You've got questions, we've got answers, Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about our camps. If you have any question not covered on this list, feel free to contact us via the email and phone number listed below. 

​1. How does a half-day and a full-day camp work?
A half-day camp is either a morning camp running from 9am-12pm, or an afternoon camp running from 1-4pm. Each half-day camp focuses on one medium, such as Painting, or Sculpting and includes one (approximate) 20 minute snack/outside break.
 
A full-day of camp would be the combination of two half-day morning and afternoon camps so campers would work in one medium in the morning and then a different medium in the afternoon. 9am - 4pm camps include two (approximate) 20-minute snack/outside breaks (one in the morning, the other in the afternoon) along with a Noon-1pm lunch hour.
 
The exception to this is our All-day Friday Pottery camps, which run every Friday from 9am-4pm. Friday Pottery camps will have the same number of breaks as a full-day camp schedule but the day will be spent working entirely with clay.
 
2. Do you serve lunch?
No, we do not serve food, nor do we have any food available for students at our facilities. If your child is staying for the lunch period (Noon-1pm), please pack a nut-free lunch for your child or he or she will be very sad and hungry!

3. What do campers do at lunch?
Along with eating their packed lunch, campers can play a variety of table-top games, socialize with new-found friends, or watch a (G rated) movie during the lunch hour.

4. Do campers go outside at all?
Yes, weather permitting we take an approximate 20 minute mid-morning break in our 9am - 12pm camps, and an approximate 20 minute mid-afternoon break in our 1pm - 4pm camps to go to a nearby park, eat packed snacks, and run out some energy. A full-day camp includes both breaks, morning and afternoon.

5. Where is the park?
At our Issaquah location, we take the campers on a 5-minute walk to Confluence Park. The park has a play-scape, picnic tables, water fountains, and restroom facilities. We'll also go to the open grassy area directly next door to our studio. In Redmond, campers take a short walk to the play area at Anderson Park.

6. Do I need to pack a snack?
Yes. Please! (We find campers can get a little grumpy without their snacks.) If your child is attending a half-day camp, we will have one snack break; if attending a full-day, we will have two snack breaks. Please pack accordingly or your little one will be very sad watching the others eating snacks without them.

7. Can I bring my child early?  / Can I pick up my child late?
You are welcome to drop your child off up to 10 minutes early and to pick up your child up to 10 minutes late. If it will be over that 10 minute mark, you will need to enroll in Early Arrival or Extended Pick Up (available at our Issaquah location only for each week of camp when you enroll). Lunch Hour serves as Extended Pick Up for morning camps, and as Early Arrival for afternoon camps.

We can only extend the early drop off and late pick up for up to 1 hour, so 8 am is the earliest a child can be dropped-off, and 5 pm is the latest for pick up.

8. Can I sign up for only one or two days of Extended Stay or Early Arrival? 
Yes, just be sure to write the specific date(s) that you will need the extra service in the comments section upon enrollment and you will only be charged for those days.
 
9. What is "Mixed Media"?
Our Mixed Media camp allows campers to work with a bit of everything! Mixed media is the general study of various art materials, so in our camp, we try to take mediums from different artistic areas and give our campers exposure to a variety of learning and skill-building working with a combination of the different visual artistic mediums in a successful art piece. This might include painting, drawing, sculpting, collage-making, printmaking, weaving and more! Take a look at some examples of projects from past Mixed Media camps here.

10. Do campers need to wear their Museo Purple Shirt every day?
Yes! Campers will receive a purple Museo shirt on the first day of camp and will wear their shirt over their first-day-of-camp clothes. Campers are required to wear their purple Museo shirt on the other days of the week as well to make sure that they don’t get their own clothes messy and to be easily recognized and highly visible when we go to the park.

11. How does the Buddy Discount work?
You can save up to $50 per camp with our Buddy Discount. Just mention your buddy's first and last name when you sign up. Once both buddies' families (or more) have enrolled, the appropriate discount (or refund) will be applied to your account. 

12. What type of shoes should my child wear to camp?
Tennis shoes/shoes that can be played in at the park. Preferably no sandals and please no flip flops!

13. Can I stay and watch?
We do ask that parents refrain from spending time in the classroom, as we have limited space available and find having parents in the classroom often disrupts the focus of the class. However, parents are welcome to peak into the classroom and to hang out in our lobby within earshot and close proximity for as long as you feel is necessary for your child to feel comfortable.

13. Can someone else pick up my child for me?
Yes, but if that person is not on your family's account information, we need written permission from you before it happens. But don't fret! This is simple and can be done online in seconds! Fill out our Permission to Pick Up Form here, or find it under our "Student Resources" tab at the top of our website.

