If you are like many parents (or teachers), your brain probably immediately goes to the “cornerstone” academics: literacy, math, grammar.  Then you might think of history or science. And subjects like art (and music and drama) probably come last, right?  Even if you love the arts, it’s just easy to fall into thinking of them as “extracurricular,” activities. This carries the unspoken implication that they are “extra,” or not totally necessary– the symbolic icing on the cake.

Today, I’m here to argue with that mentality. The truth is that students need art, and they need art education. Studying art provides unique benefits that more traditional subjects sometimes can’t provide. In today’s post, I’m sharing some of the reasons that students desperately need more art in their lives, and the things that art education can do for them: academically, developmentally and emotionally.

At Sparketh, we’re passionate about making arts education affordable and virtually available to kids everywhere, whether they are homeschoolers, private or remote schoolers, or public schoolers in search of additional artistic support.  We aren’t just passionate about art for art’s sake, either. We love art because of the positive impact it can make in the lives of kids and teens. In the busy rhythm of their day-to-day activities, kids and teens are often missing this critical piece of their education, and that’s a gap we want to help fill.

Bottom line? Students need art. Here are 10 reasons why.

1.Drawing  Helps You See Things Differently 

When you engage in art, particularly drawing, you experience a shift in perspective. This can be especially true when you are looking at something and carefully trying to recreate a drawing of it. When you study an object to recreate it with art, your brain is forced to make new observations about everyday shapes and objects that it might not have paid attention to before. 

With a pencil in hand and some motivation to focus, your brain is forced to find new ways to perceive something familiar. 

This is actually a wonderful practice for anyone (especially children and teens) for several reasons. For one thing, this shift in perspective can be very calming (more about that later). It also hones observational skills, which children are in the process of developing. The practice of learning to view familiar things in a different way can help develop more open-minded ways of thinking. For example, if you are trying to draw a vase that’s been sitting in your living room at home for so long that you never really stopped to look at it closely before, you may suddenly notice all kinds of interesting colors and textures.  With regular art practice, students start to look the world around them with more curiosity, observation and understanding than before. 

The Hemisphere Switch:

A very well-known researcher and author, Dr. Betty Edwards, proposes that this perspective shift in drawing increases communication between both hemispheres of the brain. In her book, Drawing with the Right Side of the Brain, she describes how learning to draw teaches the brain to quickly make a mental shift between L-mode (left brain mode which is rational) and R-mode (right brain mode which is intuitive). (You can check out her website to read more about it.) 

It’s amazing how something as simple as the practice of drawing may make such an impact on a child’s perception of the world around him/her. If you are thinking about signing up your child for online art courses via Sparketh, there are many drawing classes to choose from that can help build drawing skills (as well as the skills I’ve mentioned). I’d specifically suggest some courses that focus on perceiving and drawing everyday objects or scenes (there are several here to choose from!)

2. Art Helps with Anxiety 

Art can be a great coping mechanism for stress and anxiety. While this is true regardless of age, art is thought to be particularly helpful for anxious children and teens.  In fact, art therapy is a very popular method for helping children and teens cope with mental and emotional health challenges.

One reason is that art can be an effective outlet for letting out anxiety and negative emotions. Often, children and teens may not know exactly what is bothering them, let alone how to express it verbally. Art gives them a way to get frustration out, and the process may also help them (as well as those who care about them)  understand what’s going on inside. 

Another reason that art can be helpful for anxiety is the perspective shift discussed in point #1. Creating something can be a great way to get out of a funk and focus on something external, productive, and within our control. It’s kind of like meditation that way!

3. Art Teaches History in An Immersive Way. 

We can learn a lot about particular time periods, events and historical figures through studying art. Portraits offer a lot of insight into the values of a specific time and place, as does the study of the most prominent art style of a particular time. (In fact, we have a whole article on that here.)

Throughout history, trends in art also reflect trends in thinking. Furthermore, just as historical movements often demonstrate opposite reactions in thinking, so do art styles. This is a concept that students usually don’t learn about until high school or college, but they can easily see and learn it at a younger age through art education. 

Little Girl in a Blue Armchair (1878), Mary Cassatt

If you’re interested in using art to help your child get some hands-on support with history, this unique online art track was developed to teach students all about 10 different portrait styles while also exploring the history behind them. It’s a great way to bring some life and creativity into your child’s study of history, (or some history into your child’s study of art!)

