MaryAnn F. Kohl, process art and treasures of childhood

January 2013 ArtsyKidsNEWS - Snowman Art

Hello and Happy New Year!
 
January 2013 ArtsyKidsNEWS
is here! 
SNOWMEN!  SNOWMEN!  SNOWMEN!

The newsletter below is posted as pictures.
To see the actual newsletter with active links,
view here:   http://eepurl.com/s0S-1

You can sign up for the free monthly
newsletter on my website,
lower right corner:  
http://www.brightring.com
 

Thank you for visiting my blog!
    MaryAnn 

Visit MaryAnn's Pinterest Boards

Have you found Pinterest yet? I don't know if you'll love it or never forgive me for telling you about it .... ??   :)

If you like saving great ideas from the Internet, Pinterest will help you do it.

My boards are here:  http://pinterest.com/maryann_kohl/

My favorite board is "Art for Kids from Great Blogs"

 I hope you will visit my boards to see some amazing art ideas as well as other things I'm saving to enjoy, make, or share. Click on any links in this blog post and you will be swiftly jettisoned to Pinterest! 

~ MaryAnn
www.brightring.com

PS Have you signed up for my montly newsletter yet?
Go to my webpage (lower right corner), and sign up for my mailing list.
You'll get one newsletter a month
and I'll never share your email with anyone.

 Thank you for reading my blog! Love to hear from you so leave comments! And if you have a Pinterest page with art ideas or other creative activities, I'd love to "follow you".

The Short Story of MaryAnn's Publishing Company: Bright Ring Publishing

The Short Story of MaryAnn's Publishing Company:
Bright Ring Publishing 

MaryAnn Faubion Kohl has a passion for children and for their natural creativity through art that first permeated her teaching years, then her parenting years, and now her current daily life. That passion became a publishing company in 1985, Bright Ring Publishing, Inc., with her first book, Scribble Cookies: Creative Independent Art Experiences for Children (now titled Scribble Art). There was nothing on the market like it and it has become a cherished classic for parents, teachers, childcares, homeschools, and libraries around the world.

Bright Ring has progressed from that simple classic to a full color glossy art book for kids, Great American Artists for Kids: Hands-On Art Experiences in the Styles of Great American Masters (2009).

When asked about independent publishing, Kohl says, “Independent publishing has given me a voice and a crayon-bright-pipeline directly to kids that has changed the face of art for children in this country. What used to be cute kid crafts directed by adults is now true art inspired by children’s own creativity. My mission has been a joy and continues to grow as I bring my passion to the lives and art tables of kids everywhere.

One of the side benefits of my independent press is traveling and speaking to large groups of educators and librarians around the country, sharing my passion for creativity and art for children, and best of all, sharing hands-on art experiences with them. After they have been through ten or fifteen art experiences, and they feel the hands-on joy of pure creativity, they are hooked! If I sell a few books in the process, well then, I know I’ve succeeded.”

Bright Ring Publishing, Inc. recently completed a wide count of all the books in print that Bright Ring has published, those Kohl has written for Gryphon House, Inc. (another independent press), and those translated in numerous foreign countries (harder to count). The total it is closing in on 2 million copies. Kohl was asked, “How many children has each copy reached?” She replied, “The sheer thought of that number is gloriously staggering and impossible to know. It could be over sixty million, if I do a quick estimate, thinking of one book reaching a classroom of 30 kids per year, and then a new classroom the next year, and.... Forgive me if I take a moment and stare at the clouds imagining each of those children finding art within themselves.

Inspiring doesn’t quite cover it!

MaryAnn Kohl loves art for kids, and has enjoyed the publishing experince since 1985, bringing her books to children everywhere.

 

Encouraging a Love of Art Through Reading: New!! B&N Kids' Expert Circle

Encouraging a Love of Art Through Reading

Does hearing the names of famous picture book illustrators make you hop up and run to the bookshelf to find a treasured storybook to read? People like Leo Lionni (Swimmy), Eric Carle (Very Hungry Caterpillar), Ian Falconer (Olivia), Lois Ehlert (Chicka Chicka Boom Boom), Clement Hurd (Goodnight Moon), Ezra Jack Keats (The Snowy Day), Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are), to name just a few. What these creative people have given to children through their classic storybooks is more than stories to love — it's an everlasting open door to creativity and imagination. What a gift!

Enjoy this list of 

 some of my
 favorite blogs

 

 

•

 T

here are others but this will get you started! •

Some will be familiar -- some new -- ENJOY THEM ALL!

