Candy is Like Water

It’s a Home School Expo, of course, the candy disappeared faster than you could say “The South East Home School Expo was so awesome”. The ratios from children to parents were like 3 to 1. As a booth holder that had a lot of candy, we can definitely say candy played a sweet role in informing parents about what creativity was all about, but now that we know this, we are going to help the parents out next year with healthier treats. How’s carrots?

Women Call the (Pew, Bang, Boom, Pow) Shots! 

It’s true! At the home school expo, we saw that mothers usually call the shots. When it comes to homeschooling, a lot of fathers were interested but when it came to the final decision on which curriculum would be the best fit for their child it was either mutual or mama’s job to save the day. Women have been backing men since the beginning of time, but I’m sure that we can all agree that mother knows best.

Home Schooled Children are Geniuses! 

I don’t know if it’s the better usage of time in actually teaching your child in comparison to public schools or the creative freedom you give your children, but whatever it is, parents, continue to do it. Homeschooled children are geniuses! We met a lot of bright and smart children, we came to this conclusion when one homeschooled child helped us out with a pending problem we had while setting up our booth. 

The Home School Community is a Welcoming One

There is a certain spark that the home school community brings, and it shined brighter than ever at the South East Home School Expo. Thank you for the friendly faces and smiles, thank you for the kind words and believing in your child’s creativity, we enjoyed meeting you all.

Hope to see you next year.

The post South East Home School Expo: Lessons Learned appeared first on Sparketh.

Imagine a world where everything around you is something you created, something you thought of. What would be in your world? What type of awesome things would you fill your world with? The world that you dreamed of can be created by you! The answers to how to create your dream are inside of you and also outside of you waiting for you to find it and create that link between your dreams and your reality. Everything around us was once a dream, a thought, an idea and now we are using it! A chair, a table, a cup, a computer, the thing besides your computer, all just an idea some time ago, and now a reality. Creativity is making your dreams reality, this is why it is important to create every single day.

Creativity is a Superpower

The power of creation! There is no one in the universe like you and you have your own creative superpowers. Use those unique creative powers that only you have and create something. Your Creative powers are just like muscles, they have to be worked out daily to become stronger. Don’t lose your creative power by not creating on a daily basis. Try making creativity a habit. Working on your creativity every single day is beneficial because you will become more powerful through creativity.

Imagine all the great minds in the world Leonardo da Vinci, Mahatma Gandhi, and Albert Einstein, (just to name a few) They are all different, but the same thing that makes them different is the same thing that makes them alike. They are all original human being, just like you. They took their talents, learnings, and findings and created something every single day

Create every single day to make the world a better place, and once you create, you will find that your superpower is advancing at a rate that the universe will have no choice but to acknowledge you, due to a large amount of creative energy being used in your direction. Continue to create, and continue to learn, whether it be drawing, painting, acting, writing, sculpting, science projects. dancing, music, speaking, poetry, business, culinary arts, programming, graphic design, etc. No matter what, keep on creating because no one will change the world in a way that you can.

Creativity is important in everything that we do, because without it what are we doing?

Bonus video: Boy with the superpower to create real Images out of nothing

The post Creating Everyday Gives you Superpowers! appeared first on Sparketh.

“Creativity is always an extension of you. You can only create as far as you know, which is why it’s always important to keep learning.”

 -Dwayne Walker, Sparketh CEO

 A professional artist and the CEO/co-founder of Sparketh, Dwayne is passionate about Sparketh’s mission to foster and nurture creativity and provide valuable artistic instruction on a virtual platform.  In this interview, we chatted about how Dwayne’s own artistic and educational background shaped Sparketh’s development, his views on the power of art and learning, and his hopes for Sparketh’s future.

On His Role at Sparketh

“Yes, technically I’m the CEO,” Dwayne says when I ask him about his role at Sparketh. “But that’s just a name to me.  In reality, Tim (Sparketh’s vice president/ co-founder Tim Samuel) and I work together as a team.”

“Within that team,” Dwayne continues, “I’m more of the ‘visionary.’ I have the dreams-the overall vision-for what Sparketh can and should be. A lot of times those dreams are very imaginative and intuitive–which is why I love it when Tim is on board with one of my visions for Sparketh. If I dream it, and Tim approves it, it means it might actually be something we can do!”

He continues, “Sometimes, I have ideas that are too big or that aren’t something we should be focusing on right now, but if Tim is also passionate about a vision that I have for Sparketh, it means that he’s already making a plan for how it can happen. He’s a genius with knack for reverse-engineering. Because things with Sparketh change all the time, we are always working together to figure out how those constant changes affect Sparketh’s ongoing development.”

Dwayne, a professional artist, teaches many of the art courses on Sparketh’s Website, something he’s been doing since the company’s beginning. Now that Sparketh has grown, additional art instructors have joined Sparketh’s team to teach students an even more diverse range of artistic skills and styles.

 In terms of his day-to-day activities with Sparketh, Dwayne also works on the branding and marketing, as well as conducting a lot of meetings and in-person communications. Though Sparketh began on a much smaller scale – with Dwayne teaching art courses and Tim filming, editing and uploading videos online – it has since grown into a larger company with a growing team of helpers. However, even as Dwayne and Tim delegate some of their former activities, they continue to maintain their primary roles, using the opposite skillsets that made the idea for Sparketh possible in the first place.

Creativity Fueled by Sacrifice, Learning, and Courage

When I ask Dwayne to tell me something unique about his background, the answer isn’t what I expect. I expect him to immediately tell me about his art, or about his artistic inspirations. While we talk about those things later, that’s not where he begins.

 He starts by telling me about something his mother taught him.

 “I was born and raised in Atlanta, but my parents moved here from Jamaica. They both worked hard to support me and my five siblings, but then my dad was injured on the job. After that, my mom worked extra hard to not only raise us, but also to support us financially. She gave so much of herself to make sure we had what we needed.”

“My mom really taught me what sacrificial love looks like,” Dwayne emphasizes, “and in the end I think that’s really one of the most important lessons anyone can learn.” 

His mother’s example of sacrificial love and giving impacted the artist and entrepreneur deeply. Dwayne brings it up a few more times throughout our interview, noting that – though his mother was not an artist herself – she repeatedly encouraged him in his own creative journey, “She supported me, creatively, in whatever way she could,” he says.

Perhaps this is one reason that Dwayne lists, “giving more than you receive,” as one of his top values. He explains. “If you can leave two good things behind for every good thing that you receive, you’re leaving the world a better place than you found it.”

He says that his other top values are learning and courage.

The Link Between Creativity and Learning

It’s apparent from talking to Dwayne that an indiscriminate thirst for learning is a very vital part of his work and life.

“I make time to read every day,” he says, early on in the conversation.  “Sharing and gaining information is one of the best things I do for myself. I like to consider myself in a state of … ‘ultra-learning.’” Dwayne continues, “I have this big fear that I won’t be able to learn all that I need to learn by the time I die, so I’m always trying to learn as much as I can, about all kinds of different things. If you were to go look at my bookshelf right now, you wouldn’t be able to tell what in the world I’m into. There are books about every topic imaginable.”

For Dwayne, there is also a clear connection between learning and creativity. “Creativity is always an extension of you,” he says. “You can only create as far as you know, which is why it’s always important to keep learning.”

The Importance of Taking Risks

“Courage is another one of my greatest values,” says Dwayne. “It’s only when you step out of your comfort zone that you can really begin to see big changes and great things happen in your life.”

Courage is certainly something that has played a role in Dwayne Walker’s own life so far. A self-taught artist, Dwayne reached out of his comfort zone as a teen to compete in numerous art competitions and pursue a professional art career at a very young age. Dwayne, as well as his business partner Tim, both took several risks in order to bring Sparketh  to life.

As college students perusing degrees in business, they both dropped out when they became passionate about making a plan for Sparketh, deciding to put their efforts into the project fulltime.