4.The Creative Process Builds Decision-Making Skills 

The ability to think creativity and critically is a valuable life skill, and it’s one that art helps to build. The process of creating art is all about making decisions, such as: 

• Which medium should I use?
• Is there a particular style that will fit this best?
• What colors will I choose? 
• How do I want the viewers to feel, and how will I guide that? 
• Should I stop now, or is it finished?

No one can make these decisions but the artist, and often one decision will affect another. Because of this, art can be a powerful tool for helping young people hone the important developmental skill of decision-making. Decision-making, in turn, helps children and teens become more in tune with their own ideas and thoughts. This article, The Importance of The Creative Arts for Children and Teens, puts it this way:

“Everyone has an imagination. Art takes it a step further. Through art, children create something that, until that point, was only imagined. Thus, they create visual manifestations of abstract ideas.”

Art helps students thoughtfully bring abstract ideas to life, and that’s pretty powerful.

5. Art Teaches Expression/ Communication

Going hand-in-hand with items #2 and  #4 is the fact that art offers children a unique way to communicate.

 Art is often a more accessible form of expression than verbal or written communication, especially for kids and teens who don’t often have the ability to articulate their experiences into words. Additionally, decision making skills (again, encouraged by art), can help young people discover more about their own thoughts and preferences.

The ability to understand and communicate ones thoughts and feelings is one that will benefit children and teens in adulthood. Children and teens who have learned how to communicate through art may also find that it positively impacts their ability to relate to and communicate with others. 

6. Art Enhances Memory and Focus

Another great reason to include art in your homeschool curriculum is that it actually enhances thinking, memory, and focus! Research suggests that art actually helps the different hemispheres of the brain communicate with each other. Beyond this, a study of the arts (in any form) may also help children train themselves how to concentrate. 

This examination on the ability of art to inhance focus and cognition indicates that, because many young people find themselves drawn to the arts, it can be a voluntary way for them to immerse themselves in a cognitive activity. This, in turn, can actually train the brain to focus for longer periods of time. 

In other words, because a student enjoys the mental work that comes with art, he or she is more likely to commit long periods of time to focusing on it. Art is a fun way to train your brain to focus. When you use art to regularly train your brain to focus, you’ll be able to use those newfound powers of concentration whenever you need them.

7. A Personal Investment in Art Teaches Self-Discipline

Just like an interest in art can help train your child’s brain to focus, it can also be a way for them to learn about self-discipline. Children and teens who are interested in art may find themselves actually wanting to spend time, money, and effort on learning how to grow their skills. Essentially, this means that a love of art can introduce a student to the concept of self-learning, and even self-discipline. 

An interest in art can actually be (and often is) the thing that teaches children and teens how to independently pursue something that excites them. Students who challenge themselves to grow their skills through learning are also learning how to be self-disciplined and independently motivated!

8. Art Can Be a Platform for Connection

Art camps, classes, and local projects, all offer opportunities for your artistic child or teen to connect with like-minded individuals. Online communities can also be a great place for your student to connect with art mentors, teachers, and peers who are share their love of art. Because we believe in the power of community, Sparketh actually sponsors a free Sparketh Community (open to all kids and teens, not just members.) It’s a place where artsy kids and teens can connect, complete monthly art challenge (with prizes), and support one another. You can find out more here. 

In addition to filling an important social and emotional need, connecting with other artists at a young age can be a valuable professional resource in young adulthood. If your child ultimately decides to pursue a career in an art-related field, it will be good for them to know others within this field who may be able to provide advice, support, or professional recommendations!

9. Art Encourages Making Mistakes

No, you didn’t misread anything. Students need art because it encourages making mistakes.

Trying new things, taking risks, and making mistakes are super important facets of learning and maturing. These things teach us to how figure out what works and what doesn’t. They also guide us in tweaking “good” until it becomes “great.” Mistakes also build perseverance. They show us that we can keep moving forward, even when we don’t get it perfectly right the first time. Research indicates that having the freedom to make academic mistakes can observably improve a child’s ability to learn.

The problem is that many children feel such a pressure to get things right the first time that they may feel very anxious about making mistakes. Enter art.

As I talked about earlier, the creative process provides limitless opportunities for decision making. These decisions also offer the chance for children and teens to think about how they may like to do it differently, next time.  With art, there are limitless opportunities for risk-taking and mistake making in a relatively safe space. When we have freedom to make mistakes, that’s probably when we learn the most!