Art for Small Hands
 Julie Voigt provides a blog with art lessons and projects.
  http://www.artforsmallhands.com/

Art is the Best Part of the Day
  Mrs. Jackson is an art teacher who believes every child is an artist and aking mistakes is what art is all about. 
 http://artisthebestpartoftheday.blogspot.com/

Art Projects for Kids
   Kathy Barbro’s blog has lots of ideas for working with the styles of the great masters, and sells products to help too.
 http://www.artprojectsforkids.org/

Artful Parent, The
   My all time favorite blog! Jean is mama of two daughters. She strives to parent in a way that encourages creative expression, imagination, joyfulness, and a love of learning. She has super photos of the art projects she and her daughters explore. Projects for children age 2-12.
http://www.artfulparent.typepad.com/

Big & Little Art
   Hollie Conger shares art and craft ideas with photos and recipes.
http://www.bigandlittleart.com/

Childhood Magic
   Ariella is the soulful mama of two where she shares her parenting inspiration, favorite projects, and a photography.
http://childhoodmagic.blogspot.com/

Color Color Color
   Gail’s blog offers a wide variety of art ideas that always involve color.
 http://alwaysarting-colorcolorcolor.blogspot.com/

Crafty Crow, The
   This popular blog is a children’s “craft collective.” Everything from inspiring art lessons to book recommendations.
  http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/

Deep Space Sparkle
   Art lessons that are out of this world!
  http://deepspacesparkle.blogspot.com/

Filth Wizardry
   Don’t let the name scare you! Here messy art and craft fun for preschools is given with help from the little filth wizards.
  http://www.filthwizardry.com/

Laugh, Paint, Create
   Erin fills her blog with colorful art and crafts with photos that clearly show the how-to’s. http://laughpaintcreate.blogspot.com/

Let the Children Play
    Jenny’s a preschool teacher at a progressive school nestled in the Australian bush. enjoy all kinds of playful ideas including art you’ve never seen before! http://progressiveearlychildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/

Make and Takes: Craft, Food, Fun
   Lots of ideas from crafts to cupcakes to sewing cards and more. More craft than art. http://www.makeandtakes.com/

MaryAnn F. Kohl, process art and treasures of childhood
   MaryAnn Kohl’s own blog! Art, Interviews, Issues, and Lots of Fun Surprises! http://maryannfkohl.typepad.com/blog/

MaryMaking
   Mary shares highlights from her after school art lesson program. You’ll see lots of actual artworks by kids.
  http://marymaking.blogspot.com

Paint Cut Paste
   A nice friendly blog to inspire young artists.
  http://paintcutpaste.com/

Pink and Green Mama
   Marylea keeps us on our toes with simple craftivities to encourage us all to create, play, and explore with our family.
  http://pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com/

Scrudillydo
   Jessica Wilson keeps her blog active with laughter, love, and great art and craft ideas. http://scrumdillydo.blogspot.com

Two Straight Lines
   Courtney keeps her blog active sharing things she makes for creative children’s lives. http://www.twostraightlines.typepad.com/

KidsArt Lessons

My friend and often collaborating author, Kim Solga, has launched a blog you might enjoy called "KidsArt Lessons": an ongoing collection of art projects, presented by KidsArt.com (on-line catalog of art teaching materials). You can subscribe to have these art lessons appear in your email. Here is an example of an art lesson from  Kim's blog: 

Paint a Rainbow

Take the kids outside on a misty morning, when the grass is wet and the sun is just peeking through the clouds.  You might be lucky enough to see a rainbow arching high through the sky.  They say there’s a pot of gold where the rainbow touches the ground, but no one has ever found this treasure.

But young artists can create a rainbow treasure with paints and white paper.  This is a great project for learning how to mix colors too.  Use just the red, yellow and blue paints in a watercolor set.  Show young kids how these primary colors mix together on a mixing tray or plate to make green, orange and violet.

Paint a picture with a rainbow in it, then paint the sky blue and the rainbow colors in the right order: violet at the bottom of the arch, then blue, green, yellow, orange and red at the top.  Look at photos of rainbows from books or on the Internet, and learn more about the science of rainbows at Science Kids.

Materials: red, yellow and blue watercolor paints, heavy white paper, paintbrushes, a jar of water, a plate or tray for mixing colors, a pencil and a couple paper towels.

Time: 30 minutes

Kim Solga and MaryAnn Kohl have written two books together: 
 "Discovering Great Artists" and "Great American Artists for Kids".

via kidsart.com

The Incredible Art Department

A website I can NOT live without:

The Incredible Art Department