14. When do campers get to take their artwork home?
With the exception of the Pottery camps that have items created with ceramic clay that needs to dry and then be fired in a kiln, campers will be able to take all their artwork and creations home on the last day of camp.

For Pottery camps, it will take about 3 weeks to properly go through the process of drying the clay and then firing the items. We will send out a follow-up email letting you know when your items are finished and ready for pick-up at our studio. 


We hope these have been helpful! Have more questions that weren't answered here? Feel free to email us at [email protected] or give us a call at 425-391-0244.

Sign up for Summer Camps here.

A question we hear from parents all too often is, “but my child already did a pottery [insert: drawing, painting, mixed media, etc.] camp, will you be doing anything different this time?”
​
The short answer is "yes", but we'll explain.

​For those familiar with the Arts & Crafts time slots at sleepaway camps or multi-activity day camps, we understand where the question may come from. In a craft setting, campers put the pieces together to create a specific project outcome, a specific product. Say, the project is making a caterpillar with clothes pin, pom-pom balls, googly eyes, and maybe some colorful pipe cleaners if you’re feeling fancy. Clothes pin caterpillars can be a fun project, and maybe you could switch up the colors of the pom-poms, but this project will basically be the same thing if you were to do it more than once.

These craft-type projects require less artistic skills and more direction-following skills. Can your child put six dots of glue on a clothes pin and put six pom-pom balls on top of the dots? Yes? Perfect, he’s done.

Process over Product
While these types of projects have their place in kids’ activities and while learning to follow directions is certainly beneficial, these are not the type of projects we do in our summer art camps (or any of our classes, workshops, or on-site enrichment classes). Because our summer art camps (and classes, workshops, and on-site enrichment classes) focus on the process of creating art and on building of artistic skills, our students are given tools to practice creative problem solving and using imagination in every piece of work they do, instead of simply following a prescribed list of tasks.

Building Skills​ on Skills
For instance, if we’re teaching our drawing classes or camps to use perspective, our instructors will explain the process and procedure of drawing in perspective, and students may even go step by step through creating the perspective drawing. “But if they’re creating step by step, what’s the difference between the caterpillar craft and this perspective project?” you ask. The difference is, students are learning a skill that they can apply to later problems they run into while creating. They are learning how to draw in a way that conveys and depicts the depth that we see in the natural world. Once they’ve drawn one perspective drawing, are they done? Have they learned all about perspective and now they can check that off their list and move on? No, because the concept will come back again and again and need to be applied in different ways in different circumstances. 

​You can think about this concept by relating artistic skills to math skills. In first grade, your child learns to add: 1+2=3, 2+2=4, etc. The teacher may take the students step by step through the problems presented on the board., but your child can use these skills later, build on these skills and concepts, and pretty soon, she’s using them to solve for x in her 8th grade algebra class and years later moving on to more difficult concepts involving the letter x in calculus. 

Making art can also be related to athletic skill – once your child learns to shoot a basketball, you don’t assume they’ve mastered the skill. Instead, you create opportunities for them to practice shooting the ball, and practice different ways of shooting under different circumstances, otherwise they won’t get better.
​
The same is true with all skills you learn in art classes, whether you’re working in drawing, painting, mixed media, sculpture, or pottery.

​So if your child has attended our camps and drawn a self-portrait before, or has made a coil pot before, or has painted a landscape before, or has worked on the potter's wheel before, they've only just started shooting the ball at the basket. We don’t expect our kids to be "done" with basketball if they went to one practice, or done with gymnastics once they learn to cartwheel, it's the same with art. So to answer the question, what campers will be doing different the next time is building on the skills they've begun exploring.

And if you find yourself asking, "will my child enjoy that?", chances are if they enjoyed learning and participating the first time, they will probably enjoy more chances to hone their skills and apply their newly-acquired knowledge.
​
​What is your child's favorite camp? Leave us a comment - we'd love to hear. 

And if you're still looking for summer camps, you can ​view our Summer Art camp option here.
​

Despite the many excellent (and endless) options for kids’ summer camps, whether you’re raising an engineer, entrepreneur, athlete, or author, an art-based summer camp may be the key to boosting your child’s chance for success in school, work, and life, all while having a great time.

Studies have overwhelmingly shown that participation in art education has a variety of benefits to children of all ages and backgrounds, and art-based summer camps are a great way to either begin or continue that experience throughout breaks in the traditional school year. 

