Art Sparks: Draw, Paint, Make, and Get Creative with 53 Amazing Projects!

(Paperback)

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Description

This lively, colourful compendium of arts and crafts for a new generation of kids features projects specially designed to spark creativity, invite self-expression, and nurture self-confidence. From finger puppets to fabric flags to shrink art, each activity uses inexpensive materials and can be crafted in less than 90 minutes. Kids love arts and crafts and every kid can be an artist with this book as their guide. Working with basic art supplies - from paint, markers, paper, and glue to household finds like cardboard boxes and fabric scraps - children learn that as long as they can imagine it, they can create it! This rich collection of 53 inspiring art projects for kids aged 6 and up is curated by two art educators with decades of experience, and offers up a ton of freeform fun. From Doodlemonsters and Painted Animal Rocks to Paper Bead Jewelry and Nature Weaving, projects vary in difficulty to engage a wide range of ages and abilities, and many can be made in under an hour. Every project featured in the book has been kid-made (and kid-approved!), and photos of the finished pieces serve as inspiration for kids everywhere to use art to express their imagination, humour, creativity, and individuality. AGES: 6 plus AUTHORS: Marion Abrams founded the Summer Art Barn in Hatfield, Massachusetts, in 1989. Hilary Emerson Lay has a BFA from Emerson College in writing, literature, and publishing, with a concentration in children's writing and illustration. SELLING POINTS: . Kids love arts and crafts! . Art teaches creativity, innovative thinking, and problem solving. The open-ended projects featured in this book are designed to jumpstart creativity, tap the imagination, and build a sense of self-confidence by encouraging children to collaborate and problem solve as they work with their hands and create one-of-a-kind art. The projects teach essential art skills and fit well into the STEAM curriculum. . Written by art educators with 30 years of experience working with kids. Authors Marion Abrams and Hilary Emerson Lay have taught art to kids for decades at the Summer Art Barn in western Massachusetts, where they guide and encourage children to create in their own ways. The projects featured in the book were made by kid attendees of the Summer Art Barn camp, and the tone of the book captures the authors' friendly, unintimidating, and fun approach to art education. Colour photographs and illustrations throughout

Reviews

"Summer art camps, art clubs, and after-school groups will find the creative projects in this enticing and beautiful book easy to understand, prepare for, and implement. Everyone will be amazed by students' involvement, enthusiasm, and success!" -- Cathy Topal, author of Thinking with a Line and Education Child Study research associate at Smith College

"I can't wait to share Art Sparks with my three kids. They range in age from seven to twelve years old, yet I know each of them will love the art projects and will learn new art-making techniques. I would have loved having this as a resource when I taught middle school and high school, too. While the steps are easy enough for younger children, the projects and design offer expansion for older kids and teens." -- Krissy Bonning-Gould, blogger and social media influencer, and founder of B-Inspired Mama

Author Bio

Marion Abrams began her career as a school art teacher and founded the Summer Art Barn in Hatfield, Massachusetts, in 1989, with a focus on nurturing creativity and teaching the joy of arts and crafts to children. Hilary Emerson Lay is a working artist and former bookstore manager who joined Marion Abrams as the assistant director of the Summer Art Barn in 2013.