs. I look forward to their next project which I am sure will begin soon. In fact I am clearing out a corner of the studio just for large project storage...
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| This child made a projector, and discovered that when she shined a light through it worked! |
We can learn a lot about our children from these creative expressions if we pay attention. In the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood they focus on the 100 languages of children. How do children communicate their thoughts, desires, fears? How do they make sense of the world around them? The Reggio Approach uses art in their classrooms as a means of expression. I believe that older children and even adults can also use open ended visual expression to work out their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas...even if they don't consider themselves to be creative. ;) You don't have to be an "Artist" to use art for personal expression, and it is through this visual expression that we can often gain insight into our own thoughts and feelings.
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| "Free Time" art from artists of all ages. |
In our studio we offer various Open Studio sessions throughout the year that are open to all ages for creative exploration. We also offer a variety of classes for both children and adults that focus on visual self expression. Visit our online store to see our available classes for all ages!
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About our art clubs...
1:58:00 PM
This term we have created two art clubs for kids. These clubs are designed to engage and foster creativity in your children. We offer two different age groupings so that the activities offered are appropriate for each group. A description of both are listed below, click the club title to go directly to the registration page for each club!
Preschool Art Club is offered Wednesday and Thursday Mornings from 9:30- 11:00. This group focuses on children age 3-6 years old. The cost for this club is $85 a month if you select to come one day a week or $125 a month for both days ($85 for one day plus $40 for the additional day).
Our projects will be very open ended and process based. Children will be encouraged to follow their own natural curiosity as they explore the materials and the many creative possibilities each material provides. We will incorporate many aspects of creativity including visual representation, story, dramatic play, and song each month. The focus will be on discovery and self expression. The classes will follow the interests of the children present.
Parents are encouraged to drop their child off for this class and enjoy a little time for themselves! Parents who wish to stay are always welcome and they will be considered class volunteers. They my be asked to help with hand washing, basic clean up, or reading a story.
After School Art Club: is offered on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 4:00-5:30. This group focuses on children age 6 and up. The cost for this club is $85 a month if you select to come one day a week or $125 a month for two days or $165 for all three days ($85 for one day plus $40 for each additional day).
*Older teens (12-18) are encouraged to join out Teen Independent Art class which will also meet during these same days and times. In this class teens develop their own projects and work with me on a consultation basis. Please click the link to find out more about this option for older kids.
For this After School Art Club we are influenced by the TAB model for art education (Teaching For Artistic Behavior), which incorporates a lot of choice based art. We will be using a modified TAB approach for this Art Club because I feel that a key to successful choice in art is in learning the capabilities and limitations of the various materials. Since we have constantly rotating classes and students, being able to do this in a full TAB approach is more difficult. We will instead be incorporating a variety of techniques in our art club including:
Preschool Art Club is offered Wednesday and Thursday Mornings from 9:30- 11:00. This group focuses on children age 3-6 years old. The cost for this club is $85 a month if you select to come one day a week or $125 a month for both days ($85 for one day plus $40 for the additional day).
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| Painting with rubber bands, What happens when you pluck the band? Did you hear that sound? What did the paint do? |
Description:
This art club is designed to engage the child (age 3-6) in an environment that fosters creative play, inquiry, problem solving, self expression, and exploration. For this group we are influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood. |
| Exploring Clay with loose parts; Bring nature indoors with nature mobiles; Exploring symmetry in leaves |
Our projects will be very open ended and process based. Children will be encouraged to follow their own natural curiosity as they explore the materials and the many creative possibilities each material provides. We will incorporate many aspects of creativity including visual representation, story, dramatic play, and song each month. The focus will be on discovery and self expression. The classes will follow the interests of the children present.
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| A game of Simon Says with an art twist. |
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After School Art Club: is offered on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 4:00-5:30. This group focuses on children age 6 and up. The cost for this club is $85 a month if you select to come one day a week or $125 a month for two days or $165 for all three days ($85 for one day plus $40 for each additional day).
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| Paper Sculptures; Mixed Media birch trees; Fabric collage |
Description:
This art club is designed to foster creative thinking and self expression in school age children age 6 up (to around 12 years old.)*Older teens (12-18) are encouraged to join out Teen Independent Art class which will also meet during these same days and times. In this class teens develop their own projects and work with me on a consultation basis. Please click the link to find out more about this option for older kids.
