Philosophy and real art for kids.........

Amy Leask has a spectacular site whose mission is to "introduce kids (and the adults they run with) to the wonderful world of Philosophy." It's called kidsthinkaboutit

Children are challenged to think about:

• What is real? What exists?
• What makes a human? Is it our minds, our bodies, or a combination of the two?
• How do we gain knowledge and understanding? Is it with our senses, our minds, or something else?
• How can we be sure that something is true?
• What is the difference between the good life and the bad life?
• How can we decide on the right thing to do?
• What does it mean for something to be beautiful?
  Ahhh, now you get why this link is on my site! I, too, ask kids to try to figure out what beauty is, in it's endless forms, and to decipher which of those forms they relate to the most. It's a wonderful steppingstone to communication and reasoning and enlightenment.
  (The image above is an antique scale/fortune telling machine, which is now considered a form of folk art! Discuss amongst yourselves!

Asking kid questions about art.........

This is part of an interesting article by Cindy Carson about children and art. Enjoy!
Children love art. Art helps a child’s imagination and creativity. It can help develop their fine motor skills, cognitive skills and problem solving abilities. It provides a calming activity. It can be used as an emotional outlet to express feelings. It develops manual dexterity (through using hands to create) and it increases sensory awareness.......
Visiting an art museum occasionally is another great way to foster a love of art.
When viewing artwork, ask kid questions about the paintings they see, like “what time of day is it in the picture?” If there are people in the painting, ask “what are they doing? And, describe the mood: are the people happy? Sad? Angry?” Talk about the colors, and how the picture makes your child feel. Explain the media used to create the artwork (i.e. oil paints, bronze for sculptures, acrylics, etc). Talk about when the artwork was created and who the artist was. Parents should study art also, so they can be prepared for any questions.
Parents can show books showcasing fine art to their little ones, such as the Come Look With Me, Enjoying Art with Children series by Gladys Blizzard, or the Child’s Book of Art, by Lucy Micklethwait. Kids might also enjoy an art class, or even entering an art contest.
So start introducing your kids to the world of art. Who knows? Your little one might be the next Rembrandt, Van Gogh or Picasso.

Skating With Nuns!

Where are the two little running friends? Clue: One of them always wears a red scarf! They are hidden in plain sight and are the artist's signature in every one of Paul Pitt's charming paintings. This one is called "Skating With Nuns" and measures 32" x 26", oil on canvas, framed, $1400.
Paul's luscious paintings bring us back to a simpler time, filled with a strong sense of community and extended family. Even if we have never personally experienced his subject matter, it rings a responsive chord. However, these are not memory paintings. A church steeple or the architecture of an old barn or via duct will catch his eye, and in month's time, a new painting has come to life.
The work is meticulously and compulsively repainted up to six times before Paul is willing to pronounce the piece done. Within each large scene, there are many small stories unfolding, each with their own considerable charm and humor.
Because the pointillist backgrounds and constant repainting are so time and labor intensive, there are rarely more than twelve new paintings available each year. Folk art enthusiasts love Paul's work, and a large body of his paintings has been included in several important collections. Hampton Museum acquired an example in 2001, and four of his paintings have graced the cover of the Craft Digest magazine. Recently his work was in the opening exhibition of the Baron and Ellin Gordon Galleries at Old Dominion College. He has also been published in Folk Art Magazine and Raw Vision Magazine.