Let’s talk art walks

Let’s face it. Sometimes we overdo it during the holiday season. Too much eating. Too much racing around. Too much spending. Too much lounging on the sofa. It’s easy to go to extremes, which makes it tough to recalibrate when regular routines return come the New Year.

Consider easing into 2010 with one or more art walks–programs that feature free, self-guided tours of arts-rich areas within our communities during certain dates and times. You’ll find them in several Arizona cities, including Flagstaff, Jerome, Phoenix, Prescott and Scottsdale.

Resolved to enjoy more family time in the year ahead? Resolved to get more exercise or outdoor time? Start with a stroll through one of our state’s many amazing arts districts.

Many have designated evenings, generally monthly, when galleries and nearby amenities like restaurants are open late—and set up to welcome visitors of all ages. Most feature live music and other entertainment, plus conveniences like special parking or shuttles to various arts venues.

You can walk through your local arts district anytime, as I often did during my early years of parenting—when I had a baby in my backpack, a toddler in my stroller and a preschooler on my arm. They enjoyed the fresh air and new sights every bit as much as I did.

The fact that these areas are often dotted with ice cream stands—now frozen yoghurt stands, I suppose—is an added bonus. And to this day, we all get nostalgic when we see “Ollie the Trolley” roll through the charming streets of Old Town Scottsdale.

The Scottsdale Gallery Association (SGA) notes that “Scottsdale is home to more than 100 galleries.” All member galleries open their doors for a “large, easy-going open house” every Thursday evening year-round from 7pm to 9pm (the one exception is Thanksgiving Day). They’ve dubbed it “America’s Original ArtWalk.”

The SGA describes the event as “casual” and “eclectic”—welcome traits when introducing children to a taste of all the art the world has to offer. I recall my children being truly smitten by the vast collection of paintings, glass work, sculpture, ceramics and more.

I was enchanted watching my three young children respond to so many shapes, textures and colors—and equally enchanted to be among so many neighbors and friends. The folks we didn’t yet know made for interesting people-watching. There’s a real art to being a person too, you know.

As my children got older, one daughter in particular took a shine to the visual arts (another to the performing arts)—and art walks became a treasured one-on-one activity we’d often enjoy together. It didn’t cost us a thing, but it was such a smart investment.

A special event—the “Fiesta Bowl ArtWalk”—will hit the Scottsdale art district on Saturday, Jan. 2nd from noon to 4pm. Other themed walks are planned for 2010, and you can learn more about them at the Scottsdale ArtWalk website.

You can hit the Artlink Phoenix website to learn more about the “First Friday” art walks they’ve offered since 1994, which they hail as “the largest monthly art walk in the United States.”

The Phoenix art walk takes place the first Friday of each month between 6pm and 10pm, and features “more than 70 galleries, venues and arts-related spaces.” Free event shuttles are based at the Phoenix Art Museum (N. Central Ave. and McDowell Rd.) and carry visitors between various First Friday venues.

Along the way, you can enjoy diverse eateries as well as live music and entertainment. I’m always partial to the young performers, such as actors, musicians and dancers from Phoenix-based schools for the arts. The next First Friday is just around the corner on Jan. 1st.

Prescott holds “4th Friday Art Walks.” Their First Art Walk of 2010 takes place Jan. 22nd “beginning at 5pm and continuing through the weekend.” I’m intrigued by the names of some of the venues featured on this walk—including Van Gogh’s Ear, Random Art and The Stone Goat.

Flagstaff has a “First Friday ArtWalk” scheduled for 6pm to 9pm on Jan. 1st—with arts venues featuring contemporary art, photography and other mediums. The next “Jerome Art Walk” takes place Jan. 2nd—and includes arts venues featuring paintings, bead work and more.

By now, you’re pretty much out of excuses if you’re tired of being in mall rat or couch potato mode. Stop whining about your busyness or boredom, and make a date to really walk the talk.

–Lynn

Coming soon: Preview of upcoming theater productions for young children

Note: Lizabeth and I were at ASU Gammage Tuesday for the opening night of The Broadway Across America production of Annie. My video review, part of my “Gammage Goer” gig, will be posted at the ASU Gammage website later this week so you can see what we thought of the show.

A medley of arts quotes

Art is spirituality in drag (Jennifer Yane)

An artist is somebody who produces things that other people don’t need to have (Andy Warhol) ~ Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves (Thomas Merton)

Art, itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos (Stephen Sondheim) ~ Mournful and yet grand is the destiny of the artist (Franz Liszt) ~ Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do (Edgar Degas)

All art requires courage (Anne Tucker)

You don’t take a photograph, you make it (Ansel Adams) ~ Remember you are just an extra in everyone else’s play (Franklin D. Roosevelt) ~ Art is the proper task of life (Friedrich Nietzsche) ~ I don’t paint things. I only paint the difference between things (Henri Matisse)

The world is but a canvas to our imagination (Henry David Thoreau)

A man paints with his brains and not with his hands (Michelangelo) ~ So vast is art, so narrow human wit (Alexander Pope) ~ Art is making something out of nothing and selling it (Frank Zappa)

To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong (Joseph Chilton Pearce) ~ What we play is life (Louis Armstrong) ~ Painting is just another way of keeping a diary (Pablo Picasso) ~ A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament (Oscar Wilde)

All great art comes from a sense of outrage (Glenn Close)

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance (Aristotle) ~ Ads are the cave art of the twentieth century (Marshall McLuhan) ~ Art is the great democrat, calling forth the creative genius from every sector of society, disregarding race or religion or wealth or color (John F. Kennedy)

Art is born of the observation and investigation of nature (Cicero)

All the arts we practice are apprenticeship. The big art is our life (M.C. Richards) ~ The artist does not see things as they are but as he is (Alfred Tonnelle) ~ Art hath an enemy called ignorance (Ben Johnson) ~ Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen (Leonardo da Vinci)

I think an artist’s responsibility is more complex than people realize (Jodie Foster)

The object of art is to give life a shape (William Shakespeare) ~ We have art in order not to die of the truth (Friedrich Nietzsche) ~ In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine (Ralph Waldo Emerson) ~ Great art picks up where nature left off (Marc Chagall)

