February 2007
Celebrate! Art of the Heart
I believe that love is the greatest (and hardest) of all the arts. By “art,” I mean all that brings joy and wonder into life. If we use that definition, then meals lovingly prepared can become art as well as a grandmother’s warming quilt. In that case, love is an expression that shouldn’t be limited to a single day. Rather, it should be at the “heart” of all we do each and every day.
The question, of course, is how to do that. Well, first off, don’t worry about your offering of love being “grand.” Despite what many of the movies tell us, it is the everyday, the personal and the simple that matter and fit best into real life. It’s like shopping for a dress, in a way. If I purchase an elaborate dress, pretty though it may be, I will wear it maybe once or twice a year. But if I buy a well-made and attractive dress that fits into my everyday life, I can wear it all year. Yard for yard, dollar for dollar, what is the better value? Which dress will bring joy into my life more often?
Holiday craft projects often follow this same pattern. They can be grand and colorful. But they can also be so specifically themed that they are out of place in our lives after the holiday has passed – like a Christmas sweater in February. This Valentine’s Day, why not try a family craft project that you and the children can give to the people you love to wear and enjoy all year long?
Art of the Heart Pins
Supplies
1 cup flour
1 cup warm water
One fourth cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon oil
Food coloring
Wax paper
One fourth cup flour
Heart-shaped cookie cutters
Pin back (or large safety pin)
Acrylic paints
Clear varnish
Directions
· Mix 1 cup flour, warm water, cream of tartar,
oil and salt together in a bowl.
· Stir in selected food coloring.
· Transfer mixture to a saucepan and stir over medium heat until
smooth.
· Remove dough from the pan and place on wax paper. Cool it until
it is comfortable to handle.
· Knead the dough with remaining quarter cup flour until smooth.
· Roll dough out to a quarter-inch thickness and cut it into heart
shapes.
· Press the pin back into each heart while the dough is still soft.
· Allow the shapes to dry for 24 hours.
· Paint and/or varnish the hearts when they are completely dry.
Have fun making a lot of “art of the heart” pins for your family and friends. As you make them, share with your children that the actual heart is one of the body’s greatest muscles. And like any other muscle, it needs to be exercised to stay healthy. Any fun family sports activity that results in huffing and puffing, like jumping rope, running or playing basketball, is great for children (and parents, too).
Be sure to enjoy together a balanced heart-healthy diet that avoids foods high in unhealthy fats.
And wear your pins all year long. Remember that the true
art of the heart isn’t about chocolate or a card on a single day.
It is about the choices we make every day. Happy Valentine’s Day
all year long!
Ana Kinkaid is a Seattle writer and culinary
historian.
How to Comment on Your Child’s Artwork
Staff members at the Children’s Museum of Tacoma offer the following tips on how to comment on your child’s artwork:
· Avoid general statements. “It’s pretty” doesn’t encourage further discussion.
· Talk about the way your child uses basic art elements, such as shape, color, balance, space, composition, size and texture. This shows your child that you are looking carefully at her work, and it teaches her how to discuss the works of others.
· Avoid asking, “What is it?” or naming the artwork. Ask your child to tell you about his creation.
· You can show pleasure and appreciation by making specific observations, such as “I like the way you …”
· Don’t just praise the piece, but challenge your child to think about what she is doing by asking, “What would you do next time?”
· Help your child assess his own work by asking what
he likes best about his art.
The Children’s Museum of Tacoma, 936 Broadway, includes “Becka’s
Studio,” a place where children can create their own art. The theme
through May 11 is “Creating Eric Carle’s Creatures.”
The museum is open Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon
- 5 p.m. For more information, call 253.627.6031 or visit www.childrensmuseumoftacoma.org.
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Seattle's Child, a publication of the Washington Post Company
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