Encourage an artistic spirit in children with 36 kid-friendly fine art projects in paper, clay, textiles, sculpture, and jewelry. Each project is inspired by the work of a prominent artist and is illustrated with step-by-step color photographs of the process as well as finished samples and variations.
Have fun exploring:
- paper by making paper bead figures from magazines, pipe cleaners, wooden beads, and other common supplies.
- clay by creating whimsical pinch pot birds.
- textiles by making a nature weaving with two branches, various items collected from nature, yarn, string, ribbon, and glue.
- sculpture by creating a little world featuring miniature plants, animals, and objects under a stemless wineglass.
- jewelry by making a modern cameo pin from tiny beads, cardstock, felt, pin, and glue.
About the Author
Mixed-media artist and art teacher Susan Schwake is best known for her playful, process-oriented teaching style and for her bold use of color in her nature-inspired paintings. For over 20 years, she has enjoyed bringing out each student's personal style and nurturing their self-expression through their own artwork in her classroom. Susan also has created large-scale permanent exhibits of children's and multi-generational artworks for local municipalities. Over the years she has worked with thousands of children in public and private schools, community groups, arts organizations, and has promoted the arts in her state through many non-profit organizations. She continues to teach art in her little private school called Artstream Studios in New Hampshire and online at www.susanschwake.com. Susan has written five books about making art with others. Her Art Lab for Kids series is a bestseller—the series has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide and is available in nine languages.
Rainer Schwake is a versatile and talented media designer holding a master's degree in graphic design. His photography has been used in hundreds of business- and arts-related design works for print and websites. He is co-owner of artstream studios (www.artstreamstudios.com) and lives with his wife, Susan, in Rochester, New Hampshire.