Create Crafts with the Art Mouse Studio Blog!

Don't Miss Out!  Limited tickets still available.  
Classes limited to 10 campers a week.

Is your child looking for something more than just drawing & painting?

 Top Six Reasons Why Art Mouse Camp is Great for Children

Art Mouse Campers will:

• Learn how to put your hands on a potter's wheel
• Use traditional hand-building techniques with CLAY & glazing is included too
• Create fantastic edible Art snacks with the group & share
• Create an original sculpture from "Imagination Mystery Box"   
• Art & Science connections with cooper wire & a D battery
• Pool side fun with your new friends & relay races & games

Get ready to dive into three-dimensional  & more fun!  We will build sculptures from a variety of materials.  With form, children develop more problem-solving skills by having to examine work from all visual points.  Ceramics is one of my favorite art mediums. For me, working with the clay allows the creative side of the brain time for sensory development, motor skills, problem-solving, & pride.  Clay also has a therapeutic quality that I have seen it settle and calms children; retains their attention too. There is no better moment for me to see a child's joy as they sit at the potter's wheel for the first time and place their wet hands on slowly spinning clay!  At the studio, students will have the experience of texture & feel of the clay;" Students will express what they are sensing ; It's cold, it's wet and squishy, & its heavy!" Clay asks to be poked, pinched,, twisted, and rolled as the children handle it, many feel its freedom. 

For me as an art teacher, I believe that clay is an unique medium, that allows children to learn to repair a mistake , this gives a child a sense of control over their projects success which improves self-esteem and self-expressions as  they realize that mistakes aren't going to stop their progress. However, not to worry, I can show a child how to quickly take a piece of clay and fill in the damaged area & the child can do it too.  Yes, pride & self worth is more important than the product.  I will place emphasis on the discovery and joy of creating clay projects with the belief that clay is an essential element for nurturing children's growth.

Love,

Art Mouse

Connie Ewing

 Are you looking for easy ways to keep connected with you child for the summer?

Take a look at the date on the calender, children across America are ready for Summer Fun 2014!  Are you looking for an easy way out, but the second voice in you says this  summer will be about building creative confidence, encourage invention, building processes applying critical thinking skills new purposes of common materials with your child?

• Set up a creative space in your home with a small table
• Use a large tray to share common materials
• Recycle tin cans & styroform trays to hold brushes & paint
• Label all supply containers for markers & crayons & more

• Your child will just luv ya more & enjoy the process of designing their own projects.
• It's true that self -directed art projects encourage confidence and critical thinking skills.
• You''ll be so proud of your masterpieces  & will enjoy sharing the fun with other families.

How do you model habits of creative thinking to your child?

 Art journaling is a great place to start by setting a goal of two pages a day to boost & nuture your creative spirit.

The objective of these challenges is to enable children to explore a material’s potential, build creative confidence, encourage invention, and envision new purposes for common objects…. skills that are at the heart of innovation.