Art is the only way to run away without leaving home (Twyla Tharp)

Man will begin to recover the moment he takes art as seriously as physics, chemistry or money (Ernest Levy) ~ Art is the struggle to understand (Audrey Foris) ~ Artists don’t make objects. Artists make mythologies (Anish Kapoor) ~ A picture is a poem without words (Horace)

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up (Pablo Picasso) ~ A painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through (Jackson Pollock) ~ Art is either plagiarism or revolution (Paul Gaugin) ~ We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth (John F. Kennedy)

The essence of all beautiful art, of all great art, is gratitude (Friedrich Nietzsche)

–Lynn

Coming soon: Is “Glee” a good thing?. Obscure but intriguing musicals, Children’s art ala computers, Before there was “American Idol” there was…

Musings on museum freebies

Holiday visitors lingering too long? Kids on vacation becoming bored? Wallet growing thin? Consider a trip to one or more Arizona museums where admission is free (or nearly free). Culture doesn’t have to be costly…

This mini-tour of museums comes to you care of some quality time I spent with the Central Arizona Museum Association website—which lists member museums by name, type and location. I did a bit of surfing to uncover museums with free admission (or something close—as noted for each museum below).

Here’s a top ten of sorts—a diverse collection of museums from various parts of the Valley, museums with various themes, and museums of interest to various ages. Please check ahead before visiting since days and hours of operation vary (and admission fees can change).

Our family stumbled on the Arizona Capitol Museum, located at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix, several years ago when lobbying was among my duties as the executive director for an Arizona non-profit. My children often tagged along to Senate and House hearings, where they developed an early taste for advocacy (and grilled cheeseburgers from the capitol’s café).

I recall them loving the capitol’s museum because it was so hands on, and because they had quite a few “aha” moments as they read about things like how bills get passed into law. Apparently touring the museum was more fun than listening to me lecture on the subject. That suits me fine since my kids all shine when a teacher asks them about such things.

The Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum is relatively close to the state capitol building so you can easily see two museums in one day if you go this route. We discovered this gem many years ago when all three of our children, now ages 16 to 20, were in elementary school. Visitors ages 18 and older pay $2 admission, but those under 18 are admitted free.

The mining and mineral museum made for a fun school field trip (I never missed an opportunity to chaperone), and we returned many times as a family. We enjoyed plenty of hands-on activities here as well—including painting with rocks and panning for gold. The size, color and variety of the minerals in this collection never failed to inspire awe. (Hey, Liz—remember the cool cracked-open geodes Torin gave as birthday party favors one year?)

We’ve never visited The Bead Museum in Glendale, maybe because I felt for so many years like there was already a substantial bead collection under every piece of furniture we owned. Admission is free after 5pm on Thursdays and Sundays between Memorial Day and Labor Day. We learned recently that one of our favorite physicians is an award-winning bead artist, which gives me new appreciation for these tiny objets d’art.

Had I been more on the ball, we’d have visited this museum while my girls were in their heyday of crafting beaded key chains, necklaces and earrings. You may want to stock up on beading supplies and some age-appropriate instructions before you hit this place, since your children are likely to come home inspired to bead like there’s no tomorrow. Roll with it.

You have several great museum options in Central Phoenix. Among them is the Phoenix Art Museum, which will waive its admission charge on Wednesdays (January-June 2010) from 3pm to 9pm thanks to support from SRP. (Admission is also by “voluntary donation” from 6pm to 10pm on First Fridays). My children practically considered this a playground. The whole place is kid-friendly by virtue of its wide open spaces and calming atmosphere, but the dedicated kids’ space is especially charming.

My kids used to love going there to read picture books about great artists, tackle hands-on exhibits, and see wonders from other parts of the world far and wide. We’ve spent many years as members—enjoying rotating exhibits, art classes and lectures, and more. Sometimes we simply roam, other times we take advantage of audio- or docent-guided tours.

Nowadays we enjoy coupling a trip to the museum with a live performance at Phoenix Theatre (their Cookie Company productions for children are now preformed at Stagebrush Theatre in Scottsdale) or a casually elegant meal at Arcadia Farms café. I always take my gift list when I go, since the museum’s gift shop has truly unique items that make great gifts for teachers, as well as kids or adults celebrating birthdays or holidays.

Maybe a mile or so up the road is the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. Target sponsored free admission (normally $9 for visitors over age one) on First Fridays from 6pm to 10pm during 2009, and I’m awaiting word on freebie facts for 2010.

Don’t let the name fool you. It’s clearly a museum for both the young and the young at heart. The last time we visited I felt a wonderful mix of memories from my own childhood and recollections from my early experiences with parenting.

My youngest, now 16, often suggests the museum when friends wonder where to gather. It’s more than child-friendly. It’s creativity-friendly, and that spans the ages. It’s the kind of museum you can visit over and over again—feeling each time that there is more left to explore during future adventures.

One of the first museums we ever visited was the Shemer Art Center and Museum in Phoenix. When we lived in Arcadia, we’d often sees cars parked all along the road adjacent to the museum because there was always something fun taking place—whether arts fair, art class or special exhibit.

This museum feels cozy and casual, intimate and inviting. Touring the museum is like strolling through a whimsical house where each room holds a new treasure. It’s just the right taste of art for tinier palettes. We especially enjoy their annual arts festival, where we often get to witness artists (from sculptors to painters) practicing their craft.

I don’t recall visiting the Phoenix Police Museum—perhaps because I made the mistake of setting Christopher inside the giant cab of a fire engine long before he was ready. No parent want to scare the dickens out of a child even once, let alone twice. I suppose it’s not too late, and the trip there would likely conjure fond memories of our son’s early fascination with rescue vehicles (and pretty much anything else on wheels).

I’m not sure how I overlooked the Arizona Military Museum considering how much Christopher and I enjoyed our many trips to the Commemorative Air Force Museum at Falcon Field Airport in Mesa. The military museum features Arizona military memorabilia including uniforms, weapons, photographs and archival materials.

I’ve never seen the Glendale Community College Art Collection, featuring more than 500 works housed in the campus library, because I simply didn’t know it existed. The collection includes painting, drawings, prints, sculpture, ceramics and photography—and sounds like a wonderful collection for low-key arts exploration.