His Journey as a Self-Taught Artist

A large part of Dwayne’s story as an artist, and a large part of the inspiration for Sparketh, comes from his experience as a self-taught artist.

“Growing up, I loved art from an early age. I loved anything creative–but my parents weren’t artists,” says Dwayne.  “They couldn’t teach me how to draw, but they did encourage my creativity in any way they could. Any type of resources I could find, I stuck to, and I taught myself.”

When asked if there was a certain point he knew he wanted to be an artist, Dwayne laughs and recalls his first official art sale:

 “I’m not sure how old I was – very young- but I remember tracing a dolphin from a coloring book and my aunt buying it for five dollars.  Five dollars is a lot of money for a kid — all the candy in the world. So that was my initial motivation.” He continues, “Honestly, I was also motivated to do art early on because I was competing with my older brother. He’s three years older than me and is an amazing artist, but when we were kids he took a break for a year and switched over to music. I continued doing art, and I think part of me was driven by the desire to ‘beat him’.”

Later on, Dwayne says, the motivation to pursue art became more internal.

“As I got older, I began to create art for more emotional reasons. A lot of times when I was growing up, I would feel things that I didn’t know how to put to words. Creating was the way I was able to express myself. I lived to create. At some point, I realized that I should strive to create for a living. I owe art my life in a way, because it’s become such an extension of myself.”

When he was a teenager, he began entering art competitions, winning over 50 of them. Out of these, one competition stands out among the rest in terms of the way it shaped his artistic journey.

“I almost didn’t even make it into that particular competition,” he tells me. “It was a two-part contest, and the first part involved a submission in the mail. I heard about the deadline on the radio and knew I’d have to get something in the mail that same day in order to meet the deadline. It was just a couple of hours before the post office closed, too, but I got it in in time and was selected as a finalist with 19 other people.”

“Bicycle Graveyard,” (above) was the sketch that made Dwayne one of the finalists in the competition.

He ended up winning the live competition, a drawing contest that took place at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. This yielded a television interview and, more notably, an influential trip to Italy.

Finding Inspiration in Italy

“It (that trip) changed everything,” says Dwayne. “In Italy, I saw ‘art beyond the pencil’ for the first time. Everything in Italy is art: the food, the buildings, the museums, people painting on the street. It’s all art. There were a few competition winners on that trip, and the tour guide we were with  made a point of expanding our idea of the arts. We did art related activities the whole time: everything from culinary tours to studying architecture.”

It was also in Italy that Dwayne discovered a love of painting and saw the in-person work of his longtime personal inspiration, Leornardo Di Vinci.

“I think I first saw myself in his fascination with wings,” says Dwayne, who states that he’s also always gravitated towards drawing/painting imagery of hummingbirds, wings, and (also like Di Vinci) portraits.

“I also connect with his passion for curiosity, and his love for freedom and art.”  Echoing his own love of learning, Dwayne says that he also is in awe of Di Vinci’s passion mastery of a variety of interests.

“He also didn’t conform,” Dwayne adds. “He was fully focused on creating. He could by hired by one person and then later be hired by their mortal enemy. None of those politics mattered because it was all about creativity and learning for him.”

On Art Education and Homeschooling 

“In many ways, Sparketh was inspired by my homeschool experience,” says Dwayne.

He explains that, while he wasn’t homeschooled for his entire education, he “bounced around a bit between different public schools and homeschooling.”

“My mom wanted to homeschool me,” explains Dwayne, “but there were years that she’d put me into public school, specifically so that I would have access to publicly funded art programs because we didn’t have the resources for classes.”

Despite this, however, Dwayne says that homeschooling was really where he got to tap into his own creativity. “Even though my mom wasn’t an artist, she’d find ways to integrate art into history or math because she knew how important it was to me. Homeschooling was really when art got to be the center of my education.”  

Even though homeschooling gave Dwayne more opportunities to independently pursue art, he admits that a resource like Sparketh would have made a big difference for him.

 “I know that things would have been a lot different if I’d had a resource like this (Sparketh). I always used to dream about some ultimate resource for learning art. If I’d had it, growing up, I’d be a much better artist than I am now, and it would have taken a lot of stress off of my mom. Having Sparketh-finding something anything close to it-would have been the missing key to my artistic education at home.”

Dwayne tells me that getting to connect with students, particularly those who have been looking for the missing piece in their study of art at home, has been the most rewarding part of the Sparketh experience for him so far. In particular, he recalls the very first family they signed up as clients.

 “They signed up, but they also stuck with us. We got to know them, got to see the impact that Sparketh was having on their family. A lot of people sell a product and may get a good review, but they don’t really see the impact. We were able to see the impact our product had on this family for years, and that definitely helped shape our mission and gave us insight and clarity into what we were offering.”

Sparketh’s Mission and Hopes for the Future

“I would say there are probably three parts to my “unofficial” mission for Sparketh. The first is to ‘spark,’ or inspire, creativity in kids. That was idea that started Sparketh, really: we want for kids who don’t see themselves as ‘creative’ to find and tap into that part of themselves.”

“Secondly,” Dwayne continues, “we don’t just want to inspire creativity, we want to be there to nurture it, to provide continual resources to help our students foster and improve their skills.” Dwayne adds that he also feels that if a resource like Sparketh several years ago, it would have helped some of his other friends who were artistically inclined. “I had a lot of friends who were interested in art that gave up, and I feel like a resource like Sparketh would have nurtured their creativity and encouraged them to keep going.”

 He continues, “Picasso said that ‘every child is an artist, but the challenge is keeping them an artist when they grow up.’ So in addition to helping ignite that initial spark, we also want to help the artists stay creative.”

“Thirdly,” Dwayne says, “I want to help empower creative individuals and to also empower the idea that ‘creativity is important.’”

“A lot of people who are creative don’t really see how it can be beneficial. I think that creativity will continue to be incredibly important in our future culture. In fact, if you look at ‘most valuable skills that employers look for’ creativity has consistently been one of the top soft skills that employers look for over the last several years.”

Future Hopes for Sparketh and the Importance of Creativity

“My wildest hope is very future-focused,” says Dwayne. “I hope that Sparketh will play an important role for kids who are learning all things creative in the years ahead. We want to be there as a hub to support all kinds of creative learning, and also to go beyond just learning. I want for us to be there to nurture creativity and to empower creative learning as creativity becomes an increasingly important part of our future. My wildest dream is that Sparketh will be a hub for anyone to come to for all things creative.”

Beyond his own enthusiasm for creativity, art, and art education for kids, Dwayne has other reasons for believing that cultivating creativity in the upcoming generation is important.

“I think that cultivating creativity in a culture of conformity is the key to the future,” says Dwayne. “We’re at this point, as a society, where everyone has plenty of skills. We’re not short on skills. But what we will continue to need are innovation and initiative–which are both impossible without creativity. In that sense, creativity is important – is key- to how the world will continue to advance.”

Interview by Kathryn Gustafson

The post An Interview with Sparketh’s Artistic Visionary: Dwayne Walker appeared first on Sparketh.

“You never know who someone could be if they were to become the most creative version of themselves.”

-Tim Samuel, Sparketh Vice President and Co-Founder

Tim Samuel is the vice president, and one of the co-founders of, Sparketh. Tim and I chatted face-to face (virtually) to discuss his role in the organization, his sources of inspiration for hard work and entrepreneurship, and his excitement about fostering creativity through Sparketh.

Tim Samuel loves all things creative and is very open-minded. However, he identifies most with the details: the small practicalities and detailed planning that it takes to bring big ideas to life. He describes himself in terms like, “logical, practical and organized.” In the mechanics of owning and operating Sparketh, Tim could be seen as the engineer, working behind the scenes to keep things working smoothly.

