It has been a spectacular six weeks of backyard ART camp! Melissa and I are so excited at the incredible collection of artist-inspired projects that have amassed through this collaboration. So many amazing bloggers came together and generously handed over some of the best artist-inspired projects for kids that I have seen in one place!
from top left to bottom right: found object art with me; pointillism with Jane ; Christo-inspired fabric scrap project with crafting connections; kiddie kandinsky with my life at playtime ; rousseau-inspired wall installation with the crafty kitty ; collage art with Miranda Makes ; rock sculptures with simple things notebook ; river rock drawing with Gypsy Forest ; Gaudi-inspired mosaics with Mon Petit Lyons; Jackson Pollack-inspired art with small + friendly; Rothko-inspired fabric project with feathered nest studio; and Charley Harper birds with tara from girl like the sea
We covered some serious ground, didn't we? One of my favorite things about this collection of positively one-of-a-kind projects is that they span such a wide range. Some take little more than one hour and involve a simple rock hunt in the backyard while others take days of preparation and planning. And yet each one provides a beautiful platform for an open-ended artistic experience for a wee one. And, if I do say so myself, it seems like quite a few moms have a pretty good time of it, too. Making art is a pretty universal good time.
So far, we've had a chance to give a few of the projects a try ourselves...We made outdoor sculptures at the beach...
Tried out river rock drawings...
And made some graphite and fabric collages...
It's been so much fun to see how Violet enjoy not only making their art, but also to see how proud they are of these projects that have turned out so beautifully! We can't wait to give so many of the other projects a try as well.
When Melissa and I started backyard ART camp we went into it with a shared desire to bring the joy of art and making to our kids but also to, you know, fill up the hours and hours of summertime that suddenly appear when the school bell rings at the end of the year. And, in a flash that school bell is starting to ring in the start of a whole new year. It's hard to believe that summer is over and the school year is gearing up again.
But the art and making doesn't have to end! Be sure to check out our Pinterest board where we have gathered all the projects and inspiration to save any projects for any other day that needs a boost of inspiration. Keep uploading your projects to the flickr pool throughout the year so we can see your creations, we'll add them to the pinterest board too!
And, on top of that, we are giving away one of my absolute favorite books on kid art...The ART treasury by Rosie Dickins. Every project in this book includes a mini-biography of an artist and an easy but beautiful way for kids to emulate their style.
To win the book, leave a comment below or on Melissa's blog telling us YOUR thoughts on backyard ART camp or suggestions for next year's backyard ART camp. What would you change? What would you add? What did you like? For an additional chance to win like either my Facebook page or Melissa's and leave a comment here telling us you did that. You can even enter a third time if you subscribe by email to our blogs, just be sure to leave a comment telling us you did! If you already do those things, let us know and we will add you to the pool. Hey, but wait...there's one more way to enter, and this is the most fun way...link up YOUR Backyard ART Camp projects and leave a comment letting us know what you made. We can't wait to see what you've been up to!
Okay, so that's four ways to enter to win. The linky and giveaway will be open from now until next Monday midnight EST.
**** The Giveaway is now Closed.
The winner is...Jessica Herir who said "These are such fantastic ideas! I just had to share the link on my page too. Thanks for the great inspiration… we can’t wait to get out our art supplies!"
Congratulations Jessica! ****