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| After school kids working on balance sculptures. |
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| Observational skills using a still life; Complete the picture, sketchbook prompt, Exploring Pop Art |
- Personal sketchbook prompts
- Traditional teacher led projects that focus on skill building as well as producing a finished piece of work. These projects will vary and include elements of creative choice in each project.
- Artist Study
- Cultural Art Study
- Art Games that build creative choice and thinking.
- Art Challenges
- Collaborative group projects.
- Each day will culminate in creative free time where students will have full access to our general supplies for their own creative projects.
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| 2 of our favorite Art Games: TAG, a mixed media game that introduces multiple supplies and layering techniques; Roll a Monster, a fun game where the roll of the dice tells you what to draw for crazy combinations! |
General Note:
These classes will all respond to the interests of the children in the group. Because it is important to build community and trust within a group we encourage you to come for multiple months to gain the full benefit of the experience. We do however understand that families and children are very busy so please feel free to come even if you can only commit to one month!
*A one time trial class is always welcome as well for those on the fence, please call to schedule your class if you are interested because we will need to make sure it is a day we are working on a new project and are not in the middle of an ongoing project.
Visit our Online Store to Register!
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Studio News
Introducing...
4:47:00 PM
I was recently reminded by someone that everyone loves photos of babies and puppies! He suggested that I start an Instagram account dedicated to our Messy Baby classes. So I did! I will also be including our Messy Art Classes for toddlers and preschoolers n this series. So if you are a fan of Messy babies, or just babies in general consider following our newest Instagram page:
messy_baby_art.
#MessyBabiesOfInstagram
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Curious about our art Classes for kids?
6:45:00 PM |
| Exploring her art projected on the wall and ceiling from the overhead projector. |
It is our belief at the Basement Community Art Studio that people are inherently creative. As we grow up we tend to begin to place labels on our creativity. Many of us decide that we are in fact "not creative." (More on that in Part two, Adult Classes at the studio.) Children, however are filled with a sense of wonder and creativity that never ceases to amaze me. Please read all about our fun and exciting classes for kids this Fall below! My name is Jennifer MacIsaac and I will be the instructor for the classes unless otherwise mentioned. You can check out my thoughts on teaching art here.
"Our task regarding creativity, is to help children climb their own mountains, as high as possible. No one can do more." -Loris Malaguzzi (Founder of the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy.)Fall Term 2017
(Aug. 7, 2017- Dec. 22, 2017)
Messy Baby Art
In our studio we begin our classes with very young children. Once an infant can sit on their own we invite them to begin exploring art through an introductory sensory experience with painting. Our Messy Baby Classes are geared to infants roughly 6 mo. to 2 yes old. At this stage we begin by spreading large sheets of paper out on the floor and the child is encouraged to explore non-toxic children's tempera paint with a variety of tools from paint brushes, to sponges, and even feathers. This becomes a full body painting experience, and true to its name we all get very messy! Care giver participation is required in this class so please dress for a mess. |
| A very messy baby after a fun class! |
Messy Baby Class is offered through the school year on a weekly basis and reservations are required, Mondays, 11:00-11:45
$10
Messy Art
With our next class we take the idea of sensory exploration a bit further. We invite toddlers and preschoolers age 2.5-4 to explore a wider variety of art materials and tools. Our focus is still on sensory exploration at this stage. In this class we begin offering simple demonstrations of various tools and mediums including: paint, drawing materials, stamps, glue, clay, and more. These items are offered but the child is able to explore other materials as their interested. Caregiver participation is required for this class so that the instructor is able to move spend time working with each child/caregiver group to introduce the materials.
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| Toddlers and preschoolers exploring various artistic expression. Paining on a mirrored easel, exploring print making with found objects, painting with spray bottles and squeeze bottles. |
This class is sold by the month, and prices are based on a 4 week class however some months are prorated to accommodate holidays.
Wednesdays, 11:00-11:45
$65
Reggio Inspired Process Art
For our next class we begin to work on a more structured class. This class is intended for children age 4-6. It is a very process oriented class and our projects will still be very sensory based but they will begin to involve more of a group focus. We will be exploring art through a Reggio Emilia inspired approach that uses art provocations to spark their creativity. We will begin to teach a variety of art mediums and tools which the children can use to explore their own thoughts and interests. We will work with observational art skills as well as interpretative art. We will use a variety of mediums in our exploration including: found objects, natural materials, markers, pastels, watercolor, tempera paint, clay, and more. At this stage caregivers are invited to stay but are welcome to explore the area shops and cafes during our class as well. I suggest you follow the needs of the child for this class. Some children do better when they work with the teachers one on one while others still may need a caregiver close by.
