September 6, 2023 – Art and Photography

Mercy Every Minute

Deborah Wuehler, TOS Senior Editor

God Created Us to Be Creative

When the kids were all young, we were always into finger paints, watercolors, glue and construction paper, homemade playdough, and all the messy things. When the weather was good, we were outside on our picnic table creating. When the weather was bad, we covered our kitchen table with a plastic cover so we could create. It was just the way our family operated. I was always on the hunt for things that were educational, hands-on, and creative. I decided somewhere along the line that I preferred the messy things and happy children to the sterile home and kids who were not engaged in learning. From the littlest ones playing in rice bins, elementary ones making beads, to the older ones capturing it all in pictures or video, we were all just born creators. In fact, God created us to be creative like He is.

What I didn’t know at the time is that these messy and seemingly non-educational fun things would continue on with the children into their adulthood. The little video dramas became big productions with special effects and software programs. The art classes and craft making would turn into art careers and entrepreneurships. The art and photography would even find their way into adult ministry opportunities.

Whether it’s art or ministry or photography or video, God can use it for His purposes and for His glory. Sometimes it’s not just about filling that curriculum need with an easy elective; there is a bigger vision that we don’t see. God is leading and taking us places we never thought of. God is faithful to give us opportunities to put before our children.

Ephesians 2:8-10 says that God has already prepared in advance the good works our children will walk in. Our job is to pray that whatever gifts, abilities, or talents our children are acquiring, God would be glorified in those areas.

God is going to bring forth what He knew all along. He knows your children, and He knows their future, so trust Him as you stay creative at Home. Where They Belong.

For more on art and photography from the pages of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine:

Art Is a Mirror, by Erika Hoffman
A Regular Homeschool Mom Explains Why Art is Important, by Katherine Tanyu
Focusing in on Photography, by Cassandra Simpson
Planning a Homeschool Photography Course for Fun or Developing a Career, by Naomi Musch

Electives like art and photography can impact children’s future careers and ministry. Listen in to Episode 32 of the Hey, Mama! Homeschool Show to hear more on this topic!

~Deborah

The great photographer Ansel Adams said, “You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.”  Photography is an art.

Before the development of the camera, other than a verbal description, painting was the only visual representation of people and the world around us. With the advent of photography, inexpensive prints were traded and collected in the first photo albums. Today those photo albums are seen on our cell phones.  Photography is the art of capturing light. To become a better photographer, studying the photography of Ansel Adams, or the editorial photographs of Dorothea Lange are excellent exercises in understanding the power of the visual image. Studying and learning to recognize things such as the rule of thirds and the elements and principles of art are very important.  Just as a painter studies technique, the photographer becomes familiar with his camera’s capabilities.  Cell phones can make an excellent tool for photographers; using drone cameras opens new venues for the art. Understanding how to use programs like Adobe Photoshop or Gimp allows you to bring your ideas to life. Photography gives young people a powerful tool for communication and creativity in today’s world. 

If you want advanced art training online, Sharon Jeffus with Visual Manna will give you mentorship and assistance with portfolio presentation, and art comparable to a high school art credit.  Art can be used for encouragement and therapy and we have programs for all ages.  Contact visualmanna@gmail.com for more information.  

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The Canadian Schoolhouse

Incorporate Art into Your Homeschool Day

Excerpt from 10 Easy Ways to Incorporate Art into Your Homeschool Day.

There are many ways to incorporate art into your homeschool day. Take a look at the ideas and suggestions below. 

Take a Virtual Tour or Field Trip

Search for museums and galleries and then set aside a day and time for the virtual tour or field trip. 

Read Biographies of Artists

You can select artist biographies of the province (or state) where you live. Or you can learn about artists from other countries and other centuries.

Alternate Art Days

Alternate art days with other creative days. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, your children might do music and then Tuesday and Thursday will be art days.

Design and Plant a Garden

Children can discover the many colors that flowers come in and develop knowledge of color theory such as complementary colors and analogous colors.

Create an Art Journal

Select an unlined notebook for your child or let them select their own. This can be something they draw in while you are doing your read-alouds.

Find Materials in Nature to Use for Art

Spend some time outside to find materials in nature that can be used to make art.

Spend Time Drawing, Painting, and Taking Photos Outside

Whether in your yard or at a nearby park, pack a few art materials and capture on paper or in photographs what you see.