Reason 1: Keep That Summer Brain Fresh!
​
Whether painting, drawing, or sculpting, art camp activities can stimulate the brain in new ways that carry over to improvement in other non-art related subjects. In one study done through a program by the Guggenheim, artists went into schools to teach and help students create their own works of art. They found that students who participated in the program scored higher on six different categories of literacy and critical thinking skills than those who didn’t.

The act of creating art is a beneficial mental practice in itself. As Sarah Duda, Director of Client Services and an art instructor at Museo Art Academy explains, “Art often requires that children make something out of nothing. Whether that is a blank piece of paper, or a pile of mixed media materials, every step of creating engages children’s imagination and problem solving skills.”

​Reason 2: Learn New Skills and Improve Existing Ones.

Art camps can provide children with the opportunity to stretch themselves in a low-stakes environment. While your child may not be ready to commit to signing up for months of pottery class, taking a one-day pottery camp, like the ones held at Museo Art Academy every Friday during the summer months, can be an excellent introduction to working with the potter’s wheel and high-fire clay that he or she may not be able to experience outside of a long-term class.

For children who already love making art in some form, art camps can be the perfect time to develop those skills that they may not get time for or instruction in during the regular school year.

Reason 3: Engage in Social Benefits of Making Art.

Although almost any camp will have some sort of social benefits, more specific-focus camps, like art-based camps, allow children to create deeper friendship bonds with those who share their interests. Allowing children to interact with others who are interested in the same things they are affirms their choices and cultivates a supportive community in which to grow.
​
Making art also provides a great way for some children to express themselves in social situations in a way that they may not feel they can otherwise. “I’ve witnessed so many quiet children in our camps open up and absolutely blossom in this environment.” Ashley McDaniels, an instructor and Museo Art Academy’s Director of Programs and Facilities observes. “When you’re making art, you’re taking your inner thoughts and feelings and putting them on the outside in a safe way that allows others to see and to interact with that expression of yourself. When students see that they can be themselves and receive positive reinforcement and acceptance of that self, they can be open with others, driving a more solid connection with others.”

​Reason 4: Build Your Child’s Confidence

As art camps present a safe place to successfully problem solve and develop new skills, these activities have a direct correlation to building self-esteem and developing confidence. “In creating art, you face criticism and challenges that appear daunting,” Duda says, “but you have no choice but to find solutions in order to move forward. The teacher can guide a student in this process, but really, it’s up to the individual artist to make their own artistic choices and solve the problems he or she encounters. As an artist myself, I know that the process can be scary, but also really rewarding as it comes with a boost of confidence in your own skills and decision-making processes. You learn to trust yourself.”
 
​
Art-based camps are a great opportunity for children to push themselves and grow in many different ways over those summer months. Museo Art Academy offers a wide range of art camps at their Issaquah studio for campers to choose from – drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media, and pottery, with a new project every week. Museo Art Academy provides a place for children to create, learn, and thrive. Learn more about Museo Summer Camps and sign up your child here. 

​Sources:
Tishman, Shari, Dorothy MacGillivray, and Patricia Palmer (2002), “Investigating the Educational Impact and Potential of the Museum of Modern Art’s Visual Thinking Curriculum: Final Report.” In R. Deasy (Ed.), Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Achievement and Social Development, Washington, DC: AEP

December seems to fly by every year in a haze of to-do lists, decorations, shopping trips, holiday parties, winter concerts, and the repetition of the words, "sweetie, please put your coat on."

This year, Museo Art Academy is providing solutions to your December distress, so you can spend more time enjoying this month with the family, and less time worrying about getting it all done. Read below for our 5 answers to your December problems.

​Stress #1: Kids are out of school, but you're working/cleaning the house/frantically searching for things on wish lists/running numerous errands etc.
​
Solution #1: Museo Art Academy has half day AND full day options for Winter Break Art Camps. You get the time to get done what you need done and the kids get a great four days making messes (that aren't in your house), making friends, being creative, and learning new art techniques.

This winter you can choose from ceramics, animation, painting & drawing, 3D mixed media, and pottery - with all new projects in each camp!

Stress #2: Grandma and Grandpa are looking forward to heart-felt gifts from the grandchildren.

Solution #2: There's a camp for that! We're hosting two Holiday Gift-Making Camps, one half day on Saturday, Dec. 17, and one full day on Sunday, Dec 18. Campers will have a chance to create and take home 4-6 personalized and homemade gifts! ​

Stress #3: Grandparents again. This time they want to know what to get the kids that they'll love, but that won't end up on the floor under the bed.

Solution #3: Steer them to our website to read about how they can give art education through our many Gift Card options. 

We're running a special this month where if you buy 4 Friday Night Events, you can get the 5th one FREE. These gift card credits can be used at any Friday Night Event and can cover multiple family members for a single event, or can be used over the course of a few months individually. ​

Stress #4: Time is running out and you need a great present ASAP.

