Art Appreciation

Last week in class, I let the kids draw something on their own. Our bible story was about Noah and how after the flood, God put a beautiful rainbow in the sky as a sign of a promise, never to flood the earth again. I showed the kids a picture of a rainbow and explained to them that it had seven different colors.
I gave them each a blank piece of paper and some crayons and asked them to draw a rainbow. This is what Faith came up with...

and this is Grace's...

I found this so interesting because this is just a small example of how different our girls are. Faith is more detailed, my engineer. Grace is my free-spirit. She marches to the beat of her own drum and sees things her own unique way. When they were done, Faith looked at Grace's and said that she didn't like hers because it was "all messy." I of course, told them that I liked both of theirs because they were very different and special, just like them.

Coincidentally, Hailey shared something with me that she read earlier in the week about children's art...

"We can't teach creativity. Children respond to life, each in his own individual way. How interesting to stand back and watch! Provide a time and place. It helps if they are allowed access to paper, wood, costumes, and so on. Children used to improvise creatively much more effectively without the fancy clutter which often takes away imagination today. Steer clear of coloring books. Provide good art paper, paint, markers, pencils, and pens. Encourage creativity by your appreciation of what is produced."

I am a firm believer in letting children create art through their own interpretation and experience- not be confined to the "norm" or what we adults typically see as right or beautiful. Although I believe that a coloring book or staying in the lines can serve the purpose of learning fine motor skills and following directions- art, it is not. Who needs to stay in the lines, anyway?!

Whether it's drawing, painting, dance, or music, all art is a form of expression and there is no right answer. There are only varying degrees of taste and captivation.

Lastly, a quote by Pablo Picasso...

"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.