“Dwayne’s the visionary with the big ideas, always pushing us to dream bigger,” Tim says of his business partner, Sparketh’s co-owner and CEO, Dwayne Walker. “It’s my job to then take that big picture and reverse-engineer it into baby steps, so that we can begin to make things happen,” says Tim.  “Dwayne and I work really well as a dynamic duo–we have different strengths and, wherever one slacks, the other picks it up.”

Tim’s daily role at Sparketh involves taking the big goals, breaking them down into achievable tasks, and making sure that all of those smaller facets are running smoothly.

“It’s honestly just a lot of putting out fires,” Tim laughs. He lists just a few of the day-to-day mechanics that it takes to keep Sparketh running smoothly, tasks such as: interviewing new instructors, helping to strategize new courses, coordinating the growing Sparketh team, communicating with homeschooling parents, finding places to film, or filming the instructional videos.

Sparketh started out with the dynamic duo each using their skillset: Tim filming and editing video while Dwayne taught art courses. But since it’s origin in 2015, Sparketh has grown into something much larger, with a variety of different components.

Tim says, “For a while there we (Dwayne and Tim) were definitely overstretching ourselves. We were doing everything— every upload, fixing every bug on the site, communicating with every customer individually.  But in 2018 we realized that we couldn’t keep doing it that way, and we’ve started to grow and delegate to get ready for Sparketh’s future.”

A Curious and Innovative Mind

“I love questions,” Tim admits. “I’m actually kind of obsessed with questions. In college, I first started to take note on the power of questions and even started working on a book about it.”

Talking to Tim Samuel, it is immediately evident that he’s constantly in observation mode. He’s well-spoken, passionate about the future, and openly inquisitive. A few times in our interview, he flips the script and asked me the questions: “Do you like doing interviews?” (for instance). He seems genuinely interested in the answers.

When I ask Tim if he has any daily rituals to promote creativity/inspiration, his answer provides further proof of his love of questions.

“Last year, I decided that I would take the time to answer a question a day. Using the game, ‘Tabletopics,’ I chose 365 questions and programmed my phone to ask me one at random, every morning,” he says.

“The question pops up in the morning and I think about my answer throughout the day. At night, I’ll sit down and write a blog post about it.”  His blog contains daily updates: thoughtful musings over challenging personal questions.

A quick scroll offers confirmation of the consistency of Tim’s inspiration ritual: no days are missing  (impressive among even the most faithful bloggers).

His Inspiration and Values

In addition to finding inspiration from this daily ritual, Tim also says that he finds creative and entrepreneurial inspiration from those around him.

“I find inspiration all over the place,” he says. “I look to the journeys of people I admire. It’s not always famous people. I could be my brother playing basketball, or my sister pursuing dance. I look at how they push for their goals and don’t give up, and that inspires me.”

Tim says that he does have a few famous heroes, too, namely: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg–entrepreneurial leaders who are  well-known for their innovation, entrepreneurship, and the way they are shaping the future of the 21^st century.

“Elon Musk (of SpaceX, Tesla and Paypal) is probably my number one,” Tim says. “I admire the tenacity he has for his goals, and the fact that he never allows failure as an option in anything he does. Some people – a lot of people – quit when things don’t immediately work out, but he never does.”

Tim continues, “And the nature of his projects is so grand and so important—he’s inspiring the world on a whole different level than anyone else. He’s not just in it for the money. He’s genuinely trying to impact the world in a positive way—to change the world. I aspire to do that one day.”

In terms of values, Tim says that his top three are: honesty, respect and empathy.

“Being honest is super, super important,” says Tim. “Not just being honest with other people, but also yourself, can save you a lot of trouble. Respect can too. Especially in relationships, it’s important to make sure you wouldn’t ever do anything to another person that you wouldn’t want done to you. Empathy is the last one, but maybe the most important. If we could all just try to put ourselves in each other’s shoes, it could really make the world a better place.”

Tim says that he tries to apply these values to all of his relationships, including those with Sparketh’s customers.

For example, he explains that, while he does have many creative interests, he doesn’t consider himself to be the “most talented person, fine arts wise.”

Tim says, “Recently though, I sat down and did an elephant silhouette painting—one of the courses on Sparketh. Not only did I really enjoy it, but it gave me a lot of insight into things that students might think or need while using one of our courses.”

Why Sparketh?

As he said in his discussion of Elon Musk, Tim has a desire to bring innovative and positive changes to the world.  However, since he (self admittedly) isn’t an artist, I was curious to know how and why his entrepreneurial interests have translated into Sparketh.

“Creativity is the most underrated – and number one factor- that drives innovation in the world,” responds Tim. “The human race couldn’t thrive and progress as much as we do without it. It’s easy for us to get stuck in the spreadsheet, looking at numbers. But if you don’t express your creativity – if we don’t foster that as a society – then we wouldn’t have any innovations, no new ideas. These are crucial to the human experience.”

For Tim, it’s all about creativity, and importance he believes it to have — especially for the upcoming generations.

“I think that art education can and should be done better and more affordably,” says Tim. “When most people think of ‘art,’ they think they have to spend a certain amount of money or be gifted. My philosophy is that you can teach anyone to learn creative things. I think, if we keep going with Sparketh,  we can encourage a lot of people to pursue their creative interests. You never know who someone could be if they were to become the most creative version of themselves.”

Rewards and Challenges

Tim says that, as he and Dwayne have traveled to various homeschooling/educational expos around the country, making personal connections with the families who use Sparketh has been the most rewarding and motivating facet of the entire experience.

Sparketh was initially designed with homeschoolers in mind, since it can be done from home and gives kids access to professional art instruction from anywhere. However, since its origin it has become a valuable component to more and more kids and teens in private and public schools, as well. This is especially true since many kids were at home during the Covid-19 pandemic and looking for ways to be creative at home.

Thinking about the way Sparketh has, and will continue to, positively influence kids is very motivational for Tim.

“When I look at the way that this (Sparketh) could impact kids and teens, I get really excited about it,” says Tim. “I know the struggle that kids can when they have creative interests, but they can’t pursue them for physical or financial reasons. Sparketh takes art education to a place where anyone can learn more about their creative interests, from anywhere.”

When I ask Tim what the biggest challenge with Sparketh has been so far, he has an answer. “2018,” he says, “definitely 2018.”

“Up until that point, Dwayne and I were the whole company, which had grown a lot since we started in 2015. Things were getting bigger and responsibilities were growing, and we kept trying to fill every role at once. On top of all that, we were also trying to go to as many expos as we could—over 20 in a matter of months. We were always driving or flying somewhere. Eventually, it took a huge toll on us. We ended up both being in the same hospital, at the same time, as the result of physical health problems. We’d just stretched ourselves too thin. We were burnt out.”

“Even worse,” says Tim, “we felt we’d let our Sparketh customers down. I even wrote an article about it, explaining exactly what had happened that year.”

Ultimately, however, they didn’t give up. After taking some time to rest, the duo came back with a refreshed view on Sparketh and its mission. “We decided that the solution was simple– we needed a team.” With a growing team to delegate the daily workings of Sparketh, Tim (and Dwayne) are now ready to continue to nurture the company’s future.

On His Hopes for Sparketh’s Future

Tim says, “I would say my ‘unofficial’ goal is to make the next generation the most creative generation. We want to give this generation all the resources and tools they need to flourish. And leave them no excuses for why they can’t create anything they put their mind to.”

Tim explained that they also have upcoming dreams in terms of Sparketh’s course offerings.

“We knew we wanted to start with painting and drawing because it’s simple to do with our online format, and because of Dwayne’s passion and background. However, we also want to expand to offer other courses in subjects like baking, acting, dancing and magic. But that’s not even a ‘wildest dream,’” Tim says, laughing. “We know we are going to make that happen.”

Tim says, “My wildest dream for Sparketh is for it to be known world-wide as the creativity haven. That, for anything going on in the world that has to do with creativity, Sparketh would have their hand in some way and be supporting it. If it has to do with expressing creativity, we want to be a part of it.”