I never met a community college library I didn’t like. I could make a whole day of it just reading the many periodicals available at the Scottsdale Community College library. It’s a favorite haunt when I’m hungry for a taste of everything from art and science to politics and history.

Rounding out today’s list of freebies (or almost freebies) is the Arizona State University Art Museum. ASU is another place my kids have enjoyed since they were tiny. The large green lawns and diverse special events have long been a lure on days we crave fresh air and fun.

The ASU Art Museum has been recognized by Art in America magazine as “the single most impressive venue for contemporary art in Arizona.” ASU is home to all sorts of hidden treasures we locals either overlook or take for granted. We’ve been enjoying a variety of arts experiences there since Christopher first took classes through a gifted students program.

If you’re prone to making New Year’s resolutions, consider resolving to visit one of these museums every month during the coming year (you’ll have two extra months to explore other museums of interest).

Or make a weekly commitment to museum-going. Imagine being able to say this time next year that you’ve experienced practically every museum in the Valley of the Sun.

It can be done—and could be surprisingly fun…

–Lynn

Note: Museum admission policies, including fees, are always subject to change. Before assuming you will be able to visit a museum for free, contact the museum directly to check current policies. Also note that some museums offering free general admission have fees for special exhibits and activities. Check the CAMA website to learn about other museum freebies that may be/become available through First Fridays, corporate partnerships or other special programs since the brevity of blogging prevents us from mentioning them all here.

Crepes, jarring journalism and resources for writers

Jennifer and I discovered a lovely little crepe joint in Tempe a few years ago when she had an overnight birthday party at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel (we took a couple crates of craft supplies along and had a giant arts fest between trips to the rooftop swimming pool).

Recently Lizabeth and I headed out on a frosty morning to read our newspapers and enjoy toasty drinks. Liz recalled the lovely artwork and comfy couches at the Mill’s End Café and Creperie on Mill Avenue, so that’s where we headed.

When we got there, a copy of the New Times—strewn with other reading materials atop a two-tiered metal cart near the cash register—grabbed Lizabeth’s attention.

The otherwise stark white cover featured a broken piece of glass covered in blood. A bit jarring for morning reading, but then, sometimes the best reading gives us a jolt. The lead story, by managing editor Amy Silverman, was titled “Suicidal Tendencies.”

Silverman’s story, part of an ongoing series called “Lost Kids,” recounts harrowing tales of youth with serious mental illness within Arizona’s juvenile justice system. (I use the word “justice” here with more than a tad of trepidation.)

Later that day I hit my pile of yet-to-be-read newspapers in search of earlier pieces in Silverman’s series—including “Saving Alex” and “Losing Erica.” They were near the top, and I set about reading them right away.

The series was reading to remember. It was writing that reverberated. It may well be the single best collection of Arizona journalism I’ve read all year. Not surprising, I suppose, when you consider that Silverman has twice been honored as “Journalist of the Year” by the Arizona Press Club.

Work for consideration for the 2009 awards must be submitted per Arizona Press Club guidelines and postmarked no later than Jan. 20th of 2010. Award categories have been modified somewhat to reflect growing trends in journalism such as increased news content on the Internet.

I last saw Silverman at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. She was there with Deborah Sussman Susser, co-instructor for Mothers Who Write—an enterprise that engages writers in developing their craft while sharing feedback on each other’s work.

We’re proud to count one of their alumni—Debra Rich Gettleman—among our fellow writers at Raising Arizona Kids magazine. Gettleman never fails to deliver a lively read, so check the magazine’s online archives when you’re craving a kernel of controversy.

Several of the women who participated in the last Mothers Who Write workshop were at SMOCA with Silverman and Susser to read portions of their work aloud from behind a humble podium located adjacent to a magnificent museum exhibit of Nick Cave “soundsuits.” 

Listening to their works conjured memories and musings—of things simple, scary, sentimental and strong—much like a magical night at the symphony or the theater.

Mothers Who Write is a testament to the power of the pen.

Their next 10-week workshop begins Feb. 25^th and I must admit that I’m toying with taking part. (First I have to quell the intimidation factor.) Registration for the workshop, which often fills quickly, begins Jan. 4th. 

We’re partial to parents who write around here, but equally fond of youth who commit pen to paper—so I’m always on the lookout for events that engage children and teens in reading and/or writing. Here’s one that recently caught my eye…

Changing Hands Bookstore and Hoodlums Music and Movies present “YAllapalooza! 2010” from 4-7pm on Saturday, Jan. 9^th. They’re located side by side on the corner of S. McClintock Dr. and E. Guadalupe Rd. in Tempe. (The fact that Wildflower Bread Company is next door is an added bonus—especially when you have a hankering for breakfast on a budget.)

The event is described as “a literary musical extravaganza featuring live bands, pizza, games, prizes, and a chance to mix and mingle with your favorite YA authors and get books signed.” (YA is bookstore speak for “young adult.”)

As the proud parent of an ASU student and “indie-minded” consumer, I often hear of these events firsthand. But it doesn’t hurt that I’m on the e-mail alerts for both Hoodlums and Changing Hands.

The Changing Hands e-newsletter alerted me to several writing-related events scheduled for January—some for grown-ups, some for tweens and teens—covering everything from poetry and journaling to how to get published and how to beat writer’s block.

A teen workshop titled “Indie Mini-Comics” (for ages 13 and up) will take place at Changing Hands on Saturday, Jan. 16^th. Check the store’s website for event and registration information.

Every author I’ve ever spoken with offers the same advice to potential writers: The best way to improve your writing is simply to write—and write, and write. The most proficient writers are often the most prolific readers, so blossoming writers do well to have their nose in a book when there’s no pen in their hand.

Anyone witnessing the recent exchange of gifts at our house might suspect that we’re destined to become a writing version of the famous singing von Trapp family (whose story is loosely told in the movie “The Sound of Music”). If you can’t eat it, listen to it or read it, it probably wasn’t on any of our holiday wish lists.

The bookseller to whom I handed Jennifer’s list was especially surprised to see one of Freud’s works on the list. I thought I’d get a good chuckle when I mentioned I had one daughter who planned to give it to another, but no—just a blank stare. He wouldn’t have had any fun celebrating the holidays at our house.

