Painting With Children

Painting with children in the classroom is one of the many aspects of classwork that fills the room with a sense of sacred work while paintbrushes dance gracefully across the wet paper guiding the colors into forms in space. As the color is experienced through the feeling life; in the process of painting, the harmony between the colors and the feeling of inner well-being can be experienced. How far does the joyous yellow radiate? How safe does it feel to be surrounded by blue? How moving is it to see the brilliant green and a delicate purple and pink arise out of the colors that befriend each other?
We carefully choose the colors for the children to work with. For a period of time, we guide the children through painting exercises and experiences with only the pure primary colors available. They work to see the colors coming close together, befriending each other, dancing together, and in the process discover how the spectrum of colors comes to life as the pure colors mix. Later, we introduce premixed colors like green, violet, orange, brown, and so on. Soon, children are guided through exercises in painting gradations of various colors and all along they are learning to create a balance between water, pigment, and brush movements.
It is a great joy to see how these experiences reach into the feeling life of the child, yet, over the years open the windows towards a broad understanding of the world and the lawfulness that lives in nature.
We can write volumes on the topic of painting with children, but for today, I invite you to revel in the gifts this special work offers to the heart. Make time to paint with your children, and support them in creating time and space to be guided into the realm of color experiences through the realm of watercolor painting.

~Ms. Daniela Sales:  Seasons of Seven Class 3 teacher

Learn more about Class 3 HERE.