Paper Mache
I have a one-year-old grandson and a four-year-old granddaughter who live in Virginia just outside Washington, DC. Both attend pre-school while their parents are at work. I receive emailed daily updates from the school as to the activities in which each are involved in their respective classrooms. In addition to circle time, story time, outdoor playtime, and music session reports, I receive, on an almost daily basis, photos of art projects in which both are involved.
Each emailed journal entry comes with a title including the artist’s name. Here is a sampling of recent submissions. “Henry Painting the Feathers of a Peacock.” “Henry - Muddy Pig Sensory Painting.” “Henry Adding Color to Our Soon to Be Lions.” “Henry Making Flowers for the Hallway” or “Making Spring Trees.” I should add here that there are also limitless possibilities using foot and handprints facilitating unexpected artistic results.
Some of the art projects support academic curriculum like “Sophia Decorating the Letter C Like a Cloud.” “Sophia Making Dinosaur Footprints.” “Sophia Helping
Make a Dinosaur Wall Mural.” Then there are more general art projects like exploring colors and what happens when you mix blue and yellow paint. And then there is free art time where the students create their own masterpieces with paint or Play-doh. You get the idea. Can there be a better school engagement approach than through art, and sports of course?
When is the right age to start art projects for children? Our friends at the Playzeum have included art programs for 0–5-year-olds since their beginnings. This column is in part prompted by articles
I’ve read recently like one on the Cal Matters website that states, “Only 1 in 5 public schools in California has a dedicated teacher for traditional arts programs like music, dance, theater and art, or newer forms of creative expression like computer graphics, animation, coding, costume design and filmmaking.” This although nearly 10% of the California economy is fueled by the creative sector.
I recently learned that virtually none of our local elementary schools offer visual arts programs on a regular basis with certified teachers. Early childhood music education has rebounded in recent years, but visual arts instruction is handled on an ad hoc basis if that. The governor has proposed cutting over $1 billion from the arts and instructional materials in his 2023-24 budget which projects a $22 billion deficit. This will in part be offset, thankfully, with the nearly $1 billion approved by voters through Proposition 28 last year. It will provide districts with money for art teachers and supplies.
“Once considered a cornerstone of any comprehensive education, the arts have long been scrubbed in California classrooms in favor of math and science. But the pandemic exposed the urgent need to help children cope with trauma and find ways to heal, experts say, amid what many see as an escalating youth mental health crisis,” as told by Cap
Public Radio reporter Karen D’souza.
Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture offers free after school art programs at its Kalakara Art Studio complex in Yuba City. Under the direction of Yuba City High School
Art Educator, Pamela Novak, “Sketchbook Club” sessions are designed for 7-10 and 11–14-yearolds. Details at yubasutterarts.org or 530-742-2787.