Logos Academy is crazy about art. In a previous blog we talked about the importance of introducing art to children and how it helps them develop other skills.

Experiencing art at a museum is a vibrant way for kids to appreciate art. We are fortunate to be in the metro Washington DC area with access to amazing museums, like the National Gallery of Art. However, we found many Logos families are so busy they don’t have an opportunity to visit them.

Therefore we got creative and found a way to bring the art gallery to Logos. If you’re too busy to visit an art museum or don’t have one close to where you live, this is for you.

Logos’ First Art Appreciation Night

Earlier this month we hosted our first Art and Friendship Gallery Night. It was an an opportunity to introduce children to great artists, celebrate their creativity and have a family event all in one.

We celebrated six artists and genres:

  1. Abstract Sculptures
  2. Picasso Inspired Cubist Portraits
  3. Stained Glass Pictures
  4. Gustav Klimt Inspired Tree of Life
  5. Butterflies
  6. Trees in Winter

Over several months, the Logos kids learned about these six types of art and completed related projects. See the pictures below to see how they turned out!

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Our Gallery Night was on a Saturday evening, combined with our preschool graduation. We invited our Logos families and also opened the event to the public. We had a fantastic turnout and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The kids took great pride in showing their art to their guests and talking with Ms. Julie, Logos’ Art Enrichment Teacher.

How to Host Your Own Art Appreciation Event

If you’d like to bring an art gallery to your school or home, these 10 steps will show you how.

  1. Pick several artists or genres.

    The longer you have to plan, the more you can pick. For some inspiration, check out this blog post about exploring famous artists.

  2. For each artist or genre, do an art project.

    Pinterest is a great source for finding age appropriate project ideas.

  3. Once you complete all the art, prepare the pieces for display.

    Depending on the type of art your little Picassos create, you can mount the pieces on heavy cardstock or frame them with frames from the dollar store. Display the names of the children by their pieces.

  4. Determine where you will display the art.

    Find a hallway, wall or open rooms. Depending on the space, you may need to take down decorations or reconfigure it to give the sense of openness and order that galleries have. If possible, choose a white wall for hanging pictures.

  5. Create a short write up about the artist or genre.

    You can do this in two ways 1) Print out on card stock and mount on the wall or display on the table. 2) Create a program. You can download the Logos Art and Friendship Program 2018.

  6. Invite friends, family or the community to come view the art.

    Depending how big your event is, you may want to do this 2 – 4 weeks in advance. You can create a Facebook event, Evite or make flyers if your event is open to the public.

  7. The day before, display your art on walls or tables.

    You can consider decorating tables with similar tablecloths (plastic is fine) or having flowers. You can also use crates or boxes to create simple display stands on the tables. Don’t forget the removable hangers! They make it easy to hang and take down pictures. You can find removable hanging strips at office supply stores, craft stores and some grocery stores.

  8. Have refreshments.

    A simple plate of cookies on a pretty table extends a nice welcome. If you are hosting a bigger event, consider having finger foods. You can even ask a local supermarket or restaurant if they would be willing to donate the food. That’s what Logos did.

  9. The day of the event, make sure visitors know where to go and what they’re viewing.

    It’s helpful to have someone near the art who can answer questions. If you’re in a large space, your guests will appreciate signs directing them where to go.

  10. During the event, enjoy the excitement of the kids as they see and talk about their amazing art!

Art at Logos

At Logos, we believe art is an adventure and form of play. Because art fosters creativity and critical thinking – not to mention being A LOT of fun – we prioritize it in our weekly curriculum and in the gifts our kids make for parents, e.g. for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

Would you like to learn more about the art program at Logos? Email Ms. Babette at babette@logosacademy.net.

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