Barnsdall Park Junior Art Center's "Art Stories & Pictures" class, taught by art instructor Victoria Howard, has just finished an exciting six weeks together. In this class, designed for 3-5 year olds and their parents, picture books spring to life.In the above photo, a very familiar Power Ranger constructs his own "Happy Tree," inspired by the gorgeous beech in When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang.
Victoria encouraged students to decorate their trees with objects that would bring them happiness, especially useful for those difficult, dark days that can pop-up out of nowhere.
Crockett Johnson's classic, Harold and the Purple Crayon, formed the framework for an amazing art activity, "Crayon Room Drawings."Classroom surfaces were covered with blank white paper, until students transformed them with the help of purple crayons and their own imaginations.
Victoria Howard looks on as a student makes busy with her own purple crayon.
As imaginative as Harold's imagination.
Notice the train tracks on the floor. Harold would be proud.
On the last day of class, Victoria Howard prepares a watercolor painting activity in connection with a reading of Eric Carle's The Very Busy Spider.
Victoria's enthusiasm, passion, and upbeat attitude are infectious.
Victoria and a student discuss The Very Busy Spider.
A student checks Eric Carle's pig illustration for reference.
Voila! A very busy art student creates "a very busy spider."Over the six-week period, we read and made art projects based on seven books, including Animal House! I will share those incredible "animal house" characters in a future post.
In the meantime, have some fun coming up with ideas for creating picture book-inspired art projects of your own!
More on our amazing art instructor: Victoria Howard also oversees the "Living Arts at Barnsdall Park" program, which offers free, high-quality art instruction to children and adults with disabilities. To learn more about this and other art instruction opportunities, contact her at: vqharts at att dot net.