If you want your teen to love reading and writing, expose them early and often to good books and writing opportunities.

Aspiring teen writers can learn a thing or two from “how-to” books like “A Teen’s Guide to Getting Published: Publishing for Profit, Recognition and Academic Success” (Jessica Dunn and Danielle Dunn), “The Young Writer’s Guide to Getting Published” (Kathy Henderson) and “Screen Teen Writers: How Young Screenwriters Can Find Success” (Christina Hamlett).

Still, nothing replaces the acts of reading and writing. When you can share them with others—especially while enjoying crepes and coffee or cocoa together—so much the better.

–Lynn

Note: When last I visited the Stone Soup magazine website, it announced blogging opportunities for creative writing teachers. If you’re interested in learning more, check it out at www.stonesoup.com

Coming soon: The Young Writers Program at ASU, Upcoming community college theater productions, Youth symphonies in the Valley of the Sun

Crafting creative thank you cards

When I was still in the single digits age-wise, my mother often told me I could make a living wrapping packages and writing thank you notes. I loved getting the shapes and colors just so, perfecting the penmanship and adding special touches that showed recipients my efforts were meant for them alone.

My mom always made the act of thanking people feel like a creative, expressive enterprise. I admit that my dad’s side of the family was often better at getting thank you notes out the door, but their approach felt more obligatory and less joyful somehow. When my own turn at parenting rolled around, I blended their approaches into a new style all my own.

Do what you should do, but think all the while of what you could do.

A simple “thank you” with signature on a store bought note certainly meets our obligations to those who have given us gifts, but I like to add that extra bit of TLC that says ‘this is more than something I felt I had to do. This is something I was genuinely happy to do.’

Even preschoolers are plenty proficient for this task. Just get them to a table or easel with some finger paints and let them swipe and swirl away on a large sheet of paper you can later cut into card size abstract paintings they can attach to a blank note card with a chunky glue stick made for pudgy little hands.

Before children are old enough to write their own comments inside the note, they are old enough to tell you what they’d like to say so you can add their quote to the note. They might say something like “I like the train because it fast” or “My new doll is pretty pink.” It’s all good. Any sentiment they share will be appreciated by those who receive it.

My dad used to correct my grammar and penmanship at every turn, and the thank you notes he expected to receive from me were never fun to write. We sometimes worry as young parents whether things like children writing letters backwards reflect poorly on us somehow. The sooner you let that one go, the better. Anyone who judges a child’s thank you note harshly for imperfect spelling or handwriting needs to do some improving of his or her own.

Once your child is old enough to write, let your child write his or her own words and simple sentences. Up the fun factor by moving past white thank you cards and black ball point pens to hand decorated cards with sentiments written in colorful markers or crayons.

You can buy white note cards at the stationery store, buy blank cards (in various colors) at your local craft store, or make them yourself using card stock (or even construction paper). Pick something that will fit easily into the envelopes you plan to use. Your child can decorate them in any number of ways—using rubber stamps and colorful ink pads, glued-on glitter or sequins, stickers and more.

Try drawing faces on thumbprints or tracing your child’s hand onto the cover of the card (relatives who get one every year will have a precious record of how your child has grown through the years).

Once your child outgrows glitter and stickers (some of us never do), he or she might want to try something more sophisticated—adding a favorite poem or quote to cards, creating a collage on the card’s cover using cut outs from magazines, printing out a digital photo to grace the card’s cover or writing “thank you” in a lot of different languages.

If you run short on ideas, check the websites of children’s and crafts magazines that feature arts and crafts projects for youth. FamilyFun magazine has several ideas for homemade thank you cards—including a style crafted ala the “cootie catcher.”

Think origami thank you notes. Think thank you notes written on balloons or miniature beach balls you deflate before sending in envelopes to recipients. Think thank you notes written in crayon, and then washed over with watercolor paints. Think thank you notes embroidered in a basic stitch onto a bright piece of felt.

These won’t be the fastest cards your children have ever written. That’s the beauty of them. Cards that reflect the real time and tenderness that went into them send a powerful message to those who receive them: I respect the thoughtfulness that went into your gift, and I want to honor that.

Throw up a card table, gather some craft supplies, and sit down with your child to create some one-of-a-kind thank you notes. Or invite friends to get together for a thank you note party. Everyone can bring supplies to share, along with their thank you/address lists, and you can make a fun afternoon of sharing ideas and swapping materials.

Nobody said writing thank you notes had to be tedious or tiresome. Think of them instead as a great way to help your child transition from the hectic holidays back into the real world—a world with just a bit more whimsy thanks to your child’s creativity.

–Lynn

Note: If starting from scratch feels too daunting, check out card-making kits or idea books from folks like Klutz. Their titles–including Handmade Cards and Create Your Own Paper-crafts Cards: Flowers–are available online or at many local book, craft or toy stores.

Reflections on youth, writing and power

Yesterday I spoke with author and food historian William Rubel of  Santa Cruz, California. I once enjoyed a lovely afternoon with my oldest daughter Jennifer on the Santa Cruz boardwalk, but I’m still a bit more partial to the nearby town of Felton. I’m a sucker for winding roads, pine trees and rustic beer and burger joints. (Please don’t tell me there’s now an Abercrombie and Fitch on every corner.)

Rubel was readying to take his three-year old daughter Stella holiday shopping. I’d just returned from shopping myself, and felt somewhat smug about finishing ahead of schedule this year. Alas—most things get done just under deadline on “Trimble time.”

Rubel shared that Stella has already started writing, albeit backwards, although her real passion at this point is ballet. Seems Stella often sees people reading and writing and, like most little ones, is eager to imitate the bigger people in her life. She’s a prolific list writer who also enjoys writing letters to people and composing notes to put in her mailbox.

Proud papa William Rubel is co-founder, along with Gerry Mandel, of Stone Soup—a magazine that publishes the work of writers and artists ages eight to 13. The publication was founded in 1973 and currently has an estimated 80,000 readers. On average, Stone Soup receives 250 submissions a week.

