This summer why not invest some time in the cultivation of some art appreciation with your family. Take some time to go a museum, check out a book from the library, go to an art fair. Art can be found anywhere from galleries to gift shops, hanging in the dentist’s office or the bank, as well as, indoors to outdoor murals and sculptures. If you have access to the internet, sit with your family and visit a museum online. (Check out museum sites link on my website.)

When going to an actual museum or gallery, don’t anticipate an immediate appreciation for the art. Introduce your family ahead of time to some of the art work they will be viewing. Familiarize them with art work they might come in contact with. A large collection of unfamiliar work can be overwhelming. Have them choose some favorites ahead of time to “hunt” for and see the excitement of viewing it in person. Pick a subject matter on which to focus. “We’re looking for our favorite landscapes this trip.” or “ We’re looking for genre scenes which make us smile and feel good inside.”

When having a dialogue with your family about the work of art, model vocabulary with a richer body of language entailing more than just talking about the “pretty colors”. Describe the art work with your child using the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Encourage observations by sharing your art criticism steps of describing, analyzing, interpreting , and deciding.

Enjoy and enrich this summer with the arts!

Need to brush up on your knowledge of visual art vocabulary?
Check out the Information section on my website.

http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/teachers/rmarcy/?b=12