The post An Interview with Sparketh’s Idea Architect: Tim Samuel appeared first on Sparketh.

Part of our mission at Sparketh is to make sure that kids anywhere and everywhere have access to quality art instruction so that they can grow creatively and make a bigger, more positive impact on the world through art.  For all of the young artists (or even adult artists) at home, here are 6 tips for creating more powerful art–art that makes an impact!

Tip #1: Never Stop Learning 

In creating powerful art, probably the most important thing you can do is to always keep learning. Study the artists that speak to you, and the famous works of art that have stood the test of time. Learn every artistic technique you can, and never think you’ve “learned enough.”  One of the secrets to becoming a master of anything is recognizing that you always have something to learn. Plus, the more you know about art, about the best work of great artists, and about different artistic tips and techniques, the more you will be able to explore and learn about your own unique style.

Tip #2: Have the Courage to Innovate

You can only innovate something once you’ve learned as much about it as possible, so tips #1 and #2 definitely go hand-in-hand.  When you think of all of the great, innovative artists throughout history, you will see that their original ideas often came after many years of studying the artistic masters and popular styles that came before. Pablo Picasso is probably the most famous example of this: the artist who, after years of mastering the favored, realistic paintings of the time, innovated an entirely new art style: Cubism.  Great artists may borrow from other great artists, but years of borrowing and learning can also provide inspiration to get creative and try something new (in other words, to innovate!) Powerful art is art that takes risks and applies learning to new endeavors.

Tip #3: Find Your Unique Perspective

Part of innovating as an artist is figuring out what important perspective (or perspectives) you have to offer. Then you have to figure out how you will say it – through art – in a way that fits your style and message. Part of forming your own perspectives on the world also comes with learning and observation (again, there’s Tip #1 creeping in).

Every artist has unique perspectives to share in the world of art– ways of looking at subject matter and sharing certain things that others might not even notice. Unique perspectives can be made visible via the art style, the medium, or the subject matter. Often, all three are involved in sharing a unique perspective through art. For example, Surrealist art often makes use of unexpected materials and subject matter to capture a different way of thinking about something. Your art will be uniquely powerful when it shares a perspective or insight that only you can bring to the world.

Tip #4: Connect with the Viewer Visually

This one is pretty straightforward. Great art speaks visually. Powerful art therefore has to make a visual connection with those who look at it. Whether through an interesting composition, a complex subject, a vibrant use of color (the list could go on infinitely)  effective art is dynamic and visually engaging. Once you’ve got the viewers attention with the initial presentation of your art, they’ll have a chance to really start to ponder and interact with it. Visually dynamic art which makes a connection with the viewer is powerful.

Tip #5: Create Questions in the Viewer 

What made Mona Lisa smile like that? What is the story behind Edvard Munch’s painting, The Scream?

Powerful art makes an impact by leaving us with questions, and it speaks by making us search ourselves for answers. If someone stops to look at a work of art that is visually dynamic, questions in that work of art may lead them to engage with it further. As you become more innovative and adventurous with your art, think about conversations you would want to have with the person viewing your work.

What mysteries will you leave unanswered in your own art? What questions will your creations ask?

Tip #6: Present a Challenge 

The boldest way that art can make an impact on the world art large is by presenting a challenge.  Powerful art has the ability to present new and diverse perspectives. Sometimes it does this by asking questions, such as in tip #5.  Other times, art presents a challenge by showing the viewer something unexpected– or even uncomfortable! And sometimes art presents a challenge by sharing an unusual or unique way of looking at something familiar, either via the art style, materials, or subject. As you can see, you can take any of the above approaches in creating art that makes an impact, but ultimately your art has the ability to start a conversation with the rest of the world about something that matters to you!

At Sparketh, we believe that creativity is powerful force for positive change, and that everyone deserves the chance to nurture their creative skills with quality instruction. Everyone has the right to a more creative and vibrant future!

Click Here to Try a Free Month Online Art Courses

The post Tips for Creating Powerful Art appeared first on Sparketh.

Let’s get straight to the answer. (Rule-lovers prepare to take slow breaths):

There is no one way to homeschool your children.

There is no ONE way and there is no BEST way.  

However, that’s actually part of the beauty of homeschooling.

The best way is what works for you, for your kids, and for your lifestyle! This is something that can take a little while to figure out if you are new to homeschooling, (and it seems like a lot of people are new to homeschooling this year!) Today, we want to share some resources with you that can help you evaluate your homeschool and figure out what YOUR best way, is.

Sparketh & Homeschooling

How are Sparketh and homeschooling related? Well, first of all, we think it’s pretty awesome.

Secondly, Sparketh’s origin story has a special connection to homeschooling.  Dwayne Walker, a Sparketh co-founder/owner and self-taught professional artist, was homeschooled for part of his childhood. He thrived on the experience, but he only wished he’d had more access to professional (and affordable) art classes. This personal experience prompted the idea behind Sparketh– an online platform for virtual art classes that homeschoolers could use anytime, from anywhere, to hone their art skills.

Since then, Sparketh has grown into a resource that many children in public and private school use, too.  However, we continue to have special connections with many homeschooled families who have been with us since we first got started, and we continue to support homeschooling – and homeschoolers – as a resource for awesome art education at home!

Especially over the last few years, homeschooling has become an increasingly popular choice. We know a lot of people are trying it out for the first time this year (or are thinking about it!)

Whether that’s you, or whether you’ve been in the homeschooling biz for awhile now, we wanted to share some homeschooling resources, tips, and ideas from our blog! The articles below have all kinds of info on homeschooling–from saving money in your homeschool to hacks for homeschooling kids of different ages! And no, they won’t tell you HOW to homeschool…but they’ll help you figure out how YOU can make your homeschooling journey work the best for you, and that’s the most important thing!

 Homeschooling Tips and Resources on Our Blog!

1. The Top 5 Reasons to Homeschool Your Child  

This blog explores some of the biggest reasons that families choose to homeschool, and discusses how homeschooling can shape important aspects of childhood. If you’re thinking about homeschooling, consider whether or not you identify with any of these 5 common reasons parents choose to homeschool!

2. Are Homeschoolers Unsocialized? 

The ever-looming homeschool question: “But what about socialization?” This blog explores the topic fully! Don’t miss it (and prepare to send it to your non-believer relatives).

3. Which of These 7 Homeschooling Methods Will Work for You? 

There are many, many ways to homeschool, but this blog post covers some of the most popular homeschooling philosophies and approaches! Which one do you align with most?

4. 5 Essential Tips for New Homeschooling Parents 

One of our most comprehensive blog posts — especially for those of you who are starting out! These 5 essential homeschooling tips will help you start out in the right frame of mind!

5. Is Homeschooling Stressing You Out? These 10 Strategies Can Help.

Okay, so homeschooling is not all sunshine and rainbows. There are days it can be stressful (and you may even ben wondering if you’ve made a mistake). For those days, here are 10 strategies that can help you troubleshoot, reassess and relax.

6. How to (Successfully) Homeschool Children of Different Ages 

What do you do with the kindergartner while you teach the middle schooler about fractions? This one is for you homeschooling parents who have multiple kids of different ages.

7. Is Homeschooling Too Expensive? 8 Ways to Save Money in Your Homeschool 

Is homeschooling actually more expensive than public school? Can you cut costs (and if so, where?) This blog breaks it down and gives money-saving tips to make your homeschool more affordable.

Whether you are a new homeschooling parent, a professional homeschooling parent, or just a parent who is kind of curious about the world of homeschooling, we hope these bloggy resources help answer some questions and spark new ideas that you can use in your homeschool. Stay creative!

The post How Do I Homeschool My Kids? appeared first on Sparketh.

