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Quilts in the Classroom
Stimulating Creativity
After defining a theme, begin talking to the kids about colors and how they would like to design the quilt. Even young kids have great ideas and visions about how their quilt can look. The more involved they are in every choice, the more ownership they'll have in the quilt, and this is facilitated by allowing them to direct the quilt with a minimum amount of interference. Constantly remind yourself and any other helping quilters that this is their quilt!
Provide the kids with plenty of paper and markers. I prefer wide-tipped markers so that they don't work with too much detail. I find pencils inhibit their creativity, as they will erase and redraw rather than attempting to make other images. There are many books about drawing with kids, but my favorite is Drawing with Children by Mona Brooks (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1996). The goal is to have them fill many pieces of paper with images that are meaningful to them. Work with smaller groups, and try to prevent them from seeing each other's work, or all of the drawings will begin to look the same. When we began working with kids, I felt obligated to show them drawings or illustrations to get them started, but quickly learned that they will try to copy the images they think you want. Now we just jump right in, and the drawings are priceless in their originality!
I've found that the older the kids get, especially if the school doesn't have a strong art program, the less creative the drawings become. Encourage the kids to cut loose! Plan on several drawing sessions, and spend time exploring their ideas. Remember, this is their work. Use positive statements at all times. If you are presented with an absolutely unidentifiable image, say, "Wow! What a great shade of purple! Tell me about your drawing." They may just need some gentle direction, which is best provided by saying, "What if you tried?..." Never say, "That doesn't look like a fish." If they ask you what color an octopus should be, ask, "What color do you want it to be?" I love a purple octopus, and sometimes they are just looking for permission to do what they want. My favorite images on quilts have nothing to do with reality, but rather show the world as a child sees it. There is nothing like a nine-legged spider or watermelon slices growing on a vine. We're trying to foster creativity, not accurate realism.
...Kelly Gallagher-Abbott
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