Solution #4: We've made up some super awesome and super easy Holiday Gift Packs just to make your life easier and the gift-searching process quicker this year. AND they're an amazing value for the price. Read about our three options on our website and purchase the packs in-studio. ​

​Stress #5: It's Friday, December 23, family has arrived and you need a fun event that will keep everyone happy - kids and adults.

Solution #5: Bring the whole crew to our December Masters Night! We'll be painting a replica of Monet's Impression Sunrise that's sure to keep the attention of the little ones while also providing a challenge for even the best artists in the family.

Well, there you have it! Five stress-free solutions to your December problems. We hope you have a very low-stress month and a Happy Holidays from the Museo Team to you!

Pablo Picasso, arguably 20th century's most important artistic figure and one of the most popular artists of all time, can make his success look easy. Picasso didn't start out painting in the cubism style that he is known for today, but throughout his life, moved effortlessly between an incredible range of styles, making him well-respected in his lifetime (unlike many other, less fortunate artists, such as Van Gogh who was mostly ignored throughout his painting career). 

By age 14, young Pablo was already turning out impressive realism paintings, like the "Portrait of Aunt Pepa" (below), said by Juan-Edwardo Cirlot to be "without a doubt one of the greatest in the whole history of Spanish painting." Again, this is a painting by a  FOURTEEN year-old. 

Clearly an artist soaking in talent from birth, Picasso was not lacking in confidence in his own abilities; he is quoted as saying, "My mother said to me, 'If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.' Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso." 

But Picasso doesn't only credit his superior talent or skill. Dedicated whole-heatedly to his art, many of his quotes directly credit the importance of hard work in a creative field, like the featured one at the top of this blog. He is also credited with saying the following: 

"Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working."

"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone."

"Work is a necessity for man. Man invented the alarm clock."

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."

and

"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."


Jumping forward to the 21st century, Malcom Gladwell's somewhat-recent book, "Outliers," examines the factors that contribute to high levels of success, studying cases from pro ice-hockey players in Canada, to the Beatles to Bill Gates. He concludes in the book that geniuses are not simply born into existence, but they are made through a combination of lucky circumstances and a massive amount of time and effort practicing the skill.

What were Picasso's "lucky circumstances"? First of all, he was born into an artistic family; his father was a painter and professor of art who recognized Picasso's skill and gave him ample amount of time and instruction until the student surpassed the master. His father then convinced the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona (where he was a professor) to let 13 year-old Picasso take an entry exam to be enrolled into the advanced class. Picasso was admitted and by age 16, he was sent to Spain's premier art academy in Madrid, where he spent his days in and out of the art museums there, becoming familiar with Spain's earlier painters of El Greco and Francisco Goya.

​But beyond all of Picasso's helpful life advantages, he worked hard to develop his skill, his creativity and to fight for his inspiration. 

What's our #MondayMotivation lesson here? Even one of the most gifted artists of all time worked his skill to the bone. Picasso became Picasso not simply because of who his father was, or where he went to school, but because of his intense dedication and passion for his art. 

Are you not where you want to be yet? Recognize your own lucky circumstances and work your skill to the bone; don't wait for opportunities to come, but as the master says, "Action is the fundamental key to all success."

Get out there this week and ACT on your goals, friends!


Sources:
http://www.pablopicasso.org/
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pica/hd_pica.htm
http://www.biography.com/people/pablo-picasso-9440021
​http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/p/pablo_picasso.html

As Tim Burton (American film director, producer, artist, writer, and animator) has said, "It's good as an artist to always remember to see things in a new, weird way." Art is all about thinking outside the box and learning how to see what others don't; it's about learning to see ordinary objects and scenes as beautiful, inspiring, and full of value; it's about helping others see the beauty and value as well.

Working bits of nature into your art and art projects is a great way to
1. practice seeing the ordinary as extraordinary
2. use bunches of cheap (even free!) materials,
3. strengthen those creativity and problem-solving brain-muscles,
and
4. create art anywhere you go – the park/beach/woods/backyard is now your studio! 

 Now, we've all made leaf prints before,  so let's move on to exploring other ways to challenge yourself and your children in incorporating nature into art. All of these projects can be modified to be simpler for younger kids and more challenging for more experienced artists. 

​1. Nature Portraits –  Every thought of how flower petals could be lips and how seed pods could be eyebrows? Challenge your creativity and forage in the park or your backyard for some leaves, flower petals, twigs, moss, wheat - whatever - and start arranging! You can start with a simple smiley face or set some higher goals and imitate a favorite photo. One of our favorite places for nature portrait inspiration is the @facethefoliage Instagram account. 