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| Students from our Reggio inspired summer camp, painting with natural brushes. |
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| Various art explorations inspired by the Reggio approach. Gravity painting with an eyedropper, exploring clay, sewing on a prepared easel with yarn. |
This class is sold by the month, and prices are based on a 4 week class however some months are prorated to accommodate holidays.
Mondays, 4:00-4:45
$65
School Aged Art Enrichment Classes
For our older kiddos age 7-teen we offer a variety of classes throughout the week which feature a different theme for each class. These classes attempt to mix an instructional portion of the class with an exploration portion to provide a balance between learning a skill and self expression. Our homeschool classes are one hour and tend to focus more heavily on the skill or project but the student is encouraged to explore their own creativity within the confines of the project we are working on. Creative choices are offered with every project. Our after school classes are a bit longer 1.5 hours which allows us to work on the skill or project as described above plus we are able to dedicate between 30-45 min each class to open create time. This is a time for the students to choose their own work. They will have access to the studio materials to explore their own thoughts, ideas ,and artistic passions. These are intended to be drop off classes and caregivers are encouraged to explore the area shops and cafes while we are in class. If you wish to stay that will be fine as well. Coffee and tea are onsite and there is a small lounge area for you to relax while we create. Students may also bring snacks to our after school classes if they would like. Classes are sold by the month, based on a 4 week month. Months with fewer or more weeks will be prorated. Please see the descriptions of the classes below:
Expressive Art Journaling for Teens 12-18
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| One of our independent study teen artists working on her Fashion illustration project. |
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| Examples of expressive art journaling pages. |
Mondays, 4:00-5:30
Teens 12-18
$110
Instructor: Karen Byars
This class teaches mixed media art journaling techniques and focuses on using the creative process to get in touch with our own inner voice.
Clay: Ages 7-11- Info and photos will be updated soon!
This is a new class that will begin October 17th for a 5 week run! We will be posting a link with all the information soon, so stay tuned!!
Tuesdays, 4:00-5:30
Age 7-11
$TBD
If you are interested and want to get on the mailing list to be the first notified when this class opens, send me an e-mail with the name and age of the child who is interested in attending. thebasementartstudio@gmail.com
Painting: Ages 7-11
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| Painting large. |
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| Exploring various watercolor techniques. |
This class will focus on various painting skills including watercolor, tempera, and acrylic mediums. We will explore basic color theory, composition, and techniques within each project.
Ages 7-11 we have two classes:
After School Wednesdays, 4:00-5:30
$85 (1.5 hours)
2D Mixed Media: Ages 7-11
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| A mixed media self portrait project. |
This class will explore a variety of 2D art mediums including, collage, drawing, and painting skills. We will work on ways to combine multiple mediums into our projects each week.
Ages 7-11 we have two classes:
$65, (1 hour)
3D Mixed Media: Ages 7-11
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| A hand built crab out of air dry clay. |
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| Sculpture Challenge: A balance sculpture. Create a base out of wood and then balance a series of cardboard shapes without using tape or glue to attach the cardboard. |
In this class students will explore a variety of hand building techniques using various 3D media including found objects, recycled materials, wood scraps, clay, and more. Students will explore their own creative interpretations of weekly challenges.
Ages 6-11
New Class, Saturdays: Meet The Masters Ages 8-12
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| Inspirations for our Meet the Masters Projects. |
This is a new class we will be offering and it will be led by our newest instructor, Karen Byars. You can read about Karen here. In this class students will study Helen Cordero, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Paul Klee. The workshops will include a small 3D sculpture, accordion book making, drawing, and painting. Individual expressive creativity will be encouraged. This is a 4 week class beginning in October, with the possibility of extending the class if there is enough interest!
Ages 8-12
Open Studio Sessions
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| A beautiful home collaboration designed by these two sisters during their free exploration time. |
We offer a variety of open studio sessions throughout the year. These are sessions open to the public to come in and work on their own using the materials in the studio. There is no set lesson or project during this time, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Please note that there may be classes going on during some of these open sessions. Food and drink are welcome in the studio.
Sessions:
Wednesdays & Fridays
Walk in sessions $10 per artist
9:00-10:30 a.m- Coffee and Creative Play, the coffee is on us!
4:00-5:30 p.m.- All Ages Open Studio
Tuesdays-Fridays
Teen Studio $85 per month
12 & up, No need for adult supervision.
