Purple Twig- Art Exploration for kids. A mom run small business in Los Angeles. Stop by to see the trials and tribulations.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Camp Flaming Arrow 2014



Our camps foster children's curiosity by not only exploring materials and ideas but also exploring our neighborhood. We believe that children learn though experience, coming to their own conclusions through interactions with their world around them. Our Camp Flaming Arrow is an interpretation of a traditional sleep-out camp. By hiking through the neighborhood, using camping journals, having picnics and doing specimen collecting for art projects sparks enthusiasm in the children for learning, as well as, for our neighborhood communities. 




 Lunch Picnics are a wonderful time for collaboration, sharing and exchanging ideas in playing together. There was a lot of singing, collecting of flowers and plants, hiding and climbing. 




On the first day of camp the kids made writing implements to aid them in their journal writing by putting paper maché around a pen. Carrots always seem to me a celebration of spring so it seemed liked the obvious choice. We put together field journals for the children of things one might find in the neighborhood if you looked closely. Looking is such an important part of art making, looking and having an awareness of your surroundings. 





Some of the kids drew and wrote about what they saw. The younger kids took the initiative to just draw other things of interest they found, negating the scavenger hunt all together.  The discovery of finding different shapes of leaves, small and big and drawing them was such a valuable experience for them. 






Happy Looking!!!








Thursday, April 10, 2014

Fiber Arts

Fabric is one of my favorite materials to use with kids. It is such a versatile material to use with kids and luckily we have so many amazing families who donate gorgeous fabric for our kids. It's a material that is suitable for any age. From age 2 to age 10 here are some fiber arts projects for kids.


In our family classes for ages 2 and 3 most of our projects are process oriented exploring the potential of the materials, but every once in a while I like to make something that is more instructional. This octopus kite made from fabric is a wonderful example. It has an active life after it's made. The kids have such a great time dancing and playing with it.


I gave the kids circular cut fabrics that were stapled together (which is so much easier than sewing it) but with an opening so they could add fluffy stuffing before they painted on it. After painting it the parents then stapled on the fabric tentacles that the kids chose.


I stapled on another strip of fabric at the top and tied it to a dowel and voila an octopus kite it made.



For ages 4 and 5 we used fabric with paper maché goop to make little hot air balloons. The fabric made them so colorful with all those different patterns and colors. This is just paper maché on a blown up balloon. The kids wove string and fabric into a plastic berry basket on the bottom. 


This is such a great decoration for any kids room and they can play with it, adding figures to the basket. 




For ages 6-10 we used fabric strips to weave into a gown in our Fashion Lab. The girls chose their fabrics, cut or ripped them into strips and then warped and wefted their way into these amazing gowns. We left long strips hanging down to make whimsical bottoms of the dress.






Making of the gowns is a fantastic process for the kids but the fashion show is an incredible experience for everyone. We invite families and friends to see the kid's creations. 





 Happy weaving!!!