​​2. Fruits and Vegetable Stamps - Veggies aren't just for eating anymore (or feeding to the dog when mom isn't looking). Cut different fruits and veggies in half and dip in paint to make fun and original patterns and designs perfect for homemade cards or wrapping paper. Celery bunches stamp great roses, and potatoes can be cut to make almost any shape you want, like this, or this, even this.

​3.​ Paint with Nature – make our own paint "brushes" and explore the different strokes and patterns made by different natural materials.

4.Weave with Weeds – Weeding can be fun! Make a loom out of two trees in the yard for larger projects, or sticks with yarn for smaller ones and see what kinds of "fabric" you can create. 

​For more advanced weaving, see how you can incorporate more permanent bits of nature: sticks, driftwood, shells and sea glass make great additions to natural rope. ​

​5. Shadowbox Scene – Instead of drawing or painting a scene, challenge yourself to create the whole scene using materials from nature – practice making leaf animals or rock people. You'll be impressed with what you come up with. 
​

6. Mandala Art – A mandala (meaning "circle" literally in Sanskrit) is a complex abstract and usually circular design. Play with patterns and design using any handy materials found in the woods, on the beach, or in the garden. More instructions here for making mandala art with kids. 

​7. Nature Sculptures – Grab some clay and a hand-full of sticks and stones and you've got yourself the start of a nature sculpture. This festival invited kids to maketree faces by placing the clay on trees in the nearby forest and adding natural elements for facial features. Or, even simpler, go on a leaf hunt for the prettiest ones you can find this fall and spear them onto a stick stuck into the ground to turn your yard into a sculpture garden!

​8. Hanging Art –string and twigs are all that are really needed to created some fun hanging art. Try adding different materials like pine cones and feathers, or try painting your natural material with fun colors to make your creations POP. Hang your creation on a wall or outside on the porch. Here's a step by step to making this pretty hanging stick heart.

​9. Incorporate Nature in Sketches – This exercise will really expand your creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, as well as make colorful additions to black and white drawings. Meredith Wing of@moomooi Instagram account does an amazing job mixing plants, fruits, and veggies into her fashion sketches and The Sketching Backpacker uses pressed leaves as inspiration for his drawings. 

10. Decorate Photos – A fun Saturday afternoon family activity - Similar to adding nature to sketches, take photos of your children in different poses with a plain background, print them out and challenge each other to come up with the silliest outfits for each other using glue and bits of nature found in the yard. 

These are only a few ideas on how to stretch your mind and use bits of nature into your next art project. If you liked this post, head over to our Pinterest "Art With Nature" Board for more ideas and natural inspiration!

One thing we hope you DO know is that Museo Art Academy turns 10 years old this September! To celebrate this exciting milestone, we are all about the number 10 this month. So without further ado, 10 Things You Didn't Know about Museo Art Academy:  

1. Museo isn't just a word we made up to call ourselves. Museo actually means Museum in Spanish and Italian. ​

2. All of our instructors are professional artists - among other interesting things! Ms. Amanda, one of our manga instructors illustrates for mobile games; Mr. Matt just left his long-time job as a chef to devote more time to art instruction; Mr. Jeremy is a professional dancer and has danced with many groups, including Spectrum Dance Theater and International Ballet Theater, and Ms. Kellie is a para-educator in the Lake Washington School District. We have our instructor gallery on display at our Issaquah studio if you ever want to check it out. ​

3. We expand our curriculum based on what our students want to see. Do you have a class you'd like to take, but we don't yet teach it? Talk to us about it! That's how our Ceramics, Pottery Wheel, and Manga classes started.  

 4. The large paintings on display in our lobby were created collaboratively by our 9-12 and 12&up Painting classes this last June. Inspired by Kandinsky, students came up with the idea behind the paintings together, created the composition, and worked on it all at the same time.

5. One of our instructors, Ms. Amanda, has been teaching with us for 7 out of the 10 years we have been open. We love having her around and so do the students, which brings us to the next number....  ​

6. Sierra is our longest attending student and she's been enrolled in our classes for the past nine years. She's been taking Ms. Amanda's Manga classes for seven of those years. 

7. In her life before Museo Art Academy was born, our President and Founder, Marci worked with Nickelodeon to create several computer games for the popular TV show, Blue's Clues. She was responsible for the packaging, advertising and brand management.

