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Mixed-Media Explorations

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:04:00 GMT

Darien, CT
203-656-2706
Arts

5 through 9 year olds

An opportunity for children ages 5 through 9 to work with a variety of artistic media. Acrylic, watercolor and tempera painting, printmaking, sculpture, collage, 3-D art, drawing, sewing and clay are included in a wide variety of art projects and explorations from around the world. Artist's skills and techniques are introduced in context and in a developmentally appropriate manner.

$280

Wednesdays or Thursdays

(7 weeks)

4:00 – 5:30pm

Winter and Spring Schedules for 2008

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:34:37 GMT

Darien, CT
203-656-2706
Arts

The Spring and Winter schedule for all Paper Scissors Oranges classes is now up.

NEW! Knitting 10 through 13 year olds Children will learn the easy way to cast and knit. Your child will complete a colorful and unique warm winter hat all on their own.

Early Fall Classes, Sept 17-Oct 26th

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:41:43 GMT

Darien, CT
203-656-2706
Arts

Mom, Pop & Me: Join your 2 year old at the studio for a range of open-ended, developmentally appropriate and colorful art explorations. All kinds of painting, play dough, sensory experiences, and sculpture are offered in a class that supports healthy and holistic child development.

Art Explorations: Drop your 3 year old off for a hands-on, multi-media workshop that promotes the independent exploration of high-quality and stimulating art materials. All kinds of painting, sculpture, clay, collage, drawing and fabric explorations are offered.

Mixed Media: An opportunity for children ages 5 through 9 to work with a variety of artistic media. Acrylic, watercolor and tempera painting, printmaking, sculpture, collage, 3-D art, drawing, sewing and clay are included in a wide variety of art projects and explorations. Artist's skills and techniques are introduced in context and in a developmentally appropriate manner.

Spring/Early Bird/Summer Art

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 19:10:32 GMT

Darien, CT
203-656-2706
Arts

Spring Vacation Workshops are available April 16, 17th, 18th. Join us for one morning of a multi-media art workshop extravaganza. Limit one class per child!

Also Spring Classes....April 23 - June 8

Mom or Pop and Me: Join your 2 year old at the studio for a range of open-ended, developmentally appropriate and colorful art explorations. All kinds of painting, play dough, sensory experiences, and sculpture are offered in a class that supports healthy and holistic child development.

Art Explorations: Drop your 3/4 year old (separate classes) off for a hands-on, multi-media workshop that promotes the independent exploration of high-quality and stimulating art materials. All kinds of painting, sculpture, clay, collage, drawing and fabric explorations are offered.

Early Bird Classes - June 11 - June 29 and Summer Art...July 9 - August 17

A good offering plus a NEW CLASS! We are pleased to introduce a class for 8 through 12 year olds! 'Multi-Media' art classes meet one day per week for three weeks.

Mission

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:28:47 GMT

Darien, CT
203-656-2706
Arts

FOR THE PARENTS OF TWO YEAR OLDS ATTENDING THE TWOS WITH MOM CLASS: HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR YOUNG CHILD DURING ART CLASS

1. LET YOUR CHILD LEAD
Making Choices: Children are naturally drawn to activities that reflect their interests. In art class, it is important to honor your child’s choices, even if they don’t line up with yours. Trust that your child is reinforcing a wide variety of developmental goals with every activity she/he chooses, no matter how repetitive or mundane the activity may seem. Children get a tremendous sense of empowerment from personal choice and self-direction.

Using Materials: Allow your child to experiment with materials in her/his own way. When approaching a new activity, remember to sit back a bit and watch what your child does with the materials. You will likely be amazed at her/his ability to come up with creative ways to approach the materials as well as puzzle out solutions to any challenges.

Freedom: Art class is the place to enjoy a laid back approach to the use of materials: let children squeeze a mesmerizing pile of glue, complete 6 paintings in a row or cover their hands and feet with paint. Children who are allowed this freedom will learn to control the use of materials (self-regulation) over time. Children who always have an outside ‘regulator’ take longer to learn this skill.

2. ASSIST, DON’T INTERFERE
Children who are joyfully exploring art materials may create something that you believe to be very pretty or perhaps not. Children don’t care either way. For children, the PROCESS is of value rather than the product. Resist the temptation to take over a project your child is working on to ‘improve’ it in any way.

3. RESPOND IN A NON-EVALUATIVE WAY TO YOUR CHILD’S ART WORK
Notice your child’s artwork with non-evaluative statements such as “I see you used a lot of green today” or “Look at all those circles! When you respond to your child’s artwork with an evaluative statement such as “That’s beautiful!” (even though you mean to be supportive) you are shifting your child’s focus from pleasing her/himself, to pleasing you. When your child says “Look Mommy/Daddy!” He/she is not asking for evaluative feedback. Just LOOK! at the creation with all of your heart and soul.

4. TRY NOT TO BECOME TOO ATTACHED TO THE PRODUCTS
It is always important to celebrate your child’s visual development by showing that you value her/his artwork. Display art creatively around your home and in view of your child. However, it is important not to put so much emphasis on the product that your child shifts her/his focus away from the process. Creativity stops when children feel that their products don’t measure up to outside expectations.

5. MODEL CREATIVITY EVERY DAY FOR YOUR CHILD
Take advantage of any opportunities you have to model or encourage creative thinking and problem solving in your child. Think through creative solutions to simple problems out loud, or talk with your child about a wide variety of ways to solve a problem. Don’t be afraid to turn off the television and read a story, make up a silly game, build a fort, put on a play, or dance, paint and sing with your child.

Be careful however, not to draw or paint representationally alongside your young child. Adult representation hampers free expression in children because it introduces them to the concepts of realism and correctness far too early. When exposed to adult drawing, children will abandon their current and healthy developmental stage to copy adult forms of expression before they are ready.

6. DON’T ASK YOUR CHILD “What is it?”
Young children will often offer an explanation of a painting such as “ It’s a train! or “I made a rocket.” When this happens, feel free to engage them in conversation about this topic. On the other hand, the question “What is it?” should be avoided for a variety of reasons. Art is a deeply subconscious activity and your child may not have the words to describe what she/he has painted. In addition, this question suggests that you, the viewer, are not able to understand what it is the artist has painted so she/he has already somehow failed. Instead, stick to objective observations about the artwork.

7. HAVE FUN !

Programs & Events

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 16:57:26 GMT

Darien, CT
203-656-2706
Arts

2 YEAR OLDS W/ MOM OR POP, 3 YEAR OLDS, 4 YEAR OLDS, 4-7 YEAR OLDS, 4-9 YEAR OLDS, 5-9 YEAR OLDS.