Creativity is such a vital part of learning. When kids are being creative, they take ownership over whatever they are learning. Creating is about so much more than memorizing information. Instead, it requires understanding at a complex level. Creative endeavors necessitate hands-on learning until enough confidence is gained to problem-solve, make decisions, and innovate! Regular engagement in art can help your child develop creatively and even create more positive associations with other types of learning.

The resources in this post reflect our desire to bring creativity and art education to kids – anywhere and everywhere! Art education and creative endeavors play a big role part of learning. In fact, we think that creativity is one of the best tools a young person can have! We hope you enjoy exploring these creative resources as you help your student(s) move forward into an exciting new school year. There’s a little something for everyone: from wearable art,  to art tips, to a back-to-school art competition!

The Sparketh Community

If your child is looking to find an art tribe, there’s no better time to connect with one than the start of a new school year! The Sparketh Community is free and safe (it’s monitored by one of our professional art instructors). It’s also “positive vibes” only: just a genuinely uplifting place for artsy kids and teens to connect and encourage one another!

The Sparketh Community is sponsored/powered by Sparketh, which makes it totally free to you. Art-loving kids and teens from all around the world are welcome to join in to participate in art discussions and prompts. Each month, the community features an art competition that challenges students to create and submit something new! The winner receives art-themed prizes!

This month, in honor of back-to-school season, the Sparketh Community has an art challenge that is all about creating an original character. Specifically, they get to create an alter ego/Variant version of themselves (because kids tend to explore new things and redefine their interests in a new grade!) This “alter ego/Variant” challenge is also inspired by the Disney+ series, Loki, because a lot of our Sparketh Community kids are big Marvel fans! This month’s contest winner will win $400 in art supplies! Your child can participate simply by joining the community at this link and uploading a picture of their challenge submission.

The Sparketh TikTok and Instagram Channel:

One of Sparketh‘s awesome art instructors, Amy, shares seriously useful art tips and ideas on our TikTok channel on a daily basis. Amy is a fantastic artist and she’ll make you laugh, too. Definitely head over to the TikTok channel and subscribe to get daily, bite-sized art motivation that will inspire artists of all ages. You won’t be sorry!

Recently, Amy has also created several back-to-school art tips, like impressive bubble lettering and things you can sketch in the margins of your notes (and more).  It’s everything you need for those all important scholastic doodles!

(Not on TikTok? You can find Amy’s daily art content over our on Instagram page, too!)

Signing up for daily art prompts and inspiration is a great way to support more creativity in the schoolyear ahead!

The Sparketh Youtube Channel:

Another great, free art resource that you may not know about is the Sparketh Youtube Channel. Talented artist, Maria, shares art thoughts, ideas and demos for kids on our Youtube channel twice a week! Maria loves to help get kids inspired with ideas that they will want to recreate at home. Currently, in honor of a new school year, she has been putting together a few special videos that your kids will love.

One of them is a how-to  for creating this pretty and trendy Tie Dye shirt!

In another video, Maria also shows creative kids a way that they can make their backpacks stand out from the rest this year with a cool,  art-centric idea! You can watch that video here (or by clicking below).

Lastly, Maria is also prompting some fun art ideas in conjunction with the current challenge over in the Sparketh Community–she’s created videos where she draws herself in different cartoon art styles! Check these out and drop her a comment to let her know which one is your favorite!

(Also, you know what to do…don’t forget to subscribe!)

The Sparketh Blog:

Our blog (which you’re on right now) also has a ton of helpful resources on homeschooling, art education, and helping your child with his or her art endeavors! Feel free to explore the blog anytime, but here are some that we suggest starting out with (especially if you’re wanting to inject some extra creativity into your child’s daily routine!)

• How Art Supports Good Mental Health in Kids and Teens
• Students Need Art: Here are 10 Reasons Why
• 3 Simple Strategies to Spark Creativity Everyday (In Your Homeschool and Beyond)

Sparketh Online Art Classes for Kids and Teens:

Of course, Sparketh is all about offering kids the best art education–from home (or from anywhere, really!) Our mission comes from a desire to make sure that all kids have access to professional, creative instruction that fits their needs and schedule. If you are interested in making online art classes a part of your child’s routine, click here to learn more!

Our team had so much fun putting these tips, challenges, and ideas together to support your child in a creative start to this new school year. We hope your student(s) enjoy some of the these ideas, whether they end up doing portraits in cartoon styles, creating tie dye at home, and/or coming up with an original alter ego character! As always, keep learning and stay creative!

The post Back to School Art Ideas (From Our Team to Yours)! appeared first on Sparketh.

This is not a typical blog post…because we have a really exciting announcement!

Sparketh was chosen to participate season 13 of Shark Tank! Our episode will air on October 22nd at 8 EST! We are beyond excited about this opportunity and can’t wait to watch Tim Samuel and Dwayne Walker (Sparketh Co-founders and owners) tell the sharks about our online art classes for kids and teens!

AND THE SPARKETH TEAM DOESN’T EVEN KNOW THE OUTCOME (except for Tim and Dwayne, of course)! Did they sink? Did they swim? Did Mr. Wonderful take a bite out of them? We don’t know, but we can’t wait to watch and see!

If you’ve never watched Shark Tank before, here’s how it goes: a panel of extremely successful, well-known, and wealthy entrepreneurs (AKA the “sharks”) give budding entrepreneurs the chance to share about their business and ask for investments in their companies and/or inventions! It’s a really informative and fun show about business, creativity, courage and entrepreneurship. It’s also family-friendly and can be a fun way to get kids thinking about how to pursue their own unique dreams.

The Sparketh team is planning to tune in and watch the episode together on Friday night, and we hope you’ll watch with your family, too! You can watch the episode when it airs on ABC, ABC.com or Hulu + Live TV. You can also catch it the next day on Hulu!

Thank you, Sparketh family, for being part of our story so far. Whether Shark Tank is a sink or swim, we wouldn’t have made it to this point without you, and you’re really what it’s all about! 

The post Sparketh to be Featured on Shark Tank! appeared first on Sparketh.

This year (2021) on October 22, the two best friends and co-founders of Sparketh crossed an exciting and rare milestone–they were featured on the hit show, Shark Tank. If you missed the live episode, just skip over the next paragraph… and photos (spoiler alert!)

Sidenote: If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch Sparketh’s Shark Tank episode on Hulu. It’s the third episode of the current season (13).

Sparketh’s dynamic duo wowed the judges with their vision, their enthusiasm, and their presentation. Ultimately, they scored a “double shark deal,” with Barbara Corcoran (“The Queen of Real Estate”) and Daniel Lubetzsky, guest shark and founder/executive chairman of the KIND empire.  However, Sparketh’s deal had a contingency. Barbara and Daniel decided to invest $100, 000 in exchange for 20% of Sparketh… but only if Dwayne and Tim can show proof of profitability in six months. The clock is ticking!

As a member of the Sparketh team, I was eager to hear from Tim and Dwayne about what it was like to be on Shark Tank. In the following Q & A, we talked about their  Shark Tank experience, their evolving vision for Sparketh, and why these co-founders think that creativity is one of the most valuable qualities someone can possess.

On the Shark Tank Experience

How long have you watched Shark Tank and when did you know you wanted to go on the show? 

Dwayne: I’ve been watching the show for over a decade–since I was a kid really. So I’ve pretty much always thought it would be cool to be on it. We started the process of applying to be on Shark Tank last spring. There was a lot involved in the process in terms of submitting tapes and videos and paperwork, but it was all part of the journey. 

What was the actual experience of being on Shark Tank like? 

Dwayne: Well, first of all, what you see on TV was like a 10-15 minute feature, but in reality we were in there for about 50 minutes. We talked to the sharks a lot more than you got to see on the episode and went into much more depth about Sparketh. The Shark Tank room is also really big. I don’t know if it was more spread out than usual because of Covid protocols, but it is huge. Another thing I wanted to mention is that, even though Tim was like in power pose during the whole presentation, he wasn’t feeling well at all that weekend. He was feeling pretty bad that whole day and then pulled himself together right before going into the tank and stuck it out.  