8. We don't *just* do art classes. (Maybe you knew this already? But just in case you didn’t, keep reading!) We also do summer/winter break camps, fun Friday Night events, 
​corporate team building events, and parties for kids AND adults. "Mmmm, parties," you say, "What kind of parties?" We do, and have done, all kinds: birthday parties, team parties, graduation parties, bachelorette parties, anniversary celebrations, and Girls' Night Out parties. If you're tired of the same-old-same-old, switch things up and book a party with us! (Your guests will thank you.)

9. Museo Art Academy wasn't always the established education institution you see now. We first began as a fine art gallery with an inside studio used to host a few classes. Little did we know then that those few classes would grow and grow until we would be offering over 50 classes a week!

10. Last October, Ella Campanario, one of our ceramics students, won Babybel's "Big Dreamers" Contest and received a $50,000 scholarship to the Rhode Island School of Design! Ella hopes to become a professional artist, and it looks like she is on her way. We are thrilled to be a part of inspiring students like Ella to follow their dreams and develop their skills and creativity. 

Website: http://www.chihulygardenandglass.com​

Website: ​http://www.seattleartmuseum.org

Website: ​http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/olympic-sculpture-park

Website: ​http://fremont.com/about/fremonttroll-html/

Website: ​http://pikeplacemarket.org/crafts-market

Some images appear to be too bright and vivid to be real. Don't let that fool you, these photos are 100% real with little edits. So how do you create these amazing images? Well the answer may surprise you...

HDR, short for high dynamic range photography is a combination of three of the same images. One image is taken at normal exposure, one taken under exposed, and the last image taken over exposed. After merging the three photos, a new beautiful eye catching photograph is formed!

Lets walk through the process step by step. 

Step 1:
Find a setting that appeals to you and place your camera on a tripod or a table that will prevent the camera from moving. It is important to prevent the camera from moving while taking the three photographs. 

Step 2: 
Take an image at normal exposure.

Step 3:
Take an image three notches down in exposure.

​Step 4:
​Take an image three notches above normal exposure. 

​Step 5:
In photoshop, upload the three photos. Under the enhance option in the top tool bar, select photo merge or an option that sounds similar to that. From there, the three photos will be combined and form an image such as this:

​For more examples of HDR, check out:
​ http://www.stuckincustoms.com/hdr-photography/

Here at Museo Art Academy, we love teaching kids how to think like artists. This means allowing creativity to take over, but also knowing the basics of art history, too. One fun way you can encourage your child's artistic tendencies at home is by reading art-related books with them. We compiled a few of our favorite art books for kids. Some tell stories of young artists, and others teach about famous artists in history. We hope you enjoy! 
​

Willow
by Denise Brennan-Nelson &Rosemarie Brennan, and illustrated by Cyd Moore

This story about how a girl named Willow inspires her strict art teacher to embrace her creativity is an adventure to read!
​

The Day the Crayons Quit
by Oliver Jeffers

What's little artist Duncan to do when he opens his crayon box to find all of his crayons have gone on strike? 
​

I am an Artist
by Marta Altes​

A little boy can't stop making art in places he shouldn't. See how he finally creates a piece of art that his mother can truly love (and not scrub off a wall). 
​

Funny Machines for George the Sheep
by Geraldine Elschner

George the sheep seems to shrink to the size of a mouse when he gets wet. So his friend Leo makes a series of Leonardo da Vinci-inspired contraptions to keep George dry. 
​

The Art Book for Children
by Amanda Renshaw & Gilda Williams Ruggi

This kid-friendly book makes 30 of the art world's most famous masters accessible and understandable. 
​

Beautiful OOPS!
by Barney Saltzberg

This fun book teaches kids that it's okay to make mistakes; in fact, some of the best art comes from fixing a mistake. The first page shows a huge tear on the front, and a painted alligator with an open (ripped) mouth on the back. 

We don't have to tell you that art education has intrinsic value. Otherwise, you wouldn't be looking at this blog. But sometimes it's fun to look at all the amazing benefits your child is getting from their arts education or COULD be getting from arts education here at Museo. Here are a few of the reasons why learning about and creating art is valuable for everyone, especially kids. 

Promotes Self-Directed Learning
If you want your child to be a life-long learner, teach them about art. They'll develop the skills necessary to create and perform critical thinking on their own. 

Enhances Achievement in Other Subjects
You may have heard of school districts cutting arts classes because the arts don't seem to be as important as other subjects. But children who study art do better in other subjects like reading, social studies, and math. They also score higher on standardized tests. In fact, the more art classes students take, the higher they score! 

Teaches Emotional Intelligence
When children can explore and express  feelings through art, they learn how to process complicated emotions. You may find that asking your child what their art is about will bring up important discussions that wouldn't have come out otherwise. 