Teens may come in any afternoon, Tues-Fri to work on their own projects. This is a great time to work on portfolios! I will be available to consult, however I will be teaching other classes during these times so teens will need to be largely self motivated.
During School Holidays we often offer extended Open Studio hours for walk in artists of all ages as well as art camps like our Fall Break Mini Camp. Check our Special event section of our online store for special classes. We will also post special hours on our home page under the Studio Announcements and on Facebook. Check back often!
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| Fall Break Mini Camp |
Thank you for checking out all of our fun and exciting Kid's Art Classes! Stay tuned for a post about our adult classes...
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Reggio Inspired Art
What is a Reggio Inspired Art Class?
5:22:00 PM |
| Painting with natural brushes from Reggio Inspired Mini Camp 2017 |
A bit of background:
Reggio Emilia is a city in Italy that is famous for its approach to early childhood education. The Reggio approach has been studied, by educators all over the world and has inspired the development similar educational programs the world over. The approach is based on the constructivist theory which, according to Wikipedia, states that people learn by constructing their knowledge through their experiences and by reflecting on those experiences.One of the cornerstone beliefs in the Reggio approach is that children have "100 Languages" with which to express themselves. Each school is equipped with an 'atelier" or art studio and an "atelierista" or art teacher central to the school, where the children and adults in the environment can express themselves symbolically through various art "languages." See, the Reggio children Website for more info on the Reggio Approach.
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| Exploring the auto harp with Mama Gayle, Reggio inspired mini camp 2017 |
Art Inspired by the Reggio Approach:
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| Part of the tinkering area of our studio |
In a Reggio inspired art program the various art mediums are considered "languages" which children can use to express themselves. There are a variety of materials open for the children to explore their own ideas. The atelierista, art teacher, sets up provocations or invitations to create within the studio. It is important to know that these provocations may not follow the teachers initial plan, and that is OK. The idea is for the children to follow their own interests. The teacher and the environment adapt to meet their needs. In a Reggio inspired program the environment is particularly important. It is often referred to "as the third teacher" because it carefully prepared and designed to encourage exploration, self expression, and active learning. The studio remains accessible to the child and children are encouraged to explore their own interests.
Examples of common items found within a Reggio Inspired studio:
- Tinker trays filled with items for children to explore and build with. Items can be virtually anything but they should offer various textures and shapes that invite the child to touch, feel and construct with them.
- Natural Items such as sticks, pine cones, seed pods, rocks, flowers, leaves... These items can be added to tinker areas or set up with other provocations.
- Clay is offered for exploration either on its own or in conjunction with various other items such as sticks, or other tinkering items. Children are allowed to explore without too much adult interference.
- Observational drawing prompts with various drawing mediums. these could be things like a plant or flower to observe and draw or even a mirror to draw one's own face.
- Mirrors allow children to not only observe themselves but also provide a unique canvas for exploring other items in the studio.
- Sewing, weaving, and other fiber arts.
- A collage area which can be part of the tinkering items as well.
There are so many interpretations and provocations in addition to those listed above that might be included within a Reggio inspired studio. I am still learning and being inspired by others working with children in the Reggio way, and by the children in my classes. Each group of children bring their own interests and perspectives to each class so no two classes look the same!
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| Me, I am always the one taking pictures so there are not many with me in them, haha! |
The teacher's role in the studio is more of a guide or a resource for the children. They are not the central figure, instead they help to provide an environment that encourages the child to explore their own interests. They carefully observe and document the children so that they can continue to meet the needs of the children as they arise. They help the children to discover and solve their own problems, interests, and ideas. It is the job of the atelierista or art teacher, to guide the children to a mastery of various mediums of expression by setting up provocations that spark curiosity, and providing ample opportunities to explore the various mediums in new and interesting ways. The child is always at the center of the work, they are following their own directives and there is no set "right way" to complete a project. For this reason the art often looks very different than in other art classes where the goal is to complete a set project or directive in order to accomplish a specific goal.
Some of my Reggio Inspired Influences:
I have always been drawn to process art which focuses on the experience of creating rather than the end product that is created. I believe that children and adults alike benefit from these types of creative experiences. When I started this studio I began really looking at my teaching style, my influences, and the direction I wanted this studio to go. I began seeking out other studios across the country who were offering similar experiences. Through out all of my research I have been continually drawn to the Reggio approach. I have been inspired by the many schools and art studios I have found which base their programs on this school of thought. You can read more about my teaching influences here where I discuss not only my Reggio influences, but also my other areas of influence for my teaching style here at the studio.
