 Hello! We hope that you are healthy and safe during this time of social distancing. It's definitely a time to try to rest, reset and rejuvenate your creativity. We're going to end this Women's History Month with some art resources that highlight phenomenal women visual artists. We are happy to share this video book reading of Jamilah Loves To Talk About Art by our very own Alicia L. McDaniel. Jamilah is a talented young artist who learns about renowned visual artists such as Elizabeth Catlett and Alma Thomas.  We also have a simple art tutorial highlighting dedicated art educator and visual artist, Alma Thomas. You can find the coloring portrait sheet of Alma Thomas in our new Jamilah Loves to Talk About Art Activity Set or Great African-American Artists Coloring and Activity Book.
Relax and explore our website to find more art resources that feature amazing women artists that will help rejuvenate your creativity.
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 Wow! February has come and almost gone in the blink of eye; it feels like time is flying. In the spirit of time flying, this post will be short and sweet. We have the cutest idea for using our Great African-American Artists Coloring & Activity Books. Inspired by the enamel artist pins found in art museum gift shops, we used shrinking plastic, permanent markers, a pin back and hot glue gun, to make black artist pins. This is a great way to celebrate Black History all year long. Check out the simple steps below.
We used Faith Ringgold and Romare Bearden's coloring portrait sheets from the books above. Click on each cover to purchase your very own copy.  1. We placed the plastic over the artist's image and traced it. 2. We used permanent markers to color the plastic sheets. 3. Then we cut out the images, placed them on a baking sheet and baked them according the directions on the package. 4. After they cooled, we added a pin back using a low-temp hot glue gun. (This activity should be done by or with a responsible adult.)
What are you doing to celebrate Black History Month? Let us know by commenting below.  Happy 2020!!! We are thankful and excited about this new year. As we approach the day of commemoration for one of our great leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, we want to share a simple. yet colorful art lesson inspired by his life. It's no secret that one of favorite author/illustrators is Vanessa Brantley-Newton. Her lovely book entitled, Let Freedom Sing, also helped to inspire our newest art resource.  Throughout the beautifully illustrated book, which highlights several of the pivotal events in the Civil Rights movement, Newton includes the lyrics to the song, This Little Light of Mine. Reading this book to young artists is a great way to introduce them to this important period in American history. After reading, the book, they will enjoy doing our MLK Shine Your Light Art Lesson.
We used DIY stamps made out of foam sheets and letters. How do you honor Dr. King in your creative space? Share by commenting below.
 Happy Holidays!!! We hope that your holiday season is going well. As we celebrate the last Kwanzaa of the decade, we want to share some of our favorite handmade gift ideas. Kwanza is celebrated from Dec. 26-Jan.1; each day focuses on an important principle. On day six, we celebrate the principle Kuumba which means creativity. This a great time to make a special gift for a loved one. Colorful Fan
Creating this pocket fan with some simple art supplies (including black dot paint makers and gold metallic marker) was fun. This colorful mini pocket fan would be a great gift for Kwanzaa. Greeting Card Print 1. We created a stamp by drawing a drum on a foam sheet and cutting it out. 2.Using a black ink pad, we inked the stamp. 3. Then we pressed the stamp on to a red and green 4.5' x 6.5" notecard and added a greeting. This colorful notecard is a great way to create a personal greeting for Kwanzaa and help young artists develop printmaking skills. Kwanzaa Bracelet Cuff Art Lesson Make sure to purchase our latest art lesson for Kwanzaa by clicking on the image. Have a prosperous Kwanzaa and New Year!
 As we move swiftly through the last quarter of 2019, we wanted to share this brief post about the creative inspiration we recently got from a pack of color coding labels. Normally these stickers are used in an office or clerical setting and they come in a variety of sizes and colors. We used some color coding labels to create the Maassai Inspired Paper Collar below. We also used a paper plate, scissors, washi tape, a glue stick, construction paper scraps and markers.
We also used these color coding labels to create our latest art resource, Silly Monster Art Lesson. Inspired by the colorfully illustrated children's book, Monster Trouble! by Lane Frederickson and pictures by Mike Robertson, this art lesson is a fun way for young artists to learn about the Elements of Design.
There are so many other art pieces that can be created with these color coded labels. Meanwhile, check out these cool works of art created with black push pins and paper clips. Click on each image to learn more about the work and the artist.
