Mixed Media Owl Collage

Super excited to share this adorable little fall art activity with you all! This week in our Preschool aged class, we have been making these adorable Mixed Media Owl Collages. I found inspiration for this project from two of my favorite blogs: Art Bar Blog and Small Hands Big Art. Both of these blogs have endless ideas and I always love to see what they do! I wanted to do a fall animal project with my classes, and when I saw these owls, I knew it was perfect! There are so many great owl picture books out there too, and I just love reading to my preschoolers before we begin our art projects!

Owl preschool mixed media art using collage materials and glitter glue

We read our book, and talked about owls and their habits (sleeping during the day…). The kids were so excited after reading this silly story, that we headed over to the art table immediately! I had pre-cut the cardboard owl shapes (this electric cardboard cutter is a life saver!), and had a wide variety of collage materials for the kids to use! Colorful feathers, washi tape, fabric scraps, tissues paper, and glitter glue!

They had so much fun choosing their own supplies to use! Kids in this age group just love having autonomy over their own artistic choices; it’s an important developmental stage for them. They also LOVE the glitter glue!! When my students see this material out on the table, they just can’t help themselves! When we are creating, I don't give much instruction. Our studio focuses on the process of the art making experience; we are less concerned with the final product.

Although, the little artists in our studio always seem to produce such amazing art works!!! I am always blown away at the effortlessness that can go into their creating, so fun and carefree, but the results are so wonderful!

Proud artist with his owl!

Spray Art fun!!!

This past weekend we were invited to the Shawnee Mission Parents as Teachers Play and Learn event. They invited us to have a little booth set up, and share some of our favorite process-art activities for little ones! We had some great activities to share, but this one is my most favorite!

Spray art fun!!! Using liquid watercolors and any piece of fabric, equals hours of fun!

This is one of my all time favorite because it is so fun, always turns out beautifully, and kids of any age think it is the BEST! It is also super simple, and pretty inexpensive! All you need is a simple light colored fabric (old bed sheets, fabric scraps, and cheap drop cloths work great!), liquid watercolors (I love the watercolors from Discount School Supply) and some empty spray bottles!

I like to hang our fabric, and let the kids spray up against the vertical canvas. It provides a new perspective for them. It is best to do this activity outside, or somewhere that mess isn’t a problem. The watercolors are washable, but the spray can go everywhere.

We have done this activity many times, in multiple settings, with all age groups of kids, and it is always a success! You can get lighter colors by adding more water to the bottles of watercolor, or more rich vibrant colors if you keep the watercolors more saturated! When you are finished, you can use the dried art for a large collaborative canvas (another one of our favorite projects; blog post coming soon on this!), or wash the fabric and use again and again!

Just look at that beautiful piece of art, created out of fun by multiple young artists!

Our Studio Opening!!!

We are finally ready to open our doors, and I am so excited!!! This is a dream that I have been working on for many years, and I pinch myself daily to remind myself it is real! The studio Open House was this past weekend, and I was blown away by the number of people in our community who came to see our space! We had such a great time, and made some beautiful art.

Delicious confetti Dolce cupcakes to help us celebrate!!!

Many of our family and friends came out to join us, and made the event extra special! The easel area was a hit for these little ones! Our easels are from Ikea, and they are perfect! Sturdy and just the right size for our little artists. These will be great for all our upcoming events, from classes to Open Studio sessions!

One of my favorite activities we had out was this branch painting station! I found this idea from the amazing Art Bar blog. She has the most wonderful, creative, process-based ideas. I just love the way these kids worked together on this art piece! It turned out absolutely amazing, and I can’t wait to hang it in our studio!!

Another major source of inspiration for my self as a studio owner and entrepreneur, is Meri Cherry. Her blog is fantastic, and she has created a process-art empire for herself! This super fun idea for Spin Art, came from her blog. When having an open house event like this, it is a good idea to have many open-ended stations for kids to work through, and this activity is a gem! These paints from Ikea are perfect for this lesson. They are bright, squeeze easily, and mix great!

Mala paints from Ikea; they also have perfect salad spinners too!

We had an amazing first event in our studio!!! My heart is FULL and I can’t even begin to image where this will all lead. This journey is going to be an experience of a lifetime, and I can’t wait to share ti all with you!!