Tim:  But something pretty funny did happen right in the middle of our pitch.  One second we were talking, and then someone yelled, “Stop!”  The cameras stopped. The Sharks stopped. We stopped talking. Then someone from the crew just walked up to me and whispered in my ear, “Here, take this.” They handed me a folded up paper towel and said, “You’re sweating.” They dabbed my face, walked off, and said, “Continue.” Then everything just went back like it never happened. If you watch closely, I think you can see where I have a big bead of sweat on my forehead one minute and then it’s suddenly gone in the next shot.

Did you get the sharks you were expecting to get? Who were you expecting to be interested?

Dwayne: Before we walked in there, we’d already thought through how each one of the sharks could bring something unique or valuable, either from their audience or their unique expertise. We kind of went in with an open mind.

What was it like to watch your pitch on TV for the first time alongside friends and family? 

Tim: It was very surreal and very funny. There was such a disconnect watching it on the screen.  I kept thinking,  “That wasn’t me,” or “That’s funny that Dwayne was looking like that.” We’d spent a lot of time beforehand trying to guess what story they would tell or what moments the editors would choose to pause on, so it was also really interesting to see which moments from the discussion were highlighted.

Dwayne: I don’t really know what I expected it to feel like watching it because I was running around right up until it aired, but it was actually hilarious. I watched it sitting next to Tim and there were so many moments we were just laughing. I really didn’t recognize myself. And honestly, hats off to the editors too. Even though I knew the outcome, my heart was beating and I was feeling the suspense and the intensity– seeing the sweat and hearing all the little sound effects. Watching it with friends and family was awesome–the energy in the room was great. Everyone was super hyped.

Aside from getting a potential deal with 2 sharks, what was the most meaningful thing you’ve taken away from your Shark Tank experience?

Tim: It’s such an awesome opportunity for any entrepreneur to go into the Shark Tank, especially if you’re bootstrap like we have been. It gives credibility – not just to your business- but to you as an entrepreneur. It’s empowering to have such successful and powerful business people see and acknowledge the value in your business. Even without any investment, their feedback alone is so valuable. Sparketh has been a long-term project for us that has never really paid us anything significant or anything like that. But once we saw that these successful people were willing to invest in it, it really made it click for us and made us realize that this is a valuable business, and we are contributing something significant to the world.

Dwayne: Absolutely agreed. As an entrepreneur, you sacrifice so much hoping that people will see your vision. It does bring validation to have someone like that believe in you.

On Sparketh

Was there one specific moment that you can remember first thinking up Sparketh? 

Dwayne: There was definitely a specific moment. It was right after we entered this Shark Tank style contest called Concept2Reality at Kennesaw State University. Our business proposition at the time was called Sirius, and it was a resource for kids that would help with various subjects. Around the same time that we were pitching that idea for the contest, Tim and I were working on a completely different business concept with a group of people, which fell through due to circumstances outside of our control. Anyway, it got us thinking: what project could the two of us team up about that we would both be passionate about?

That’s when we both dedicated ourselves to this one idea. We took some things that we loved about the Sirius project and narrowed it down. Tim is really good at reverse-engineering and narrowing in on what we subject we should start with and what audience we should start with. We ended up deciding to focus on an online art education resource specifically geared towards the homeschool audience– with the goal of expanding into other creative learning, later on.

In the tank, Mark Cuban questioned what makes Sparketh different for students than just learning art on Youtube. We didn’t really get a chance to see you respond on the show, so can you respond to that now?

Dwayne: Honestly. the answer to that is twofold. Firstly yes, Youtube has tons of content, but you have to spend so much time shifting through low-quality stuff to find something that is quality. Given that, it’s hard to figure out a “path” for learning. In contrast, Sparketh is custom-built for learning. We’ve built out learning tracks that kids can follow to learn in a sequential way that builds their skills.

That leads to the second major difference, which is platform. If you remove all of the content from Youtube and Sparketh, the fact is that Youtube is built for entertainment, but Sparketh is built for education. In building Sparketh, we have created educational features that go with the video content to enhance the learning experience: worksheets, vocabulary words, and key takeaways. Also, we have a whole community aspect–which offers kids an online place to continually support each other to create!

How do you manage being best friends and business partners? What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a business with a close friend or family member?

Dwayne: In our friendship we already balance each other out, and our business relationship has really just been an extension of that. If you remove business and just observe the way we learn things together or work on little projects (or even sometimes get ourselves into stupid situations), there’s always a sense of balance there. To anyone out there wanting to start a business with a good friend, I’d suggest that you make sure there’s genuine balance in your dynamic. With us, it’s not all fun and games, but the fun and games is a great addition because he’s my best friend. 

Tim: I agree! I’d also advise someone who is considering starting a business with a friend or family member to pick a business that you are both passionate about. For us, we’re both very creative in different ways. Creativity has always been something that we’re both very passionate about, so that makes Sparketh feel less like business and work all the time. 

What would you like to see happen with Sparketh within the next year?

Tim: I’d love to see three more creative subjects fleshed out on the site so that kids who are creative – but maybe not into traditional art – will have creative learning resources too! That’s something we’ve always wanted to do, and I’d like to see it happen within the next year.

Dwayne: I’d also like to continue to grow our creative community of kids, and I’d love to see us building out even more progressive tracks so that kids can get into even more advanced creative skills.

On Creativity

What have you found to be the most important way that creativity and entrepreneurship overlap? What has been the most important way that creativity has impacted your business?

Tim: I think creativity has enhanced our problem-solving skills and that helps with pretty much anything. You’re always going to have problems in anything you attempt. Success really comes down to how well are you able to solve those problems, and creativity is what helps you solve those problems. As long as we continue to be creative, we will continue to get further and further along in our journeys. Being creative in the concept we developed in Sparketh, and in the way we presented it, also helped us connect with so many of the right people and families who have also helped us in this process.

Dwayne: Additionally, I think that creativity and entrepreneurship go together well because creativity is all about idea generating, and entrepreneurship is about idea implementing.

Sparketh is all about growing creative skills at home. Beyond the homeschooling space, why do you think that’s important?

Tim: Growing your creative skills at home is so important in this day and age when the world is transitioning more and more to a remote workflow. If you make creativity a part of your home routines, then your skills will grow exponentially faster than the people who only create at work or in a classroom. Growing creative skills at home is the foundation to building a life abundant with creativity.

Most people agree that the nature of the modern “job” is rapidly in flux, with new technology constantly creating new fields, and freelancers and entrepreneurs becoming more common than ever before. Can you talk about creativity’s role in all of this, especially for the upcoming generation? 

Dwayne: The new soft skill that everyone is looking for is creativity, and there’s a reason for that. These new emerging jobs are essentially just new problems to solve. As Tim was saying, creativity enhances problem-solving. It also means being more open-minded and curious, able to explore not just what is “now,” but to think about what is coming up next.  Being in a creative state is almost like you’re living in the future while creating the future. Creativity gives kids the right tools to be prepared for the unknown. It helps them to be open to new possibilities and gives them the mindset to be innovative…to solve the problems of the future.

What’s something that you’d like to say to people who saw you on Shark Tank or who are just curious to know more about Sparketh? Any final thoughts you’d love to share with readers?

Tim: We’re passionate about creativity and everything that has to do with creativity. I might not be the most “artsy” person, but I’m passionate about creativity and that comes through in the different things I do for Sparketh. I want to invite anyone who saw us on Shark Tank who is passionate and cares about creativity to reach out to us. If you want to be part of a creative movement for kids and teens and you love creativity – even if you’re not an amazing artist- maybe there’s some way we could chat, share ideas, or collaborate. We love meeting other creatives and people who are passionate about creativity!

