Artful Prompting

[wayfaringwordhack]

I thought I would share a new creative challenge my family and I are undertaking this year.  Who knows if it might spark some ideas for anyone in need of such creative prompts.

 

The kids and I filled a tin with slips of paper inscribed with a hodgepodge of words (seasons, places, noodles <--7 year-old's contribution; he's so excited for it to come up in the rota), including artists, art movements, and techniques.  Each Friday, we draw our prompts from the box (two to three) and then have a week to produce art based on them.  We will start off Friday night with exploring the words and watching documentaries about the artists/techniques, and so.  Even my husband is doing it with us.

 

The words for our first week (which we are doing now) are: Collage, Cyanotype, and Georgia O'Keeffe.   The weather has been very non-conducive to cyanotype creation, but thankfully, we had lots of attempts from last year that we could use, especially useful given the "collage" aspect of the challenge.

 

I came up this challenge for multiple reasons:

 

1) I want to explore different ways of thinking, seeing, and doing, especially with an aim toward loosening myself up for children's book illustration;

 

2) I want to create with my kids and continue pushing them to stay in touch with their creatively fun kid nature, which is not always easy to do as many an adult can attest.  And sadly, I think they might be picking up on my critical self-talk and discontent;

 

3) I find art a fabulous way to learn about the world, present and past, which ties into our wholistic approach to education.  My kids and I have already had discussions about history (Dustbowl and Great Depression), geography, Native American spiritual beliefs, language for self-expression, moral issues (Georgia O'Keeffe's life--or commentary on her art--is not considered suitable for kiddos as many documentaries made me understand with the various tags of "kid-friendly"😜).

 

Our rules are:  Have fun, Don't whine or complain, Creatively follow the prompts, Be encouragers.

 

 

My flower and the "feathers" (prints of Lebanese cedar needles) fulfill the cyanotype criteria, and watercolor experiments make up the other pieces.  I didn't use a reference for the skull; just made something up.

 

 

 

My boys (yes, they have long hair) were inspired by O'Keeffe's lesser-known depictions of kachina dolls, and my daughter went for the floral take:

 

 

My husband is at work, so I can't ask his permission to post his.😉. 

 

My kids, especially my daughter, has a strong aversion to abstract art, so tomorrow, I hope to do an activity that invites them out of their comfort zone to try it, even if they don't end up loving it.  I think O'Keeffe's watercolors will be just the thing for inspiration.
 
ETA: art by Ti'Loup(left) and Farmer Boy(right):

Comments

[mallorys_camera]

Wow! I am absolutely in love with this idea & your kids' artwork!! Also your artwork, of course. But I was already a fan! 😀

[wayfaringwordhack]

I shall update the post to ad the boys' finished works!

[michaelboy]

I love artistic pursuits! - although I am biased as my father was an art teacher.

[wayfaringwordhack]

One can tell from your way with words that you do!

[tolcath]

What a cool project, and such fine results. I hope you all enjoy it throughout the year.

[wayfaringwordhack]

Thank you. I hope we do, too!

[asakiyume]

I love all of them! Great variety: you can see everyone's interests; I love it. And what a great family project.

And sadly, I think they might be picking up on my critical self-talk and discontent --So maybe part of this project will be about your finding generosity for yourself because you see how painful it is to see it in *them*. (I mean. There are plenty of other reasons to embrace generosity toward your own efforts, but that's another one!)

[wayfaringwordhack]

The variety is just the best! So many different ways of interpreting the prompts and expressing one's ideas. Finding generosity for ALL is exactly what I want. I find it so easy to encourage them and then don't "get" it when they aren't as generous to themselves. Until, yeah, I try listening from the outside in.

[queenoftheskies]

Oh, wow, what a great idea! And such a wonderful undertaking with your entire family.

Thank you for sharing the results. They are all AMAZING!

[wayfaringwordhack]

It was fun and pretty good prompts to start off with. This week promises to be more challenging!

[rimturse]

I love this, pea. What a great family project, and everyone's art is so amazing. :)