Art

Art, not Craft

“Children’s art is beyond the realm of known language.  It lies beneath the skin of language, in other words, there aren’t words to describe the feelings, the emotions, the pleasure, the pain, and the reasons for painting, scribbling and daubing.  Art helps humans actualize and internalize experience.  When adults, however well meaning, interpret and attempt to bring art into the mundane rather than the majestic realm of experience, they diminish the value of children’s art.” Bev Bos/ Jenny Chapman

In creative art, we never want to make a model for the young child.  There are no adult standards on children’s art.

We encourage process art activities that are child-centered rather than product art that is teacher-directed.  Product art activities are teacher centered because the teacher’s rather than the child’s interests are given priority when the teacher begins with a model.  Product art activities tend to stifle creativity and hurt self-esteem since the child is told how to use the materials and the end result is rarely as good as the teacher’s.

We believe that children learn best by constructing or building their own knowledge. Therefore, many of the children’s creations may not be easily identified.  Art is a creative process and once again, we are concerned with the process, not the product.