10. Art Helps Build a Strong Sense of Self 

Finally, students need art because it helps to develop a strong sense of identity. Think about it this way:

As we’ve discussed, incorporating art into you a student’s regular routine can help them grow in the following areas:

• Decision making
• Communication
• Self-motivation
• Focus 
• Perseverance 
• Social connection
• Risk taking and perseverance

You can see how these are all valuable qualities for a child or teen to develop (or have begun developing) by young adulthood.  Art, and art education, helps children develop a clear picture of who they are and how they connect to the world around them. While “art for art’s sake,” is a valuable pursuit on its own (especially if you have a child who has a natural interest in it), it is also a valuable tool to help kids and teens find their way. Growing up is hard, and art can be a positive force in the midst of it.

Have you considered making art courses a part of your child or teen’s daily life ? Do you have a student who is naturally interested or gifted in art, or are you interested in it for some of the other reasons mentioned above? We want to know! 

The post Students Need Art: Here are 10 Reasons Why 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.

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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Black History is Part of Art History

All of the artists discussed in today’s post are exceptionally talented, so maybe you’re wondering: “Why qualify it?” 

It’s true that you don’t always need qualifiers when talking about great art and artists. However, sometimes looking at the work of a particular group of artists can help you see and understand things that you otherwise could not.

The fact is that Black History has uniquely and significantly influenced art history. Moreover, it’s a side of art history that statistically has not received the exposure or representation that it deserves. It’s important that we talk about – and help change- that.

Representation: Past and Present

Historically, members of the Black community have been underrepresented and/or unacknowledged for their contributions to the art world. Even in recent times, black artists have been strikingly absent in art galleries around the United States.

A 2019 study (you can read it here) showed that, as an average, about 85% of the professional art shown in galleries was created by Caucasian  men. While it should be noted that women and all racial minorities received low representation as well, Black/African American artists made up the lowest proportional percentage–only 1.2% of the art on display in galleries around the nation was created by black artists. 

Being Part of the Conversation

There may be more than one reason for these findings. The study indicated that historical bias, difficulty identifying artists of the past, and a contemporary shortage of black artists are all potential contributing factors. However, as I think about this study and its implications, here are 3 practical conclusions we can take away from these findings:

 1. Representation always plays a role in the next generation. When kids see people who look like them in a certain career or following a particular dream, it can help them envision themselves doing that thing, too. Representation is powerful fuel. When there’s a lack of representation, however, it can be more challenging for kids to envision themselves in a particular role. There may be a contemporary shortage of Black artists (as the study also indicated), but there is also reason to suspect that the historic lack of representation for Black artists has do with that.

2. Art allows us to understand new concepts and perspectives in a way that bypasses language. Therefore, it’s even more important to showcase work by a greater diversity of artists. If we want art to tell the truth, it’s important to tell as many true stories as possible.

3. To improve the situation, we need to talk about it.  Since that 2019 study was published, museums around the nation are making more of an effort to diversify their exhibits by: representing a greater variety of artists, focusing more on Black artists, and talking openly about about why these changes matter. In aiding this endeavor, it’s important for us to remember black artists who have made an impact in art and history, and to recognize those who are currently using their talent to bring new perspectives to the world.

Black History Month: 5 Artists You Should Know

Here are just 5 of the many amazing black, American artists who have shaped the past, and are shaping the present, through their creativity.  I hope you enjoy learning a little bit more about each of them.

1.  Alma Thomas (1891 – 1978)

Born in Georgia in 1891, Alma Thomas moved to Washington DC in 1907. She would make a lasting impact on the nation’s capital,  nurturing artists and art appreciation there for many years to come.   Alma Thomas taught children in her school and church to create – and appreciate – art for almost 40 years!

In the 1960s, as a retired teacher, Alma Thomas began to develop her artistic style in a different direction. She experimented with abstract styles, color, and movement, creating the uniquely colorful, mosaic-like style that defines her work today. Much of her art was inspired by the bright flowers in her hometown and by man’s first trip to the moon. In a time of unrest and division in America, this artist chose to focus on joyful elements of life. She said: “Through color, I have sought to concentrate on beauty and happiness, rather than on man’s inhumanity to man.”