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| Experimenting with watercolor and leaves, Art and Science Camp 2017 |
I would like to specifically share with you today a few of the many great studios which have influenced our little studio, particularly our programs for young artists. These amazing studios are all located here in the US and each offer a unique program for young artists based on the Rggio Emilia Approach! I encourage you to visit their websites (linked to their names) to learn more about what a Reggio inspired art class might look like.
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| "Painting Rain" in Reggio inspired mini camp 2017 |
Located in Louisville KY Side by Side Studio is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit art studio. They offer amazing community art programs for children and families which are inspired largely by the Reggio approach to art. One of their programs called the Whole Child Program is a semester long preschool arts program with a focus on creative play and discovery. I encourage you to read more about this amazing program as well as the many other classes and camps they offer.
Side by Side studio is a major influence to me and It is my goal to take our little studio in a similar direction while keeping in mind the unique needs of our local community here in Knoxville. In fact I found this studio because of my research in nonprofit children's art studios! I am particularly drawn to their open ended approach to art, especially their focus on mindfulness and self reflection through art exploration.
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| Exploring symmetry in leaves, Art & Science Camp 2017 |
Located in Tarzana, CA (part of Los Angeles). Meri Cherry is a Reggio inspired atelierista (art teacher) with 20 years teaching experience in LA. She keeps a beautiful blog filled with information, tips, project ideas and more. She now has her own studio which she opened just over a year ago where she offers various classes, workshops, camps, and parties all influenced by her passion for the Reggio Emilia Approach. The blog is over five years old, and I can not remember when I first came across it, but I have been keeping up with it for several years now, lol! You can see photos of her beautiful studio here. It is a magical looking space filled with creative inspiration! I am drawn to the beautiful projects and creative experiences she incorporates into her classes with children. I am especially inspired by the way she incorporates nature into her art making experiences, like in this project where they are using beads and wire to decorate a piece of cactus wood!
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| Creating with nature, Reggio Inspired Mini Camp 2017 |
Located in Los Angeles, CA, Purple Twig is a process based art studio focusing on children and families. I located this studio via their Instagram profile and I fell in love with their many beautiful art projects. They do a lot of building with found objects and if you have ever set foot in our studio you know that I am quite fond of found object art!
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| Exploring color blending by scrape painting, Art & Science Camp 2017 |
With 2 locations one in Portland, OR and another in Takoma Park, MD, Little Loft Studios offers classes, camps, parties, and open studio sessions to children preschool to middle school age. I found these wonderful studios via their Instagram feed as well. They have beautiful process based art projects that encourage exploration and creative play.
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| Nature Mobiles made in Reggio Inspired Mini camp 2017 |
How does this all relate to our studio?
Well many of you already know that we offer various art classes for kids each year, including our Messy Baby classes, homeschool art classes, after school art enrichment classes, summer camps, and open studio sessions for creative exploration (Click the class link for more info on specific classes). These classes offer a blend of my various teaching influences as discussed here. Many of these classes also offer a set theme or objective that leads to more project based classes, but this year I have also added Reggio inspired art classes for preschoolers. I am very excited to offer these classes to the greater Knoxville community.
We began our Reggio Inspired Art program this summer with a mini camp for 4-5 year olds (See many of the photos sprinkled throughout this post!). The camp was amazing, we had such a great group of young artists. I was inspired by their open creativity, and I learned so much from them. I am excited to continue developing this program throughout this school year with 45 min. classes offered on a month to month basis. At this time parent participation would be required for our youngest group the 2-3 year olds and would be optional for our older group, the 4-6 year olds.
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| A preschool art Exploration from a class last spring, 2017 |
We hope to continue developing this program, eventually transitioning it to a semester long preschool arts program which would feature a half day drop off option 1-3 days per week. Such a program would allow us to take more time developing relationships with our students and their families and better tailor the program to meet their individual needs and interests. The longer class periods would allow for a more diversified program similar to the mini camp we offered this summer where students could explore a wider variety of art forms including music, drama, and storytelling.
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| Mama Gayle telling our first ever group of campers a story, 2015 |
This year I will be gauging the interest of the community for such a program and I would love to get your feedback. Please feel free to comment on this post or email me at thebasemenartstudio@gmail.com
I plan to spend this year developing this idea further including looking into nonprofit status, researching state requirements, expanding the business plan to include this program, and touring/reaching out to other studios such as the ones listed above for tips or advice. I will keep you posted as we go here on the blog. I would love to hear about any relatable experience you might have and volunteers are always welcome!