Stone Soup, which is carried in many Borders and Barnes & Noble stores (and available by subscription), is named for a folktale popular in many countries—including Russia, Sweden and parts of Africa. The tale recounts how a pot of water with a single stone became a rich, flavorful soup after various people contributed just a bit of something (a vegetable, perhaps, or some chicken) to it.

To enjoy the flavor of Stone Soup, the magazine, visit their online archive of children’s writing–which features stories, poems, book reviews, author readings and more.

The magazine’s publisher, a non-profit group called Children’s Art Foundation, encourages youth to spend some time with these highlights from past issues. Those who feel inspired to create their own works are encouraged to send them in for consideration.

Although all published works appear in English, submissions are welcome from around the world.

Most of the submissions come from girls, according to Rubel, who notes that a friend of his doing research in this area finds this prevalence of writing among girls more than boys “happens all over the world.” He leaves it to others to ponder how much of this might be explained by nature or by nurture.

Girls in American culture, Rubel muses, are more communicative in general than boys. Hence, they do more writing. Another American phenomenon he’s observed? “Most American children,” he says, “create art based on others’ art instead of what they observe on their own.” They write stories based on other stories, draw pictures based on other pictures.

Rubel wishes our youth who write and draw would incorporate more of their own lives and experiences into their works. Even fiction should be based on observation, he says, integrating what a child finds in his or her own world with his or her ideas.

Note to teachers: “We need more writing that encourages kids to integrate their own experiences.”

The work of William Shakespeare shows that he really understood what people were all about, reflects Rubel. “You see the truth of real life in it.”

Today’s writers, Rubel laments, aren’t sufficiently focused on describing the real world and using the real world as a source. “A good writer must be a careful observer of his environment and people.”

Contributor guidelines for the magazine include the following tips for young writers:

Send us stories and poems about the things you feel most strongly about! Whether your work is about imaginary situations or real ones, use your own experiences and observations to give your work depth and a sense of reality.

I’ve often wondered whether great writers are born or made, but felt foolish for asking Rubel’s take after he noted that so few people have the singular talent of someone like Hemingway or Dickens.

“The only way to learn to write,” insists Rubel, “is to write.” (Knowing this is the case, I look forward to reading my own blog about a year down the road….)

“Writing,” says Rubel, “is a craft, a discipline.” Rubel figures he spent a good week on every page of the first book he authored, recalling that his drafts numbered about 50 before he got to the final version.

“Writing is about rewriting,” Rubel quips. I wish he’d tell that to my youngest daughter Lizabeth, who thinks having to work a piece of writing means it’s not worth salvaging. (Oh contraire, my dear.)

Yet Rubel’s philosophy of writing is more lofty than laborious. “Writing,” he explains, “is how we experience our ideas, develop our ideas and communicate with others.”

Given that so much of modern life has become professionalized, says Rubel, writing is an essential means of communicating. “There really aren’t any academic or executive positions that don’t require you to write.”

The moral for our schools? Students need to do more of it.

Rubel observes that “there is a whole world of people whose lives depend on writing.” Especially for women, he says, writing jobs abound. Think researching, reporting, grant writing, public relations.

It’s hard for me to disagree there since I routinely drift between writing for the magazine and writing for others who need a freelancer to write grants, web content, press releases and such.

Lizabeth knows that I write for the love of the craft, rather than the clank of any change I might earn. Still, she shared with me yesterday that she asked Santa for just two things this year—“a writing job for my mommy that pays” and “that everyone in the world have a meal on Christmas day.”

I suppose I’m among the folks Rubel describes as “people who explore the world through writing.” My background is in psychology, religion and philosophy rather than journalism. Rubel cites historians as another example—a gig my hubby would take in a heartbeat if only it paid the bills.

In this day and age, says Rubel, there’s an even greater need to write well. There’s no shortage of people (of all ages) writing and reading blogs, and what we write often has a reach we could scarcely imagine a century ago.

I’d rather not be remembered as the “twit” on Twitter because of sloppy grammar or careless style.

What I really love about writing—truth be told—is the power. But not, perhaps, in the way you might think. “Writing,” says Rubel,” gives us power over our own thoughts.” Through writing, people of any age can say what they mean and mean what they say. When writing communicates your ideas to others, it’s a means of persuasion.

What child or teen doesn’t wish to exert more power over his or her own ideas—and over those in his or her life? Teens who are reticent to write might want to consider the following…

The better your writing, the greater your influence.

–Lynn

Note: Rubel notes that there are few resources for teens wishing to have their work published, but says blogging (with parent permission) can be a great way for today’s youth to share their ideas and hone their writing skills.

Coming soon: Opportunities for young writers—and other writers too…

A spoonful of sugar…

“Have you ever really tried a spoonful of sugar?” I was tempted to ask this of Ellen Harvey when we spoke by phone about her role in the touring production of Disney’s Mary Poppins, coming to ASU Gammage in Tempe during February of 2010.

I had a hard time drumming up questions for this interview, partly because so many in our family are skeptical of anything involving heaps of happiness. You might say we’re wary of the pathologically positive. Hence our admitted bias for darker works like Next to Normal and Spring Awakening.

But Harvey left me feeling a spoonful of sugar might not be such a bad thing in this day and age. “‘This is the kind of old time musical that made me fall in love with the theater,” quips Harvey. She’s got a point. Not many parents want to take the little ones to see Rent or Chicago.

If we want musical theater to endure, we’ve got to give our youngest citizens the chance to revel in it. This is what Disney musicals—like Lion King and Mary Poppins—do best. Harvey says there’s really nothing like being part of the collective experience of watching stories come to life in song and dance.

Watching the movie Mary Poppins is perfectly pleasing, but it can’t rival seeing the musical onstage—where dozens of dancers tap in unison before wide-eyed children watching a story come to life for the very first time.

This is the magic of musical theater, best enjoyed with the innocence and imagination of a child.

“Disney is known so well for crafting incredible stories and incredible pieces of literature,” reflects Harvey. Bringing them to the stage is a wonderful way to engage children, parents and grandparents in singing and tapping along to songs they all know and cherish. (Try as you might, you’ll never replicate this intergenerational joy over a “smart phone.”)