Dwayne:  And I also would want to say something to the kids and teens out there who are creative, but who have been beaten down by people they are around. If the school system, or the world, or anyone, has told you that you aren’t good enough or tried to shut you down, I want to tell you that there is a safe place for you at Sparketh. Sure, Tim and I are the ones you saw on Shark Tank up there doing magic tricks, but every single person behind the logo of Sparketh team embodies creativity and is here to support you. Everyone on this team inspires me personally so much, creatively! Everyone behind the face of Sparketh is here to inspire creativity in kids and teens.

The post A Sparketh Q & A with Co-Founders Dwayne Walker and Tim Samuel appeared first on Sparketh.

Many families enjoy their own traditions this time of year: recipes reserved especially for Thanksgiving, crafts, lists of things to be grateful for, outdoor sports, etc.

When I was growing up, my mom was always really great about coming up with a fun art project that the kids in my family could do as we waited for the turkey to cook. To this day, I can still remember those fun, simple art projects, and the quality time I spent working on them with my cousins. More often than not, a few of my adult relatives would join in on the fun before we were finished!

If you are looking for some fun, art projects to do with your family this week,  Sparketh has some great options that would be perfect for all ages and skill-levels. You could use these at an extended family gathering on Thanksgiving, or with your own kids sometime earlier in the week. We also have a gratitude-themed art contest going on throughout the holidays in our free Sparketh Community! 

First, we have this Simple Turkey tutorial that may remind you of nostalgic turkey art you did as a child. However, this fun turkey tutorial takes the classic turkey drawing one step further to help you create a comical, cartoon-version of the classic “hand-based turkey.” This would definitely be a fun project for everyone in the family to try!

Another project that I think would be perfect for this week is this beginner-level tutorial for a Fall Tree Painting! For this project, you’ll need paint, a brush (or brushes) and a canvas. While each person in your group may want to paint his/her own fall tree, I also think this would also be a fun group project! Each person could add leaves in a different color, so that the final product ultimately reflects your own family tree!

Looking for something fun, fall-ish, and a little bit different to try out this week? Try this hot air balloon course! Autumn is the season for hot air balloons, and the color palette for this tutorial is perfectly fall-esque!

We hope that these art ideas add to your fun as you spend time with your family or friends and celebrate Thanksgiving!

The post Art Projects for Thanksgiving Week! appeared first on Sparketh.

One thing my family has tried to do over the last few years is to embrace the “cozy side of winter.” For us, this has meant adding in a few rituals to keep the cold months fun, creative and festive (even without major holidays.) We’ve found that candles, hot tea or cocoa, board games, and – especially – art nights can go a long way in making January cozier and more fun.

In today’s post, I especially wanted to share some creative ideas that you and your family can use to “embrace the cozy” of wintertime with your own family art night tradition! At Sparketh, we believe that staying creative is an important part of thriving in any season of life. Below, you’ll find some wintery family art ideas and craft projects straight from our team of creatives!

Maria’s Stained Glass Candle Holder 

Candles are one of my favorite things to always have at home during winter. They definitely help me through that little post New Year’s slump that many of us experience. They make the whole winter season cozier, more relaxing and more beautiful! If you like candles too (or know someone who does), you will love this craft art project from Sparketh Youtube content creator, Maria. It’d be great for a family art night, especially if you have older kids!

Maria is a talented artist in many mediums, and in this video she’ll show you how to transform something ordinary into a beautiful, stained-glass jar using art! When you’re finished, you can put a real (or battery-operated) candle inside for a luminous, stained glass effect. Even if you’re not a candle person, you can still enjoy the beautiful result as a container or decoration. (You can also gift it!) Click here to watch the video and learn how to make your own stained glass candle holder.  

Amy’s DIY Snow and Snowflakes 

Were you dreaming of a White Christmas that never happened? Don’t worry, snow doesn’t have to stick to a holiday schedule.

January- February is still a great time to get excited about snow, so why not make your own? In the links below, Sparketh’s TikTok content creator, Amy, will show you how to make DIY Fake Snow that’s fun to fidget and play with.

Click this link to see how to make your own fake snow at home! This is the perfect activity for little kids (just make sure they don’t eat it!)

Before Christmas, Amy also did a tutorial on paper snowflakes that you can use for decoration, but honestly we think it’s cool to decorate your space with snowflakes anytime during winter (or whenever you want!) If you’ve always wanted to try your hand at cutting out those perfect paper flakes, this is your moment!

Click here to watch the DIY paper snowflake video on TikTok. 

Beyond just snow-inspired videos, Amy is always sharing fun, quick art hacks and tips to try at home. Don’t forget to follow to our TikTok channel so you don’t miss any awesome tips! We strive to contribute to the creative community and offer art education via our social media platforms!

Katie’s “New Year’s Word” Art Night

Have you ever heard of choosing a single word for the New Year instead of writing a list of resolutions?

One of my friends recommended it to me a few years ago, and I love it! Instead of starting off the year with a list of restrictions or rules, starting off with a one word focus can be a very mindful alternative.  I have found that choosing one word to focus on is not overwhelming. I also don’t forget it as the year goes by!

Over the past few years, I’ve adapted the process of choosing a word for the New Year into a reflective art night. It’s a great family activity too, especially if you have kids who are old enough to understand the concept of choosing a focus for the new year.

How to do it:

First, you may want to do some reflecting and brainstorming.  What was last year like? What do you want to be different this year? What would you like to do (or be) more of in the coming year? What priorities would you like to have, going forward? Try to think of a word that describes the focus you’d like to keep coming back to throughout the year. For example, a couple of my previous words have been, “bravery,” and “Hygge” (which basically means “cozy and peaceful.”)

Once you have your word, it’s time to get creative! Using any medium you like, create a work of art that features and reflects the word you choose. This is a great way to spend time thinking about the year ahead!

Maddy’s Birch Trees at Night 

Birch Trees is a newer course in the Sparketh online course gallery! This watercolor course shows students (of any age) how to create a mysterious, wintery painting that shows birch trees at night. As is the goal with all of our courses, Birch Trees also teaches some pretty cool watercolor techniques that can be applied to original works. We think this is the perfect choice for a family art night. Just gather your supplies and follow along with our super instructor, Maddy! It could not be easier (or cozier.)

Sparketh members can login and follow this link to get to the Birch Tree Course!

Becca’s Decorative Melting Snowmen 

Our Sparketh Community host, Becca, is an art instructor in the digital and physical spaces! In addition to being one of Sparketh‘s art instructors, Becca also teaches art in the classroom. Becca shared this fun “melting snowman” art craft that she did with the students at her school. You need just a few inexpensive supplies for this one, but the kids in your family are going to love it! This makes a great winter decoration (and could be a Christmas ornament for next year, too). Follow her instructions below to create some adorable, silly melting snowmen at home!

What You Need: 

• Clear transparency sheet
• Pipe cleaners
• Beads
• Hole punch
• Black and orange paper
• Ribbon
• Shaving cream
• White liquid glue
• Glitter (white or silver)

Prep Ahead of Time (helpful if working with young/multiple kids):

• Cut transparency sheet into a square a little larger than your hand (including fingers)
• Cut brown pipe cleaners into pieces for arms
• Hole punch black paper to use for eyes, mouth, and buttons
• Cut pieces of ribbon for the scarf
• Cut orange papers into triangles for the nose
• Cut black paper into the shape of top hats

How to Make it:

1. The recipes calls for mixing together equal parts of white glue and shaving cream- roughly one cup of each material. However, from my personal experience, I found that overdoing the shaving cream made it even better! Start with the shaving cream and add the glue as you go, checking the consistency. The more glue you add, the denser (and more rubbery) the paint will be. We also sprinkled in silver glitter because- Why Not?!

