In this age of computers and smart phones, reading to your child is more important than ever. Studies show that technology has made people lonelier than ever.
After scanning a recent grocery flyer, I was surprised to see an ad for boxed lunches for kids. Are parents that busy? Making lunch for your child is Parenting 101.
I guess I shouldn’t have been so surprised in an age when 4 year olds hold Apple ipads instead of parents’ hands because parents are too busy to spend time with them.
Sadly we have gone from latchkey children to surrogate parenting. There has got to be a better way.
We’ve forgotten the lesson of Covid. Relationships matter. Our time with our children matters.
One of the truest predictors of future success is the amount of reading that children do at a young age. The amount of time children read and are read to predicts whether they will be successful.
Taking a clue from the book, I painted the modernist bridge against the anachronist Red lighthouse. My contemporary approach in the lighthouse art painting is a delightful, refreshing and compelling contrast to the historic lighthouse.
The Art Guild of Orange Park is partnering with St. Johns Day School for an exhibit at their new Performing Arts Center. See breathtaking art by artists from local artists. Orange Park, Florida now through January 6, 2025.
I selected my painting of the Little Red Lighthouse, or Jeffrey’s Hook Lighthouse, as it reflects the power of children to create change.
Made famous by the children’s book The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde W. Swift and Lynd Ward, the story inspired hundreds of children to write letters that saved the lighthouse.
Today, it stands as the last lighthouse on the Hudson River and the only remaining one in Manhattan. A tribute to the power of youth.
A meet and greet for students begins on October 28 at 2 pm and concludes at 4 pm with parents joining in on the discussion.
Explore the Miami Beach Art Deco District through of the eyes children. Splash and Color is an 18 page multicultural coloring book featuring popular sites in Florida’s second most popular destination.
This year, Miami Beach Art Deco Weekend celebrates Florida’s Historic Coastal. These destinations alone draw tourists from around the world. Close to 100.00 visitors attended Miami Beach Art Deco Weekend last year.
The event has expanded, offering free fitness classes, a Classic Car Show, live jazz, an Artisan Market, Kids Zone, and more.
The Arf Deco Dog Walk adds a playful touch, while tours and sketch walks provide additional highlights.
The weekend not only honors Barbara Capitman’s contributions but also advocates for the preservation of the city’s rich architectural heritage,
Capitman’s unwavering vision and determination gave rise to the iconic Art Deco District, the first 20th-century neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places. She was the founder of the Miami Design Preservation League.
Native Americans have lived in Maine for thousands of years. Today the four Maine Tribes are the Maliseet, Micmac, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy known as the Wabanaki.
The State of Maine has a great kids website complete with games, coloring sheets and interesting programs and fun facts about Maine’s wildlife.
While Maine is famous for lobster, Maine has a variety of black bears, moose, puffin, etc. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has compiled a list of fun animal tracks for bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes and more for children to explore.
There are a variety of cool programs for youth. During IndigenousHeritage Month, Maine offers a Native American Essay Program for Maine’s student residents. Essays are reviewed by a panel of judges, who will select top entries for middle and high schoolers.Deadline for submission is November 12.
Lily Brown’s Painting by Angela Johnson and EB Lewis is a positive and uplifting book that younger children will enjoy. This book highlights the creativity, strengths and love of a delightful African American girl. Lily has a zest for life, adores her family and especially her baby brother.
Lilly is a compassionate and kind girl with an active imagination. She explores the world through her art.
Children and their families will create a watercolor painting of the stars from the book, Lily Brown’s Painting.
While there is a reference to art by Van gogh, Lily also finds inspiration and appreciation in everyday occurrences and elevates them to imaginative heights. There are no limits to her creativity. Lily becomes one with her art often immersing herself in the paintings.
I love that the author, Angela Johnson shares center stage with the illustrator. There is a nice foreword by the artist, EB Lewis, about his creative progress.
Check out my website for lesson plans for this book and other art workshops.
I love the artist Jacob Lawrence. I’m not alone —-one of his paintings recently broke an auction record to become among the most expensive works by an African American Artist. Lawrence depicted many social events in his paintings.
In the Jacob Lawrence workshop, students will learn about the US executive, legislative and judicial branches of government and discuss the role of the artist in society. Students will create a painting inspired by Jacob Lawrence. This curriculum meets National Educational Standards.
Jacob Lawrence’s painting “Bus” depicted life in the segregated South. The painting shows a bus with whites comfortably seated and blacks jammed in the back with empty seats separating the two races. It is painted in his signature gouache on paper with brown, blue and red color scheme.
To learn more about the Jacob Lawrence workshop and others, visit my website.
A page from Splash and Color Art Deco Coloring Book. It features a drawing of the iconic Breakwater Hotel in Miami Beach. The front design of the hotel is inspired by a ship’s masthead.
A Splash of color.
A dash of fun.
People and dogs on the run.
Bikes to ride
Scooters to thrill.
Pirates on land,
Pirates on wheels.
Skaters zooming by.
Parasails in the sky.
A beach to swim in
Or just to float
And those silly buildings
that look like boats.
Copyrighted by Elaine Marie Artist
Check out my website to purchase my limited edition Miami Beach Art Deco Coloring Book.
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character- that is the goal of true education. Martin Luther King, Jr.
While schools traditionally played a key role in literacy, parents are a child’s first teacher and can inspire a love of reading.
Modern jobs demand a high level of literacy. I’m not talking about scanning or skimming an article on the internet.
According to the National Institute for Literacy, the ability to read, write and speak in English, compute and solve problems are the what literacy is about.
Literacy is the foundation of a democratic society and strong families are the foundation of any successful society. Without both we are in peril.
Imagine what your child will know by sending 20 minutes each day with his or her face buried in a good book.
One of the truest predictors of future success is the amount of reading that children do at a young age. The amount of time children read and are read to predicts whether they will be successful.
Surprisingly, parents and children do not have to read for hours each day; they only need to read for 20 minutes each day. With 20 simple minutes of reading, students are exposed to over 1,000,000 words in the course of a school year. In comparison, children who read for five minutes per day are exposed to a paltry 8,000 words each year.
Imagine what your child will know by sending 20 minutes each day with his or her face buried in a good book.
The iconic Jeffrey’s Hook lighthouse rose to fame due to the popularity of the book “The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge” by Hildegarde W. Swift and Lynd Ward. This story was so compelling that it inspired hundreds of children to write letters that saved lighthouse. I love books that inspire children to make a difference. Taking a clue from the book I included the bridge in my painting of the lighthouse.
This workshop engages children in an exciting exploration of art and social science. Children will learn about civic responsibility, the role of government and how they can make a difference.
EDUCATION STANDARDS
SS.KA2.3 Listen to and retell stories about people in the past who have shown character ideals and principles including honesty, courage and responsibility.
SS.K.E.1.3 Describe different kinds of jobs that people do and tools or equipment used.
SS.1.A.2.2 Compare life now and in the past.
SS.1.C.1.2 Give examples of people who have the power and authority to make and enforce rules and laws in the community.
SS.2.E.1.3 Recognize that the United States trades with other nations to exchange goods and services.
VA.1.2.3.4.5 Develop the skill to use art to organize objects sequentially.
LAF.1.W.1.2 Write information in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic.
Length 1 ½ – 2 hours
Topic: The Role of lighthouses and light keepers
Objective
Children will learn how lightkeepers and lighthouses contribute to the welfare and economic well-being of the United States. Students will discover the function of lighthouses such as warning against visible shipping hazards. They will learn the role of government and how to impact their neighborhood and the world around them.
Multicultural Art 4 Kids 