Harvey describes Mary Poppins as “a magical story that takes you on a journey.” Still she insists that it’s far from fluff—and I’m inclined to believe her. The story is set in the Victorian era, with tough economic conditions many of today’s families can relate to. The main character, a father, faces a dilemma with the bank that leads him to weigh the relative importance of money and family.

Family wins out.

Harvey notes that musicals like Mary Poppins help parents come to better understand their children, even as children come to better understand their parents. Had you realized, while reading all those ‘how to talk so your child will listen’ type books, that you might make more strides taking your children to the theater?

That’s what I call a “gem.”

I’ll be seeing the show with my 16-year-old daughter, Lizabeth. She’ll be delighted to learn that Harvey played Ms. Darbus in the touring production of High School Musical just a few years ago. Lizabeth loved playing the role of Ms. Darbus during Childsplay Academy’s High School Musical summer class about that same time.

It’s always a treat when our children can relate their own experiences to the worlds they encounter on stage or in the audience.

Come to think of it, it’s not too early to start thinking about theater camps for the summer ahead. The most popular programs for children and teens, including Camp Broadway at ASU Gammage and Childsplay Academy classes in Tempe, often fill up quickly.

If you don’t think time flies, ask me how I went from bouncing my baby boy on my knee to paying his college tuition in what feels like the blink of an eye.

Tickets for Mary Poppins are available now. Indulge. You’ll be ready for some post-holiday merriment about the time that February rolls around. And remember that theater tickets, or gift certificates, make great gifts for winter holidays, New Years and Valentine’s Day.

A spoonful of sugar might be just the thing…

–Lynn

Note: Check out the 40-page study guide on Mary Poppins, which contains a little something for children, parents and teachers too. No need to fear the fluff. This is serious, albeit fun, stuff.

Creating an art-friendly home

It’s hard to like something you’ve never experienced, and harder still to get really good at something you never practice. Parents eager to raise artistic kids should offer plenty of spaces where art can happen.

Art can happen anywhere, I suppose, and I doubt that the lack of an art studio would ever keep a truly driven artist from his or her muse. But I suspect that art-friendly play and living spaces can only help the cause.

So what can parents do to assure their child is at home with making art?

When my children were in elementary school, we knew a family with a whole room dedicated nearly exclusively to art. You knew it was a fun place the moment you walked in—because the carpet was deep purple, and light cheerfully streamed in from windows along several walls.

Built-in storage units in white laminate lined a wall, concealing paints, brushes, aprons, clean up supplies and more. A nearby bathroom was perfect for rinsing brushes and wetting paper towels to clean up any messes. Extra wall space displayed the children’s watercolor paintings and other pieces of art.

The message when you entered the room was obvious: Art matters in this house.

It’s not the message I get when I enter a room layered in televisions, electronic game playing devices and computer monitors—or a room strewn with piles of taken-for-granted toys.

Throughout the rest of the house, artwork (paintings, sculpture and more) was displayed and integrated into the overall feel of the home. It never felt stuffy or showy.

At the time, our version of an art studio was a cramped laundry room. It had the advantage of a built-in sink, but little counter space. Cabinets that might have held detergent, dryer sheets and light bulbs instead held stacks of clear rectangular crates with white lids. Each was labeled to indicate its unique contents—whether paintbrushes, rubber stamps, glitter, ribbon or modeling clay.

Today my laundry room (in a different house) has a new dual purpose—food pantry. Now I find myself digging for art supplies when someone needs them (I need to work on laying low so others can dig for themselves). If you have a crafty kid, go the organized route. It’ll save time and money too—because you won’t be running out to buy things you already have but just can’t locate.

In a decade or two of parenting, all that time and money really adds up.

Never fear if you’re just not ready to take the purple carpet plunge. There are plenty of other things you can do to inspire the young artists in your home. First, stop thinking of “mess” as a four-letter word. Have at least one place where your children can do art without the paralyzing fear of upsetting you with a paint spill or glitter explosion.

Glitter happens. Life is good.

Next, be sure you have ample basics in stock at all times. If you wouldn’t dream of a kitchen without coffee beans, don’t let yourself run out of arts & crafts essentials like wax paper and plastic cups either (for protecting surfaces from paint and rinsing paint out of brushes).

Consider an arts & crafts survival kit for your family holiday gift this year. Let the kids help you stock up on paints, pastels, charcoal pencils, sketch pads and other art supplies.

Then gather things to make projects go more smoothly—paper plates (to hold paint or glue), baby wipes (to wipe up paint spills), trays (for messy materials like sequins) and such. Invest in a couple of arts & crafts books that feature projects appropriate to your children’s ages and interests (and grow the collection as they grow).

When choosing books for your children, don’t overlook art-related titles. Select stories that feature music and dance. Choose books that include poetry and song. Hit the library for age-appropriate books on everything from architecture to theater.

We used to keep our children’s books in charming little baskets placed throughout the house, so the kids could grab something to read on a whim. (In the absence of books, I fear they’d have reached for the remote control or the refrigerator door.)

Find several places for displaying your children’s art (our children’s earliest works now take up nearly all three antique china cabinets I inherited from my mother’s mom). Nothing wrong with a fridge door covered in finger paintings—but there are other options too…

Try covering a wall with sheets or squares of thin, flexible cork board (available at most craft and home improvement stores)—then add tacks or push pins (assuming your child is older than three and past the ‘everything goes in the mouth’ stage) for hanging art. Use chalk board paint to cover a wall in your child’s room, then supply your child with a bucket of colored chalk and an eraser (friends will love coming to your house!).

String wire high along a wall, hanging art along it with colorful clothes pins (you can tell your child stories of how laundry hung out on the line during the ‘good old days’). Make sure your child can’t get caught in the cord. Metal display areas are handy too so you can hang artwork with magnets, and enjoy magnetic letter and word art. (Our favorite is the “Magnetic Poetry Kit” ala Shakespeare.)

Give your child at least one place to create art—preferably at his or her own height, and with a comfortable chair that promotes decent posture. For many years, Jennifer had a wooden door we’d painted together over short cabinets or shelves in her room.

It served as her art station, so we never had to worry about clearing away dinner dishes or homework when the urge for art took hold. Cups running along the back held her special pens, beads and wire, and other art materials she used on a regular basis. (Shelves or file cabinets are perfect for holding project instructions printed off the Internet, flat supplies like scrapbook paper and more.)