2. Stir the ingredients together and then play around with it to feel the texture! Smear it, poke it, squish it! (It’s like a fluffy slime!) After you’re done playing, it’s time to assemble! Take a spoonful and place on the transparency square pieces and smear as much as desired. I recommend keeping the shape organic and wobbly like a melted snowman, so you do not have to spread it all the way to the 4 corners! And leave it thick.

3. Next, add in your pieces wherever you want. Part of the fun of the snowman being “melted” is that things can be arranged however you want. Add in eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, hat, and arms! Since your puffy paint is sticky, all the items will stay on their own! Just lightly place and give a little poke. Poke too hard, and your pieces will disappear into the fluff! Once you have everything arranged the way that you want, set your snowman in a safe space to dry overnight!

4. Use a pipe cleaner and beads of any color to create a colorful handle! Twist together the ends to keep the beads from falling off.
Once the paint has dried, trim the transparency piece to the shape of the dried melted snowman, and hot glue on your handle! We twisted the pipe cleaner together at the ends to make a loop and I only placed a dot of hot glue on the twist and then stuck that onto the back side of the melted snowman, on the transparency piece!

TAH-DAH! A textured, melted snowman decoration! So cute!

We hope that these fun art ideas prompt you and your family to have some creative and cozy nights in this winter! At Sparketh, we believe that creativity blooms at home and that art can be a wonderful way to connect as a family. If you try some of these ideas, be sure to let us know on our social media channels! We’d love to see and share your art! Happy creating. 

The post Winter Art Projects for the Whole Family! appeared first on Sparketh.

When Sparketh co-founders, Tim and Dwayne started Sparketh in 2015, they wanted Sparketh to be a haven for “all things creative.”  Dwayne, a self-taught professional artist, always wished he’d had a resource like Sparketh when he was growing up: a virtual space that would offer creative support, community, and art education.

This vision is behind everything we do at Sparketh. We are always looking for new ways to nurture our digital community of creative kids and teens…and many of them don’t cost you a cent!

Online Art Class Memberships

The primary way that Sparketh is a creativity resource is by offering online art classes for kids and teens. Sparketh is unique in its Netflix-like offering of self-paced art classes, each of them created by working artists and art instructors. With a monthly or yearly membership, kids in your home can access their online art classes anywhere, anytime. The online art classes are the core of our business, so membership is not free. However, we do offer 30 days of membership for free. You can snag that here.

In addition to our online art classes for kids and teens, we also offer art education, tutorials, and art tips on our social media channels, along with access to a free online creative community. Below, check out all of the places around the Web where you can find us sharing free creativity resources– made just for you!

Sparketh’s Free Resources for Creatives

Why We Share Free Resources

Let’s go ahead and address this one really quickly with a little transparency, because I can hear you wondering over there: Why free stuff?

1.) We are a business,  2.) and our product is professional online art classes. 3.) However, we’re also a small company of real people who share a collective passion for creativity. It’s part of who we are as a brand–and as individuals, too.

By adding creativity resources to every facet of what we do (including the free stuff) we’re working towards our goal of growing Sparketh’s creative community  and making it a “resource for all things creative.”

Our free resources go along with our online art classes for kids and support your creative journey (whether or not you are a Sparketh member!)

Art Educators First & Content Creators Second

Social media is the primary way we share free creativity resources with you, and there’s something you should know about our social media team. We are all creatives and educators in real life. In the content that we create for Sparketh’s social media, therefore, our aim is primarily to inspire and teach! We use Sparketh’s social media accounts to share art content that’s inspiring, fun, educational…and free!

Sparketh’s TikTok Channel: Art Hacks, Short Tutorials and Inspiration

On Sparketh’s TikTok account, you’ll get helpful art tips several times per week to inspire you on your creative journey (whether you are a kid, teen, or adult!) Our TikTok content creator, Amy, is a professional artist as well as one of our online art instructors! She is always sharing new art hacks on TikTok for a variety of mediums, from painting to digital art. She also shares quick technique tutorials, art-related humor, and encouraging thoughts for young artists to give them greater confidence in their journeys!

Below, you’ll find examples of some content from our TikTok account. Give this account a “Follow,” to get regular art tips and tricks from Amy!

• 4 Important Colored Pencil Techniques 
• 3 Point Perspective 
• Rembrandt Lighting 
• 5 Painting Mistakes 

Sparketh’s Youtube Channel: Longer Art Demos and Art Ideas to Try at Home

On our Youtube channel, you’ll find detailed art demonstrations, tutorials, and inspiration for DIY art (and craft) projects. Sparketh’s Youtube content creator, Maria, is a talented artist. She has an eye for details and loves to create. Maria’s videos are very kid-friendly and can be a great resource for coming up with bigger art projects for your kids to try, or for you to try together as a family!

This resource is especially good for artsy and/or homeschooling families who do a lot of art projects together at home. Check out the below Youtube videos to get inspired!

• How to Make Bubble Art (Great for Young Kids) 
• Tips for Painting a Rose 
• 2 Simple Valentine’s Day Cards
• Easy Gift Idea: Stained Glass Jar

Maria uploads a new video every week, so be sure to subscribe so you’ll always have new inspiration!

The Sparketh Community: Connection, Challenges and Art Prizes for Kids and Teens

We also have a free community for young artists! The Sparketh Community is fully sponsored by Sparketh.com, but you don’t have to have a Sparketh membership to join and enjoy it! The Sparketh Community is monitored and hosted by Becca: an artist, art educator, and Sparketh art instructor! Becca works full-time as an art teacher. She talented and upbeat, and she loves encouraging young artists!

What you’ll find in the Sparketh Community:

• A positive atmosphere and a safe place for young artists to share their work. 
• A companion to Sparketh.com, where kids can personally connect with one of our course instructors.
• Personalized, professional feedback on art when requested. 
• Connection and community with other creatives in the same age group.
• The chance to enter monthly art contests (for those 18 and under). Every contest has art-related prizes! 

There are no fees or memberships required to join the Sparketh Community. We simply as that you answer a couple of questions about your age group and your artistic interests when you ask to join! You can get started here.

Sparketh’s Blog: Art Education and Creativity Resources for Families

“Hi!” The blog posts (and newsletters) are written by me–Katie. I’m the mom on our social media team and, as such, I write mostly for parents and families. I always picture parents as the ones reading this blog, so just know that’s how I am picturing you now–parent-ish.  I’m also the only non-professional artist on the team, but I am a creative of a different kind (mainly creative writing though I am a dabbler in various art forms.)  I also have a background in psychology and education, which plays a role here on the blog because I believe that creativity is one of the most important qualities anyone can possess!

On the blog, I share art tips and ideas (brainstormed from our whole team) that you can use to learn art at home. I also share interviews,  research about art and creativity, interesting art history finds, and current news from Sparketh! Check out some of the below blogs to get a feel for what to expect here!

• How Art Supports Good Mental Health for Kids and Teens 
• An Interview with Barbara Corcoran: The Power of Creativity 
• Students Need Art: Here are 10 Reasons Why 
• 5 Easy Ways to Connect Art and Poetry 
• A Sparketh Q & A with Co-Founders Dwayne Walker and Tim Samuel 

Instagram and Facebook

We know most of you have an Instagram and Facebook account, and we’re there too! On our Facebook and Instagram, you’ll find of a mix of things of that we share other places online, from  reminders about new contests in the Sparketh Community to new Youtube videos! These accounts are good ways to keep in touch and stay up to date, so you don’t miss out on art content that may be just right for you! We also love content suggestions, and Facebook/Instagram can be a great place to send requests for art tips or content you’d like to see!

• Follow us on Instagram (@sparkethdotcom). 
• Follow us on Facebook (@sparketh).

We hope that you’ve found some new, free art resources to love in this blog post. We love to connect with other creatives and encourage young artists as they develop new skills! Thanks for being part of our story here at Sparketh; we are excited to be part of yours! 

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