Go to an Art Show, Concert, or Play in a Park

Do a search online and find out if there are any outdoor art shows, plays, or concerts in your neighborhood or elsewhere close by that would be of interest for your family to go to.

Borrow Art Books

You can go to your local library and find books containing different works of art. 

Learn About Careers in Art and Music

Set aside some time to learn about careers in art and music. Research the skills, education, and experience needed for the job that your child is interested in pursuing. From virtual tours and field trips to outdoor pursuits, there are many ways to incorporate art into your homeschool day.

About the author

This article has been written by homeschooling staff writers of The Canadian Schoolhouse (TCS). Enjoy more of our content from TCS contributors and staff writers by visiting our themes page that has a new theme topic added every month!

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Gina Ferguson Foster

Form and Function

I recently saw an article detailing a new wind turbine that uses a “wall” of rotating blades with varying shapes—a design that gives the installation an artistic, kinetic appearance. Whether the designers realize it or not, their machine, combining form and function, is practicing a creative principle that goes all the way back to Creation.

In Genesis 2:9a, we read, “And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” (NKJV). Notice how “pleasant to the sight” comes before “good for food”? God could have made our edibles nutritious and boring, but he chose to make them nutritious and beautiful instead!

 Likewise, when we, who were created in God’s image, design something functional and beautiful, we are practicing and glorifying an integral part of His nature. Conversely, I believe that when homeschoolers choose to forgo art instruction and appreciation, families miss a creative process that can help us better reflect and worship our Creator.

 Whether we like it or not, “artistic decisions” are made daily by us and for us, and these cannot all be left to “professionals.” For instance, a solid understanding of and appreciation for art can improve how we decorate our space, lay out a resume, serve dinner to guests, or market a family business.

 The wind turbine shows how art was recently integrated with science and engineering, but this principle impacts numerous other disciplines. As visual-oriented beings, almost any career a homeschooler may wish to pursue can benefit from a keener awareness of art and design principles, whether in construction, the culinary arts, marketing, landscaping, coding, etc.

 Ultimately, as we integrate form and function, we continue the pattern God, Himself, first set for us.

About the author

Gina Ferguson Foster is the author of The Master and His Apprentices: Art History from a Christian Perspective, a full-credit elective that brings art history to life. Her newest curriculum, Studio Art: Inspired by Art History, was released this year. It includes ten foundational art principles and thirty projects to help homeschool students expand their artistic awareness and technical skills. Both are available through her website, https://themasterandhisapprentices.com/.

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Pillar of Future

Heidi Mosher

Recognizing the Gifts and the Giver

I noticed something unforgettable the first time my kids and I were invited to spend a morning at another homeschooling family’s house. Their kids’ cheerful artwork covered one interior garage wall and welcomed all who entered. We were grinning as we walked past the paintings and drawings on the way into the house. What a neat and sweet idea! Indoors, several more of their youthful masterpieces hung in actual frames throughout their home. What fun to be those kids! Their mom’s thoughtful displays must have reminded the children often how proud she was of their talents and creations. (I copied her frame idea, by the way.) 

Another friend used her daughter’s sweet, childlike drawing rather than a photo for their family Christmas card one year. (I copied her idea too.)   Every gift comes from a giver. With the pillar of faith supporting our families, we understand that our kids, themselves, along with their abilities and artistic talents, come from the Creator. Go ahead and show the world those gifts. You’ll bless your children in more ways than one by displaying their artwork and pointing them to our Creator—and maybe your kids will copy that.

About the author

Heidi Mosher writes and homeschools in Michigan. She notes that reading The Homeschool Minute weekly over the years impacted and shaped her homeschool tremendously. She is thrilled to be a mom, to homeschool, and to uplift homeschoolers through her work at The Old Schoolhouse®. Heidi has been married to Chad for 25 years. They are the proud parents of four, including two homeschool graduates.

Does your artist prefer black and white over the whole color spectrum? If that is the case, Drawing with Pen and Ink is the perfect course! In this course, students will learn how to hold their pen, discover how to use textures, and experiment with value scales and lighting—the most important aspect of pen and ink drawing! Example artistic opportunities include still life, landscapes, animals, and more. Work on your drawing skills today!