Although Jennifer and her two sibs had plenty of time for solitary art activities, we made sure they also enjoyed art alongside friends. Birthday parties often involved art activities like painting flower pots or photo frames. Ours was always the house where the crafty kids could come and do their thing (Jennifer’s best friend has a wonderful book- and craft-friendly home too).

Most importantly, we created art right alongside them. We were never too busy or too proud for Play-Doh or Shrinky Dinks. (Several of our family creations still grace our Christmas tree every year.)

Children judge what parents value by watching what parents do. You don’t have to excel at art, but making time to create it lets your children know it’s important. Have you rolled up your sleeves lately to see just what you can do with a fistful of feathers, some googly eyes and a bottle of glue?

Finally, spend a bit on frames and shadow boxes for those special pieces. (Nowadays frames are easy to find at discount, dollar and resale stores.) Framing children’s artwork shows them just how much you adore it.

We’ve hung 20 x 24 painting of flowers over our fireplace, placed tree paintings made using watercolors and straws (to blow paint across the page for fanciful branches) in our home office, and displayed 3-D clay pieces Christopher crafted in shadow boxes atop our dresser.

One year I sealed the laundry room off with a sheet and labeled it ‘Santa’s workshop’ while the kids used miniature botanicals (like pine cones and rose buds) to create three heart-shaped art pieces for shadow boxes they presented to their father for his office on Christmas morning.

There really isn’t any place in our home that you can go without experiencing art. It’s not the million dollar variety. It’s the heartfelt version, and it never fails to cheer us.

James’s mom still has a framed painting of a house with a rabbit (made with watercolors over waxy crayons) hanging in her laundry room. It makes doing laundry almost bearable.

Art is that powerful…

–Lynn

Isn’t parenting our greatest masterpiece?

I’ll never own an expensive piece of art—aside from the priceless pieces my children have created through the years. I’ll never have the money for private painting or cello lessons. I’ll never live next door to one of the world’s great art museums. I’ll never be remembered for a sketch or poem I leave behind.

But that’s okay. My ‘legacy’ will include children who create and appreciate art. I didn’t set out to instill the arts in their hearts. In many ways, I think, we’re a family of accidental artists. Yet as I look back on my twenty plus years of parenting, I think many of the activities and moments we’ve shared as a family fueled the artist in each of us.

I suspect there are entire books written on this subject, but what I’m reflecting on today is how the home we created for our children early on equipped and empowered them to pursue the arts in a whole host of ways, from photography and writing to theater and music.

We were never big on toys with bells and whistles. Our home was full of toys that children could use in any number of ways. They weren’t battery-powered. They were imagination-powered. Wooden blocks became towers, kitchens, roadways, animals and more. Balls got bounced and rolled on, over and through. Stuffed animals became doctors, teachers and friends it felt safe to disagree with.

We spent a lot of time outside—inspired, I think, by the nature of their elementary school. It was situated in a lovely desert setting, where children would read under trees and sketch surrounding plants and wildlife. It never occurred to me to consider the role of nature when I began looking at potential schools, but it’s a happy coincidence that it worked out this way.

Some of our most relaxing and reflective times together involved long walks through the neighborhood collecting found objects like prickly pine cones and pristine pebbles or hitting destinations like the Desert Botanical Gardens with a sketch pad and pouch of bold-colored pastels. It wasn’t just nature, but the time and space we made to enjoy it. It was taking time to see, to hear, to smell, to taste, to touch.

It was taking time to muse, making spaces to meander.

My son (now a budding wildlife biologist) has created more than a masterpiece or two using his computer, but I’m not sure that’d be the case had he not first learned the fine arts of observation, listening and reflecting. I don’t want technology to define him, only give him another tool to express who he is and who he is becoming. For us, the art-friendly house was gaming free until well into the teen years (and by then, frankly, the kids had all discovered things they found infinitely more interesting).

Jennifer (now a college freshman majoring in cultural anthropology) used to dream of being a food artist. I mention this because I suspect it’s the many materials my children manipulated during early childhood that fueled their impetus to create and their connection to the art created by others—whether by manipulating musical notes, words, body parts or clay. (Or kiwi slices.)

My children manipulated food when they helped me grate carrots or peel apples. They manipulated sand and water when they hit the back yard or park with their pail and shovel.  They manipulated soil when they helped me grow lettuce and tomatoes. Every time they had an opportunity to use one or more of their senses in a new way, they grew in their ability to find and foster art in just about everything.

What are the arts if not exploration and expression? Everything they explored gave them the heart and mind of an artist—whether museums and animal parks or libraries and playgrounds. They were especially fond of places like the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall (a city complex rather than a shopping center). As we strolled along the pathways, we encountered sculptures and flower beds, museums and outdoor cafes. It was all art. Art was like air—constantly moving in, through, out and around us.

Museums and messes. Parks and play dough. Libraries and ladybugs. This is the stuff great artists are made of…

Coming soon: Tips for making your home art-friendly

Art at the heart of healing

While many of us were gathering around the menorah or singing Christmas carols, some Arizona families sat bedside waiting and watching for hospitalized children to heal. It got me wondering what the role of the arts might be in the healing process. Did you know there are actually studies showing the health benefits of laughter? Maybe I should just take to the pediatric hospitals with my stick figure drawings and see if I can spread some cheer.

Happily, I got some better ideas while brainstorming with kids from the cast of Oliver! Saturday was my last day to wrangle (watch the kids when they’re not on stage), and they were gracious enough to help me with ideas for art projects children can do in the hospital. All agreed art projects are a great way to pass the time when you’re stuck at home sick or in the hospital for a spell.

Art projects are especially handy to have around when your child might be anxious waiting for a doctor to do his or her rounds, and when young friends or family members come to visit. Having materials to craft something wonderful together can ease that awkward silence that comes when we don’t know what to say to loved ones experiencing pain or suffering.

Pediatric specialists like Banner Health Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa and Phoenix Children’s Hospital already know that art is at the heart of healing. Their child life specialists work with children in several ways to assure they feel more comfortable with medical procedures and feel less stress while hospitalized and away from home, school and friends.