Keeps Kids Busy
Studies have shown that kids who study art are also more likely to watch less TV, report boredom less often, and volunteer more in the community. That sounds like a win-win to us! 

Encourages Understanding of Different Perspectives and Cultures
To look at a piece of art is to see into another person's soul. The artist shares what's in their heart, and the viewer tries to understand it. Learning how to look at and interpret art can open a child's mind up to different life perspectives and teach about far-away cultures. 

Now you can go about the rest of your day feeling great about what your child is learning in art! 

Creativity is huge in the art world. If your little artist is great with technical art skills but has a hard time coming up with new ideas to create original artwork, you can encourage them to stretch their creative muscles at home. And the best part is that any kind of creative play at home can improve not only their artwork but their resourcefulness, resilience, and emotional intelligence. 

Introduce a Disposable Camera

Your child has a unique point of view. Let them capture it with a disposable camera and an afternoon wandering around your house and yard. (Or, take them to a beautiful outdoor space like a local or national park). Try not to give them any instruction on what to capture and see what they come back with. If they need a little direction, ask them to take a few pictures of things up close and things from far away. 

You can also encourage your child to bring a camera with them everywhere they go for a week. At the end of the week, print out the pictures and ask them to make a collage using cut-outs of the pictures and art materials.

Use the Sky

Have you ever laid on the grass and looked up at the sky for hours or even minutes at a time? Take your child outside on a cloudy day and try to find clouds that look like familiar things or shapes. Maybe they'll see a pirate or a flying duck and an ice cream cone. Use the things your child sees to make up funny stories about pirate and ducks and ice cream. In a similar vein, go star-gazing in the wilderness and use the stars to make shapes by connecting the "dots" (aka stars). Make up stories with the dot shapes, instead.

Create a Dress-Up Corner

Instead of throwing away old costumes or clothes, keep them in a dress-up corner for your sons and daughters. Old sports items like goggles, ski masks, flippers, and tutus can add to the fun, too. Leave it out and you'll be surprised at how often your children gravitate towards the box without any prodding from you.

Make Instruments and Put on a Concert

If you have old containers (like cereal boxes, oatmeal or ice cream tubs, and Pringles cans) you can use scissors, tape and string to make your own instruments. Don't provide instruction and see how your child makes a functional drum, shaker, or flute or guitar. Make a variety of instruments and put on a concert. Take it a step further and make up a name and back-story for your family band! 

Use Boxes to Create a Made-Up World

If you've ever given a large gift for a holiday and seen your child become more interested in the huge box than the gift, you know that boxes are great blank slates for creativity. Gather different sizes and shapes of boxes and take a day to create a made-up world in your play room or backyard. Provide scissors, tape and markers to alter the boxes. You may find you and your child creating streets, neighborhoods, castles or enchanted forests.

Did you know that we host art parties for kids, teens and adults at Museo Art Academy? We have clients scheduling parties to celebrate birthdays, family coming to town, girls' night, or the end of the school year. After all, there's never a bad reason to throw a party! Our art parties are a great way to get together without much work on your part. We do all the set-up and cleaning and basically everything in between. 

If you've considered booking an art party for your child (or self!), you might have some questions about how it works. We're here to answer the most frequently asked questions, but feel free to email us at [email protected] or call the studio (425.391.0244) for more personalized answers. 

What can we expect out of an art party?

Art parties vary depending on the age of your guests and the purpose of the party. If you book an art birthday party for your child, you can expect the art project to take up the first hour of the party. Then you will have an additional 30 minutes to cut cake, open presents, or hang out while the instructor packages all the artwork so that it's ready to go home with each guest at the end of your party. 

Teen and adult parties include 90 minutes of instruction unless you would like to use 30 of those minutes to eat or open presents. 

If you are happy with your instructor's management of your party, a 20% gratuity is recommended and can be added on to your cash or card payment at the end of the party. 100% of tips go directly to your instructor. 

What does the space look like?

Our parties are held at our art studio in Issaquah. We have 3 classrooms in the studio, and use either two smaller rooms or one large one for parties depending on availability. Either way, there will be tables dedicated to the party portion of your event and the art-making portion. 

What is provided for me?

We provide plastic tablecloths, forks, and plates so you can bring treats or cake to the party. Feel free to use our kitchenette to store food that needs to be frozen (like an ice cream cake) or refrigerated before you eat. And we always welcome decorations like balloons or streamers if you feel so inclined.

We also provide all materials for the art project of your choice. This includes the use of aprons, paint brushes, paint, easels, etc. All participants get to take home their art at the end of the party. 

What kind of art project can I choose?

