Are you and Artist?
Posted by jan on 16 Mar 2007 | Tagged as: creativity, kids
Do you consider yourself an artist?
Amazingly enough many creative people
don’t consider themselves artists.
It is a label many aren’t comfortable with and in some
ways don’t feel worthy of
Crafters especially tend to downplay thier
creations as less than “real” art
I’m not going to get into a debate on crafts vs art
right now
(but feel free to comment here on the blog)
I am only bringing it up
in order to talk about the
simple Little Mistake
that causes most kids to stop enjoying art
and crushes their self-esteem.
I doubt that any parent or caregiver intends to
crush a childs self esteem or snuff the joy creativity
out on purpose
Nonetheless it happens all the time.
In fact most adults can tell you exactly when
they decided ( or were told) they were NOT talented or artistic
this belief is always learned - first
Most kids learn to “see themselves”
thru the eyes of those around them
that is why I never allow rampant criticism
between kids ( or adults)
to go on when I do projects,
…even in a teasing way
why?
Because we remember when someone tells us
“You can’t draw very well” “you can’t carry a tune”
or “what was That?”
Children pick up on your response
not just to thier work -but to your own
The need to have a project be perfect
 rather than enjoyable
speaks volumes and lasts forever
Creativity should be fun, free, joyful and abundant
most of all it is FUN!
If you don’t know what to say to that huge purple blob
that your child says is a tree
simply act delighted and ask them
how they came up with such a great idea!
Turn it upside down and look for shapes,
talk about the colors and if they get upset
because it doesn’t look like a tree to them,
pull out the next paper and encourage them to try again
after all theres ore than one way to draw a tree!
Go on and make something!
 Jan
www.everydaycrafter.com
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