Child life specialists work with children both bedside and in hospital playrooms to assure that art is part of the healing process, according to Erin Sinnema, MSC, CCLS, certified child life specialist with Cardon Children’s Medical Center. The center also features a variety of support programs including humor therapy and music therapy. Especially for children, the expressive arts truly are at the heart of healing.

Sinnema says the center provides standard art materials like crayons, markers, paint and paper for many reasons. Because art is a universal language, it builds bridges between anxious patients and professionals who enter their world bearing familiar art materials.

A child who is used to drawing at home or in school will take comfort in being able to continue a familiar activity while isolated from familiar surroundings, reflects Sinnema. He or she may also feel a sense of satisfaction at being able to ‘give back’ by creating artwork for others. Most importantly, perhaps, art helps children express their feelings about the experience of being sick and separated from family and friends.

Child life specialists at Phoenix Children’s Hospital note that art is also an important resource for siblings of sick children. Brothers and sisters are welcome to send in artwork or photos to be displayed in their sibling’s hospital room, and sibs are also welcome to visit the child life playrooms (when healthy and accompanied by an adult).  Pediatric specialists recognize the role of the arts in treating the whole child and the whole family, and see firsthand the impact of art on health and hope.

If finding appropriate art materials for a hospitalized child or teen just isn’t your forte, plenty of folks—including the hospital’s child life specialists and your child’s teacher/s—can offer suggestions. Sometimes the simplest way to go is an art kit available from the hospital gift shop, or local businesses like bookstores, art supply stores or craft stores.

Many art museums—including the Phoenix Art Museum, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and others—have gift shops featuring kid-friendly arts and crafts projects. So do many of the Valley’s family-friendly destinations, such as the Desert Botanical Gardens and the Phoenix Zoo.

Creativity for Kids and Klutz are great online resources if you can’t get out for supplies.

A few guidelines as you’re making your selections…

Think neater rather than messier (a principle you don’t need to worry about at home). Think easy to transport, clean up after and store. Maybe you have a fun tote or plastic crate that can become the designated crafts center for your hospitalized child—something he or she knows will always be full of fun surprises. Think frugal. You’d be amazed what a child can do with simple and inexpensive materials like pipe cleaners or felt and a pair of scissors.

Consider not only your budget, but also your child’s age, motor skills and energy level. Your child’s own preferences, safety considerations and any hospital rules about what parents and other visitors can bring for patients should also influence what you choose.

Consider magazines like American Girl and FamilyFun that offer ideas, directions and/or templates for kid-friendly arts and crafts projects. If you’re not feeling particularly gifted in the arts, you can turn to online resources for project ideas and directions. When in doubt, give a simple sketch book with special pencils or pens. (This idea was especially popular among the boys in the Oliver! cast.)

At the bottom of this post you’ll find just a portion of the incredible list of ideas shared by girls from the Oliver! cast yesterday (the first time I wrangled, I interviewed more boys than girls, so this will balance the scales). I’ll see them later today for strike (theater term loosely translated as tearing a show down after that final performance), so I may have more ideas to add to the list this evening (or even tomorrow).

I’ll also share a few of our own family favorites (think thumbprints, multicolor ink pads and a Sharpie pen)–but first I’m off to whip up some goodies for the post-strike pot luck…

Until then, happy doodling!

–Lynn

*Fun hospital art projects…

• Drawing supplies: Sketch pads, paper, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, erasers, pencil sharpeners and “how to” drawing books (how to draw animals, etc.)
• Scrapbook making supplies: Blank scrapbook, miniature photo album or wire-bound unlined index cards with assorted papers, scissors, markers, glue sticks, etc. (fun scrapbook themes include family, friends, pets, dreams for the future)
• Fiber arts: Yarn for making yarn dolls, embroidery floss for making friendship bracelets, felt for making finger puppets, crochet/knitting needles with yarn for making a blanket to sleep with or put around a favorite stuffed animal
• Bookmark supplies: Bookmark templates for needlepoint with embroidery floss and needle or card stock bookmarks with stickers, stamped art, etc.
• Button art: Buttons with wire or fishing line for making bracelets or flexible dolls
• Card creations: Large unlined index cards or folded card stock with stickers and other embellishments to make thank you cards for hospital staff, friends who bring gifts, fellow patients, etc.
• Collage art: Heavy cardstock or flat canvas with glue or glue stick for attaching magazine cut outs, get well cards, torn pieces of tissue paper, etc. (hole punch at top and add yarn or ribbon to hang up in hospital room)
• Book-making supplies: Paper or card stock your child can staple into booklet form after writing a tall tale, a playful poem, etc.
• Magnetic toys: Flat screens with magnets you manipulate into various designs or 3-D magnetic toys for creating a myriad of unique sculptures
• Puppetry: Socks, paper lunch sacks or tall envelopes with fun face-making supplies like googly eyes, pom poms, felt, foam pieces, etc.
• Paper crafts: Origami paper (plain or with designs such as animal prints) with instruction booklet for paper folding or paper cutting (kirigami); Roll of gift wrap for making long paper doll chains
• Pom pom people: Furry little pom poms with glue, googly eyes and foam pieces for making people or animal faces with feet (foam core pieces make great people and animals too)
• Hanging art: Yarn or fishing line for hanging art or mobiles (think snowflakes, butterflies, sports equipment, cars and trucks, etc. (thick pipe cleaners or thin hangers make handy mobile frames)
• Puzzle art: Blank puzzle with markers for coloring custom design or heavy card stock with markers and scissors for drawing and cutting out a one-of-a-kind puzzle
• Stuff to fluff: Felt, embroidery floss and stuffing for making teddy bears; Napkins or fabric squares, stuffing and needle/thread for making special hospital pillow; Soft cloth with ribbon and scented beads or potpourri for a refreshing sachet or compress

*Special thanks to Adele, Alex, Barrette and Madeleine and all the other Oliver! cast members who contributed ideas to this list of art projects–you’re one bright and creative bunch! Their best ideas were sentimental ones that might be easiest to accomplish with kits–dreamcatchers for capturing wishes and worry dolls for releasing fears.

Coming soon: Creating an art-friendly home