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Why Take Children Outside to Create Art?

In this day and age, there is an ever-pressing need to connect children to the natural world and art. Children today spend less time outside, and have limited or nonexistent art instruction in the classroom. These concerning trends contribute to growing problems of “nature deficit disorder”, and “biophobia”, as well as visual and environmental illiteracy. Children today can name multiple corporate brand names, but can barely acknowledge the art around them or identify the plants, and trees in their region. According to a Kaiser Foundation study, children also spend an average of 6.5 hours a day in front of electronic media while the National Park systems state that family attendance to state parks and national forests is in decline. Even recent legislation such as the No Child Left Inside Act, and in my home state of Maryland, Governor O'Malley's Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights seek to improve the lacking nature-connection in U.S. schoolchildren.

Children are the future stewards of our natural resources, and the future patrons of the arts. Figuratively speaking, they are the artists that will create the environment of the future. We cannot afford to graduate generations of children who are ignorant about the environment, and the arts. Because of this, it is essential that they establish primary meaningful connections to, and comprehensions of, art and the environment. Educators, child-care professionals and parents must strive to fill these deficiencies in environmental and art education by introducing children to the beauty, importance and functions of both nature and art.

Nature is an inspiring classroom for all ages, providing a peaceful environment which is conducive to creativity and discovery. It is also an excellent sensorial muse by which the elements, principals and expressiveness of art can be exemplified. Art creation itself allows for a higher-level cognitive, affective and psycho-motor domain attainments from Blooms taxonomy of learning, while increasing neural activity and intellectual growth in children. The study of nature through art allows the “student-artist” to experience, observe, value, analyze, synthesize and express his/her understanding of, and relationship to, nature and the environment. The examination of nature through artistic processes has been a constant in the development of artists and scientists throughout culture and history. From the ancient painters of the Lascaux caves, to the artists of the Renaissance and to the modern day artists, nature has inspired man to create in order to understand, and praise its wonders. As the great painter Francisco Goya explained, “I have had three masters, Nature, Velasquez, and Rembrandt.”

So, take the young people you know outside, give them a sketchbook and some pencils,  or send them on a nature scavenger hunt and have them draw or assemble their findings into a sculpture. Pull them away from their media devices and encourage them experience the natural world with all of their senses and respond to, as well as express their experience in a creative way.  

Animals and Nature Art Camp

Young artists at the Pima for Kids Animals and Nature Art Camp had opportunities to draw, paint and sculpt with professional art techniques last week. Aspiring animal and nature artists learned how to draw animals with shading and values and how to paint landscapes with watercolors from Teaching Artist, Ms. Malosh on the first two days.

On Wednesday, they took advantage of the overcast morning and went outside to paint the beautiful mountains and fauna around the campus. After climbing up a steep hill and setting up easels, the clouds opened up the way for some wonderful, but hot, sunlight. After drinking lots of water, mixing lots of colors and finding lots of new uses for "oh my gosh," Ms. Malosh's paint-moistening water-spritzer, (spraying our faces and heads as much as the quickly drying paint) many beautiful and colorful landscape paintings were made.

Thursday and Friday were fun 3-D days. Campers made imaginary animal sculptures, using armatures and oil clay, and then made very creative habitat dioramas for their animals.

To see the amazing art produced by the outstanding animal and nature artists in this class, visit:

http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=206242

Pima County Environmental Education Class Makes a Wetlands Mural

Young Aquatic Adventurers at the Pima County Natural Resources Environmental Education Camp had an opportunity to learn about art and mural creation with Ms. Malosh early this month. After learning about aquatic animals and habitats with environmental educators, Axhel Munoz and Yajaira Gray in beautiful Agua Caliente Park, students combined their new knowledge with their creativity and made a beautiful mural! Ms. Malosh taught them about the mural process, layout and sketching techniques, painting techniques, mixed-media and collage techniques, and light and color effects. These young artist showed a lot of learning and were all very proud of their collaborative creation!

Kids at The Tucson Children's Museum Design Alternative Fuel Transportation Vehicles

Children at the Tucson Children's Museum spent a week learning about transportation and modern alternatives to fuels in a week long art and transportation camp with Ms. Malosh last month. Children had opportunities to design and build their own cars, trains and even spaceships! Children learned about how different forms of transportation use fossil fuels, bio fluels, solar power, hydropower, and even algae!

Children designed and built models of transportation vehicles fueled by a wide variety of things, such as candy, wind, water and people.

Face to Face Animal Art Adventure

Children at the Reid Park Zoo had many wonderful opportunities to see animal faces up-close in the Face to Face Animal Art Adventure early this month. Animals showed their mugs as young artists learned the differences between herbivore, carnivore and omnivore facial features from zoo educator, Jennifer Stoddard. Outside Art's Teacher, Dawn Malosh, taught aspiring animal artists how to recognize, draw, and paint the shapes, values, colors, textures, placement and proportions of the animals' faces. Many gorgeous animal faces were painted, and everyone really enjoyed the animal art encounters! To see their animal face paintings visit: http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=196272

Nature-Inspired Furniture for Charity

Outside Artists at St. Michael's Parish Day School created beautiful nature-inspired themes on children's furniture this month. Beautiful flowers, birds and desert landscapes donned the curved surfaces of these child-sized benches and tables. These pieces are sure to thrill and inspire the children that receive them.