MaryAnn F. Kohl

Q1. How did you become an art activity guru?

A1: I love the term “guru”! Is that what I am? I like to think of myself as a teacher who believes in the integrity of the child and views art as a way for children to share from that inner reserve that we usually don’t see.

-I taught primary grades and preschool, and of course raised my own lovely, creative daughters. During all that time, I vividly saw that art was an important experience, a place for kids to be themselves without an adult telling them exactly what to make or how to do it. I was so comfortable with authentic art and how involved and focused children could be that I knew it was “my place.” Working with children of all ages led me to see that art, not just cutesy crafts, was of great importance to the growth and development of the whole child. And so I began my passion for sharing what is now called “process art” with the world! My first book, Scribble Artback in 1985, was a step into how sharing might be done most easily.

Q2. In First Art, you have activities for toddlers and two-year-olds. Do you have any tips to help both the adult and the child have fun with the activity?

A2: Adults should think of themselves as guides or support. The adult is there to help with unruly materials, refresh the materials, help with aprons, and so forth. Making the art center comfortable and setting it up for easy use will enable the child to freely explore. Stay out of the child’s way as much as possible. Let them fly! It’s very important not to mark or work on the child’s art. I think this is part of respecting the inner child. Work on your own paper if you are itching to explore the materials.

Q3. You’ve written books for toddlers, preschoolers, and primary schoolers. What’s different about doing art projects with each of these age groups?

A3: One thing that is true for all the ages is to allow them to discover, explore, and create without an adult sample to copy. The materials you set out will lead the way. Also true is that all age groups will need help with managing the finished artworks to be taken to drying areas or with clean-up. Adults are very good at that! Adults become facilitators in helping art happen for the kids.

-Very young children need fewer materials put out at one time. You might offer the young child cotton swabs for painting, and the older child will be ready for a house-painting brush! Experience starts young with exploring techniques and control. As the youngest gain control and grow a year or two, they also can handle more materials and more kinds of materials. It’s exciting!

-All ages need the same activities repeated over and over. If you offer finger painting to the youngest child one week, offer it again the next week or the next day. Each time it is repeated, there will be a leap of understanding and skill development. This is equally true for older kids; repeating allows them to add to their skills by including a new tool or a new material. Using the finger painting example, an older child might explore regular finger painting one day and the next day move forward to adding tissue paper into a finger painting. Another day, the child creates a finger painting over a crayon drawing and later perhaps uses finger painting to frame a different artwork. The possibilities are endless, and each new exploration expands the child’s mind and skills.

Q4.What do you mean by “It’s the process, not the product,” and how does this tie in with creativity and artistic talent?

A4: It is important to separate the notion of “talent” from “creativity” — a child does not have to be talented or create a masterpiece to have a meaningful artistic experience. Art is a process, not a product. It’s tempting to want our children’s art to turn out cookie-cutter perfect to prove that they are successful and on track. It’s reassuring to know that we can relax! Where art is concerned, it is the process of creating — exploring, discovering, and experimenting — that has the greatest value. Through self-expression and creativity, children’s skills will develop naturally, and their ability to create will soar.

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