 Is it me or did the summer seem to only last for a month? Wow! Fall officially begins this weekend. A new school year has also already begun, which means we're looking for new art ideas, artists and resources to enhance our curriculum. Here are some cool art resources we discovered over the summer. Prolific Artist, Mildred Thompson "String Theory VI" by Mildred Thompson, Acrylic on Canvas, 1999 If you're looking for works of art that display the Elements of Design, look no further than the amazing work of phenomenal artist, Mildred Thompson. We discovered her work through social media and created a new art lesson inspired by her dynamic use of lines.  Mississippi Children's Museum Visiting the Mississippi Children's Museum was definitely a highlight this summer. While visiting our family in Jackson, MS, we were fortunate to tour this colorful facility and observe the amazing cross-curricular activities they have designed for children; everything ranging from a life-size, interactive scrabble board to a large art studio/gallery. I thought about how visual arts incorporates all of the other subject matters. Make sure to explore this website to find art lessons that have several cross-curricular connections. The King of Kindergarten Book One of our favorite illustrators, Vanessa Brantley-Newton, teamed up with talented author, Derrick Barnes to create this delightful story about a excited little boy who begins kindergarten. We love to use picture books for our young artists who are in preschool and grades K-2.
What are some of the new art resources that you have discovered? Comment below. 
Happy Father's Day and Black Music month! We hope your summer is off to a great start. A great place to find creative inspiration this summer is in children's picture books. As we celebrate Father's Day and Black Music Month, we want to highlight one of our favorite picture books entitled, Just the Two of Us, by the mega star, Will Smith.
Will turned this chart topping rap song into a children's book by collaborating with renowned artist/illustrator, Kadir Nelson to depict the lyrics of the song with delightful illustrations. This book is perfect for the month of June and connects Visual Art with ELA, Music, Social Studies and Physical Education.
Explore our website to find more cross-curricular art resources to inspire your creativity this summer. Have a wonderful summer!
 We are so excited and inspired by all of the amazing work that's being done to bring awareness to autism this month. While there are several significant visual artists that have been identified as being on the spectrum for having autism, we are especially inspired by the art of prolific visual artist Stephen Wiltshire.  Phenomenal Artist Stephen Wiltshire creating art His incredible ability to draw cityscapes with precise detail after seeing them briefly is just one part of his extraordinary journey. Click here to learn more about the artist and his work. Stephen's work would be a fantastic example to show young artists who are learning to draw urban spaces and cityscapes. Here are some more great resources to related to autism that can be used in any classroom space :  This beautifully illustrated story written by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete is based on her personal experience with her son who was diagnosed with autism at a young age.
In addition to the children's book, these resources are definitely worth looking into: click on each image to explore each one. What tips or resources are you currently using in your art space to teach young artists with autism? Comment below.
 Even though February is about to end, our celebration of African-American culture and history continues throughout the year. We are inspired by a rich history of African-American visual artists who helped shape arts in the United States and abroad. As we celebrate, we remember one of our favorite artists Carl Owens. A native of Detroit, MI, Mr. Owens' work depicts beautiful portraits of black people of all ages. Inspired by his painting, The Mask, we created the Portrait Mask Art Lesson below. While the lesson was designed for students in grades 6-12, it can be adjusted to use with younger students.
Portrait Mask Art Lesson 
Lesson Steps
 Learn more about Carl Owens by purchasing our Great African-American Artists Coloring & Activity Book 2.0.
 While this new year has bought in many changes, our mission, remains the same. "We create art lessons from the heart that inspire the soul". With that in mind, we have two fun art lessons to get the year started off right. New Year Happiness Flower Art Lesson Our first art lesson is inspired by a simple story we use to introduce young readers to some of the basic traditions for celebrating the Chinese New Year. Max Celebrates Chinese New Year is an early reader book written Adria Klein and illustrated by Mernie Gallagher-Cole. We created a simple but fun art lesson inspired by the story. This art lesson has worked really well for children ages 3-5 years old. You can tailor it to use with older children. 
A Colorful Dove For MLK Art Lesson
Our second art lesson is inspired by the vilbrantly illustrated children's book, Martin and Mahalia: His Words, Her Song. Written and illustrated by talented couple, Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, this story does a wonderful job of showing how Dr. King and Mahalia Jackson complimented each other in their activism for the African-American community. Click on the logo to learn more about this new lesson we're offering.
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Alicia L. McDanielAlicia L. McDaniel is the author and creator of Great Art Lessons for the Creative Soul. She is also an educator, professional artist, and lover of the arts. 
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