Portraits

With so much interest in self portraits we asked ourselves how to deepen the process.  One of my colleagues had the wonderful idea of introducing figure drawing with the children and inviting different children to model for the artists.

 This was a total success and we will keep exploring this idea with the children after the break.

Toddler stories

The toddler teachers and I can often be found with our heads together, generating ideas on how to best involve toddlers in studio projects that are emerging from my work with the primary and extended primary children.  After some discussion we decided to explore story telling since so many children have been making story people and using drawings as a point of reference for telling tales.

Knowing that toddlers are not yet motivated by representational drawing, we asked families to send in photographs as story telling prompts.

The day was amazing!!  Both Rose and I were humbled by the eagerness with which the children shared their pictures and the memories contained in them.  As is often the case when researching alongside young children, we discovered how much they can teach us.

We will continue working together to discover questions and topics of interests to further our understanding of toddler-tale-telling, child development and the beautiful children in our care.

How does a project develop?

One of the XP boys came to me with an idea: 

"Angelina, I want to make instruments and have a holiday band.  We can play Christmas songs together!"  

So we made a plan.  

He chose 4 friends that he wanted to begin working with and we set a date.  I gathered up a bunch of potential supplies: tubes, boxes, gourds, beans, wire, etc. and readied the study for their arrival.

When the day came, the boys began by drawings plans for their intended instruments.  Next they brainstormed which supplies were needed and then they set to work bringing their visions into form (I worked as a fulfillment factory...hot gluing, cutting and supporting as necessary.

When all instruments were complete the began to play.  We recorded several of their songs and Dag-nab-it... I can't figure out how to post them on the blog, but if you want to hear them in person, please swing by the studio or I can happily text the mp3 if you let me know you want to listen.  The songs are wonderful!!!

We shall see if music continues to take off after the long winter's break.

emerging interests

Observational drawing continues as a thread of shared interest amongst the children.  L. arrived in the studio and stood before the easel, expressing an interest in drawing our resident guinea pigs.  We agreed that drawing them from life was easier than drawing from memory.  We set her up with the necessary supplies and she joined Kirsten and several of her peers on the landing.  Soon she was joined by a host of inspired artists recording their observations and discussing their findings with one another (the guinea pig "poo" was of particular interest).

 Here is L.'s finished piece.

 And here is another child's creative interpretation of the "guinea pig's poo".

 While the guinea pigs were observed another child noticed this truck outside the studio windows and began drawing his observations.

I will continue to offer creative ways for the children to explore this interest in a variety of ways and extend their thinking and learning as we do.  Stay tuned!

come one, come all

The studio is primed and ready for this year's first mini art show and studio conference set to begin on Wednesday, December 2nd from 8:30-3:00.  The children toured the show today and were eager to share their work and thinking with their families.  There are stories accompanying many of the featured pieces and documentation to give context to the process.  I hope to see you there. If you are unable to attend, please feel free to contact me to chat about your child's work in the studio and how the philosophies of Reggio Emilia continue to influence our work at Children's Garden.