It's been two years since Melissa and I hosted Backyard Art Camp! Two summers, since we shared, along with several other bloggers, 8 weeks of fun, art, and loads of kiddo creativity!
And, you know what folks, two years seems like too long!
So, this week we are back with Backyard Art Camp and we couldn't be more thrilled! This year we've changed it up a bit, made it a bit shorter and given it a theme!
Welcome to the Re-useum!
What is a "Re-useum" you ask? Well, first let me tell you that I can't take much of the credit for this one... Dear Melissa was the motivator in starting this series up again this summer (she's awesome like that, always motivating!).
And, Violet, well she was the inspiration...One afternoon she sat in the backseat of the car musing on about this and that and said...
"I wish that there was a museum where
everything in it was made up of recycled materials..."
And so a theme was born...and we quickly went with it, because when someone has a brilliant idea sometimes it just has to become reality!
So, again...
What is the re-useum? A re-useum is simply a space for art made of recycled materials.
Why a re-useum? Aside from the obvious - it's good to reuse materials and not let things go to waste...Making art objects from re-cycled or up-cycled materials helps children (and adults) to stretch their imaginations. Reusing objects in art makes you look at that object in a different way and allows the artist to turn it into something completely different. A whole new spin on something that was likely, otherwise, destined for the recycle or trash bin! Plus, it's super fun!
So, now that you know the what and the why, how about the how...
How? How do you "re-useum"?
Why not host a re-useum party! Start with a re-useum studio and end with a re-useum gallery...
First, invite your friends...
We invited several of our neighborhood friends over one morning to join us in our "Re-useum studio"...the more creative energy you surround yourself with the better! We invited parents to drop their children off for two hours so that they create to their hearts content...and then when the parents arrived for pick up, the studio had then been turned into a gallery for all to see the art that was made!
Before the party we set everything up so that the kids could just make, make, make without much adult interruption!
On each table we placed egg cartons for paint, rags for clean up and paint brush dabbing and plastic containers filled with water...
For supplies, we simply put out a great big pile of materials...the sky is the limit! Whatever you don't have need of (as long as it's not harmful) put it out there...someone is sure to come up with an idea for it! Some suggestions...buttons, yarn, ribbon, magazine, egg cartons, plastic bottles, cardboard, caps of all sorts, tissue boxes, wood scraps, paper towel rolls, shells...We also asked our friends to bring one or two items to contribute to the re-use art table, this gave us quite an eclectic mix of supplies!
And for some additional supplies, I put out paints and brushes, all sorts of decorative tapes, regular scotch tape, glue, glue sticks, rulers, pipe cleaners, googley eyes (because who doesn't love googley eyes?!), craft punches, construction paper, and scissors...
Make sure that everything is out, accessible and safe for all to enjoy and use at their leisure...that is part of the fun of the re-useum studio...it's all kid led creativity!
Once you are set up...open for "business"...
And let the kids go and create and make...
You may have noticed I said earlier ..."allow them to make without much adult interruption"...and really I think that is key. My husband and I were there to assist with things like getting paint out or gluing or with our "craft knife expertise" but we truly let the kids go to work on their own, checking in here and there with each child to see how they were doing, but allowing them to create their art the way they imagined it!
After about an hour or so the making began to wind down...we cleaned up some, let art dry, had a snack break and took in everyone's creations...
During snack time we all gathered in the shade for a break and for the next bit of fun...naming their artwork! Every piece of art needs a name, right. Some children were really into naming their artwork, others not as much, but the naming of the work is what makes it special and fancy and important! Plus, naming gives the audience a hint at what you were inspired by and it's a lot of fun!
We finished up our naming just in time to put the artwork up in the "gallery" (excuse the misspelling on the sign.), put out fresh snacks and lemonade for the parents and the reception and then the Re-useum Gallery was open!
The parents loved walking around to see what their children had been up to all morning...and the kids in turn had fun showing off their artwork!
I was so impressed by each piece of art. I loved seeing how different each piece was and how the personalities of each child showed through in their artwork.
It was truly a fantastic (albeit hot) morning full of creativity! Kuddos to the young artists! (And hooray for awesome neighbors!)
Join Melissa and I all this week for more Backyard Art Camp and Re-useum making! Why not get in on the fun yourselves and make something from reused materials, share it on Instagram and use #reuseum so we can see what you are making!
Whatever you do, just remember...
(the above fortune was opened at the gallery reception for our re-useum...perfect!)
We still have a big box of reusable materials so perhaps we will be hosting another Re-useum studio and gallery here again soon!