Today, her painting, “Resurrection,” is displayed in the White House dining room. It was the first work by a Black woman to be added to the White House collection of art. To this day, Alma Thomas remains well-known, not only for her beautiful creations, but for her personal legacy of warmth and joy.

2. Augusta Savage (1892- 1962)

Despite the fact that she often faced challenging circumstances, this Black female sculpture was a profoundly influential artist and art teacher. Augusta was a major figure in the the Harlem Renaissance art movement, and was the first director of the Harlem Community Art Center. She was also commissioned to sculpt a piece for the New York World’s Fair (1939) which symbolized the musical contributions of African Americans.

Despite her own significant contributions to the art world, this award-winning artist considered her role as an art teacher to be her greatest legacy. Augusta Savage was an inspiring person who reminds us to also continue to learn and to support others’ learning as well. The video below shows some rare footage of this artist at work!

3. Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960 – 1988)

Jean-Michel Basquiat lived a short, but prolific, life.  Born in 1960 to a Puerto Rican mother and a Haitian-American father, Jean-Michel was a self-taught artist who studied both art and the world and diverse cultures around him. As a young child, he became fascinated with human anatomy, which would become a running theme throughout much of his work.

In the 1970s, Basquiat became known for the thought-provoking graffiti art he painted on buildings all over Manhattan. He tagged them with the anonymous title, “SAMO.”  By the age of 21, the artist was creating art full-time, using whatever materials he could get his hands on. Anatomy, historical themes, identity, and oppression all played a role in his work. He continued to grow in acclaim and popularity and gained a rare status as a young and extremely successful contemporary artist. Despite his fame and success, however, Basquiat struggled with addiction. He died of an overdose in 1988 at the age of 28.

As recently as 2017, one of Basquiat’s untitled works sold for $110 million–the highest price on record for any work by an American artist. Jean-Michel Basquiat was a leader in the art movement of Neo-Expressionism, and his work continues to influence contemporary art and culture.

4. Bisa Butler (1973 – Present)

Bisa Butler is a unique contemporary artist based in New Jersey. Though she was trained a painter, Butler is best known for the art she creates in the form of detailed quilts. Butler combines vivid color choices, realistic details, historical photographs and traditional crafting methods to produce her textile masterpieces.

This artist is passionate about history, family heritage, community, and migration. The scenes that she creates reflects those themes, but so does her medium. Quilting has strong ties to women of the past and to Black History, too. Therefore, Butler’s work weaves together imagery and material to bring the past to life. She layers the fabrics in her work in a way that mimics layers in painting.

Bisa Butler combines textile crafting with artistic skill to tell the histories of Black families and figures in a previously untapped way. It will be exciting to see how her approach to art and historical crafting shapes future artists who are also interested in exploring the past. Check out the below video to see how she creates her amazing pieces.

5. Kehinde Wiley (1977 – Present)

Kehinde Wiley is a contemporary artist who is based in New York City. He’s best known for his striking, naturalistic portraits of Black men and women. His portrait style follows many of the conventions and poses of the Old Masters of painting. However, he focuses on subjects that have not been traditionally represented by this style (young, black men and women).  Wiley’s beautiful work illuminates multiple facets of his subjects. Through his historically-inspired poses and style, the artist also draws attention to dynamic themes like status, race, and representation.

Despite the fact that this artist’s portraits are photo-realistic and often mimic historical posts, his subjects are often presented in front of more dream-like backgrounds, full of bold colors and patterns. Often, the details in the background contain significance to the subject being painted.

In 2018, Kehinde Wiley was commissioned to paint the  portrait of former President Barack Obama for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. This made him the first black portrait artist to have the honor of painting a U.S. President (see more about this portrait in the video clip below). Wiley is also the founder of Black Rock, an artist-in-resident program in Africa that he started in order to better connect with African culture and foster artists and creativity there.

We hope you enjoyed learning about these 5 inspirational Black artists and their work. At Sparketh, we strive to show kids that art and creativity are for everyone. Anyone can be an artist!

We know that traditional art classes are expensive, and can be difficult to find depending on where you live. Making professional online art classes more affordable and accessible is a big part of our mission and our origin story. You can read more about that part of our story in these interview with Sparketh’s co-founders Dwayne Walker (Sparketh’s artistic visionary) or Tim Samuel (Sparketh’s idea architect).

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