"I'm an artist today! I'm an artist every day! I paint. I draw. I love to paint! It's fun!" — Kelia, crafting a rainbow at the easel

"Why do we always have paint at school? What would happen if someday we came to school and there was no paint? And the children talked about it, and they said, 'Where's the paint?'" — Bella, experimenting with colors at the easel

Painting stands as a profound form of self-expression, a means that creative minds have harnessed since time immemorial to capture their thoughts and experiences. It's a mode of communication that doesn't necessitate linguistic or reading skills, yet it holds incredible power in conveying ideas. This may be one reason why children are inherently drawn to the act of painting. With children at West PM engaged in daily painting, the educators were eager to explore how children's knowledge materializes through their artistic creations.

To delve further into the world of painting, the educators embarked on a journey in early February to visit the pop-up gallery of a renowned local artist and former Bing parent, Mitchell Johnson. Known for his bold use of colors and shapes, Johnson enthusiastically conveyed how color and the arrangement of shapes in his paintings serve as vehicles for communicating ideas. The next step was to introduce Johnson's work to the class. The children were inspired by what they observed and began paying close attention to the intricacies of his paintings.

The educators returned to the school, brimming with inspiration, and set about creating opportunities for the children to work with paint. Over the ensuing weeks, they arranged materials and tools for indoor and outdoor painting projects. Furthermore, they shared various artworks and taught the children painting techniques to support their burgeoning creative journeys.

Outdoors, the educators arranged a table featuring images by Johnson and a tray filled with vibrant rhombus shapes. The children manipulated these shapes to form visually pleasing arrangements. Upon achieving their desired configurations, some children expressed an interest in painting versions of their creations using the paints available on a nearby table.

The conversations accompanying their painting endeavors unveiled a high level of intentionality:

—"I am creating a color pattern," Sienna declared as she meticulously selected hues from the 12 available to her.

—"I used almost the same colors for both of my shapes. Only the orange and red are different," explained Maya.

Indoors, the educators set up a matching game featuring Johnson's paintings. Children engaging with this game could closely examine the bold colors and patterns in Johnson's work. At the easels, children had access to Johnson's work and derived ideas from the visuals that resonated with them. In addition, the educators provided the children with a variety of surfaces sporting diverse textures for painting. The children experimented with painting on paper placed on surfaces like asphalt and grass, or painted directly on tabletops and three-dimensional objects.

How Children Birthed Their Gallery

Outdoors, an art installation took form when a child discovered a sizable branch on the ground. The teacher inquired if he had ever painted on such a surface before, to which he replied in the negative. She handed him a paint cup from the outdoor easel, and he perched on the hill's edge to paint. His endeavor drew the interest of numerous onlookers. Soon, other children wished to paint natural materials as well. The teacher promptly fetched a fresh array of colors, while the children scoured for branches, leaves, and artifacts that they had crafted at the woodworking table. After painting, the children assembled their painted objects into an art exhibit. Satisfied with the placement, they extended invitations to their peers playing in the yard to visit the exhibit. During storytime, the teacher shared photos of the installation, and at the day's end, the children could take their painted pieces home.

This sequence of events persisted throughout the week, with children initiating and sustaining the project independently, without teacher intervention. Here's how play unfolded on one afternoon:

"I am starting it!" exclaimed a child. The teacher inquired, "What are you starting?" He responded, "I am initiating the installation," collecting branches, leaves, and began painting them. He also brought tires and cones to incorporate into the installation. As children arrived with their painted artifacts, they placed them thoughtfully in spots that resonated with them. Some children would position an art piece, step back to observe, and then make adjustments until they were content with the placement. One installation featured easel paintings propped on chairs. After all the objects were in place, another child stretched out his arms and legs, standing as still as a statue. The teacher beamed and observed. Following a lengthy pause, the child declared, "I am part of the installation." Two other children deeply invested in the project promptly joined him and froze in place as well!

The teachers also began to witness representational artwork emerging from the older children in the class. As Rhoda Kellogg, co-author of "The Psychology of Children's Art," noted, "Left to themselves, children will draw representationally when they are ready. They will want to picture something from their own lives."

In the heart of a garden, a young boy stumbled upon a vibrant, blooming flower that instantly filled him with delight. Eager to share his discovery, he rushed inside, cradling the flower gently in his hands. With joy radiating from him, he exclaimed, "Look at this flower!"

A teacher, touched by the beauty of the flower, marveled aloud. She wondered if the boy might be interested in capturing the essence of this delicate marvel on paper through the medium of paint. The boy's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he shared his plan - to intimately explore the intricate details of the flower with the aid of a magnifying glass.

As the boy and the teacher began their quest for a magnifying glass, a young girl working at the easel chimed in:

Girl: I need yellow.

Teacher: Yellow?

Girl: Yes, I want to paint the flower in [the boy's] hand!

In a flash, the boy raced over to the easel, still cradling the precious flower, and held it up for the girl to admire. He remained perfectly still as the girl, fueled by her inspiration, painted a flower that mirrored the one gently cradled in the boy's hand.

With a touch of whimsy, the boy shared his imaginative desires:

Boy: I wish I was a bee! Then I could drink all the nectar!

The girl responded with a twinkle in her eye:

Girl: You can. Just imagine it.

A heartfelt smile passed between them as the boy continued to cradle the flower, all the while mimicking the gentle buzz of a bee.

Boy: The flower is beautiful!

With a surge of enthusiasm, the boy asked the girl if he could inscribe her name on the painted masterpiece. She graciously agreed, and in that moment, a new friendship blossomed.

Valuable Insights from the Painting Project

This heartwarming tale serves as a testament to the incredible power of art and its capacity to foster connections and friendships. Beyond this touching story, the painting project offered valuable lessons:

It began with the introduction of tools and art images, coupled with the precious gift of time, which allowed the children to express themselves creatively through the medium of paint. As the months unfolded, a noticeable increase in the time children spent using paint for self-expression became evident. Every stroke of their brushes carried profound meaning. Conversations were sparked around the intentional patterns and shapes that found their way onto the canvas. Collaborative projects, such as the art installation, further illustrated the children's burgeoning competencies.

The children engaged in dialogues about color selection, techniques to apply paint, and the messages conveyed by their artwork. Teachers, in turn, became more attuned to the children's creative processes as they carefully observed the evolution of each painting experience. The children were provided with various methods of applying paint, expanding their creative horizons and offering them fresh avenues for self-expression. The children were also introduced to the work of various artists, serving as a wellspring of inspiration for their own artistic endeavors.

Throughout this creative journey, the central focus remained steadfast - to follow the lead of the children and take note of how they responded to painting experiences that held personal significance for them. In conclusion, this project shed light on how providing children with an array of tools and opportunities for expressing their ideas through paint can ignite a rich and intricate creative process, replete with vitality and purpose.