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Here's Looking at Art, Kid! By Elizabeth Hill The Corcoran Gallery of Art engages a broad audience – students, families, multigenerational groups and children of all ages – through its innovative exhibition-related programming. Learning to appreciate art helps instill creativity and self-expression in children.* As they look at and hear about art, children learn about history and culture while improving cognitive thinking skills, which in turn helps them in the classroom.** The Corcoran Gallery of Art offers family events, tours and interactive guides to enrich the visiting experience for children and families. Programs are tailored to accompany exhibitions and help open the family’s dialogue about art and art history through fun and interesting experiences in the galleries. The Corcoran’s current exhibition, The American Evolution: A History through Art, takes a look at our nation’s development through the themes of money, land, politics, cultural exchange and the modern world. After a day at the gallery, you and your child will come away with a fresh look at the images that have shaped our nation’s history. Observing expansive landscapes, stunning portraits and abstract sculpture may even inspire your child to create a piece of her own. When you enter the museum, pick up a free family guide – an important tool in initiating conversations about art with your child. Eye Witness: A Kid’s Guide to Looking at Art focuses on selected works within the exhibition, and asks children and their parents to identify, investigate and imagine during their visit. These guided questions help young visitors look, learn and talk about American art and offer critical thinking skills and vocabulary that children can take with them and incorporate into their lives long after their museum visit. When your day at the museum is over, don’t forget to keep art in mind after you leave the Corcoran. Engage your kids in art projects of their own! Creating art improves hand-eye coordination, fosters a sense of achievement and allows for self-discovery. Take the opportunity early on to teach your child about art and your budding Picasso or Warhol will thank you. Following are a few suggestions based on the themes and images children and their parents will see during their visit to The American Evolution. Create a landscape diorama. Select a scenic view near your own home or create one inspired by one of the paintings in the exhibition. Collect pebbles, leaves and bark from outside, or use clay or colored paper to make your own elements. Use a shoebox to hold it all together. Pay attention to the foreground and the background. What time of day is it? What do you want to feature? Create a portrait collage. Use elements from photographs, magazine cutouts, or drawings. Put them all together with a glue stick to make a self-portrait that is uniquely “you.” Do you want it to be realistic or abstract? What do you want your portrait to say about who you are? Create a still life. Many artists get their start painting still-life scenes of fruit. Find some fruit and vegetables to arrange for a balanced composition. Use watercolors or crayons to put your creation to paper. The best part – eating it when you’re all done! * “Can you see what I see? Cultivating self-expression through art.” National Association for the Education of Young Children.1998. 3 Apr. 2008. www.naeyc.org/ece/1998/04.asp. ** Viadero, Debra. “Insights gained into arts and smarts.” Education Week March 2008. 3 Apr. 2008. www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/03/12/27arts_ep.h27.html. The Corcoran Gallery of Art offers family programs that bring art to life! All American Road Trip Stretch Your Imagination Elizabeth Hill is public programs coordinator at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. |
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