You can choose whatever subject matter you want! Participants can make polymer clay sculptures, paint with watercolor, or create an acrylic painting. The pictures above are some examples of recent project we've done at art parties with varying age groups.

​Some guests of honor have a specific party theme and enjoy creating a project that goes with the theme. Others just choose something that they think would be fun to make. Either way, the guest of honor chooses the subject matter and the teacher instructs the group step-by-step.

We hope this answered most, if not all, of your questions! You can book an art party any time online here. 

What is your first memory with art? 

It's hard to say. Art has been something I've always done ever since I could pick up a crayon. I guess the earliest memory I can remember is from Kindergarten. My teacher was having us write these short little stories and illustrate them. All I wanted to do was draw the pictures for my stories. I would get mad at my teacher when she would stop me to actually write the story!

What is your favorite medium? 
My favorite medium always changes, since I'm constantly learning new things! Currently, I've been working mostly with watercolor and acrylic paints. I enjoy painting because I feel that there are so many ways you can apply and use paint. I've been really enjoying that sense of variety.

Who is your favorite artist (or art movement)? Okay, you can pick two. 
That's a hard choice! I've always admired John Singer Sargent because he's such a phenomenal painter. He's mostly known for his amazing society portraits, but his watercolors are just as fantastic! How he manages to make his watercolors look so effortless yet technical at the same time just fascinates me. I'm also a huge fan of Aubrey Beardsley, I love how using just black and white, he makes these wonderfully expressive illustrations.

Why did you become an art teacher?
Teaching is something that has always been in my family. My mother and my grandmother were both teachers. Growing up, helping others and teaching was something that I was encouraged to do. When I was a kid, my favorite class was art class. In school it was the highlight of my week, and I was always signing up for additional art classes outside of school. Art for me is something that I could do for hours, and never be bored. I'm always happy making art. When I look at my students, I know that they feel the same way. One of the reasons I became an art teacher, was to be able to bring the same excitement I feel about art to my students.

What do you love about teaching? 
My favorite part about teaching art is when a student looks at their finished project and is incredibly proud of what they've accomplished. I love helping my students reach that point. As a teacher, I can always see how my students will create amazing art, and find a way to express themselves. When the student realizes it, it's amazing!

What are your hobbies outside of Museo? 
Making art of course! But aside from that, I love watching old movies. My grandmother is always sending me movies from the 30's and 40's in the mail. There's something about black and white movies that is just so beautiful. I also enjoy being outside and hiking.

What advice would you give to someone who loves art?
If you love making art, keep making art! If you love viewing art, keep viewing it! You don't have to be a professional artist to love or appreciate art. I hear so many people tell me that they love art, but they have no talent for making it. That's okay! As long as it makes you happy, or helps you understand your feelings in a moment, then art has done its job. Don't let the fear of your own personal ability take that away from you; or make you feel any less entitled to your love for art.
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You can learn even more about Ms. Sarah here! 

Sometimes you just need something pretty to put on your child's wall. If your child is a budding artist, a nice art quote fits in well amongst their artistic creations. We made 3 printables with our favorite art quote for you to enjoy. Just pick the one you want and download the file (located underneath each image). Print the file on card stock and pin in your child's room, or frame it and add to a gallery wall in your home. Enjoy! 

But As art experts, enthusiasts, and teachers, we understand how important art education is to children. In fact, our founder created Museo Art Academy partially to make up for a lack of proper art education in our local schools. What your children don't learn in class, they can learn from a highly qualified teacher at our art academy in Issaquah. 

But if you find yourself frustrated with the quality or lack of art being taught at your child's school, we hear you. Art is important, and every child should have access to it. So in addition to offering weekly classes and events at the studio, we came up with 2 amazing ways to integrate more art into our local public schools.

​If your local school doesn't currently utilize these resources, please speak up! Contact your PTA president or Principal. Oftentimes, schools don't take advantage of local resources because they simply don't know about them. You can be an advocate not only for your child's benefit, but for the benefit of all the children at their school. Here's how you can get involved.

Become an Art Docent

Many parents volunteer to become Art Docents at their children's schools. Art Docents teach art classes for free on a very part-time basis using resources given to them by their school. However, many interested parents might not feel qualified to teach art without some basic training. We created the Art Docent Resource Center to provide support and basic art resources to the faithful Art Docents in our area. You can join our mailing list for helpful tips, receive a free Art Elements & Design Principles Guide, and sign up for adult workshops to hone your art skills. 

Bring After-School Art Classes to Your School

Did you know that our instructors actually travel to elementary schools in and around the greater Puget Sound area to teach after-school art classes? We have teamed up with local PTSAs to organize programs in many local schools.

Classes occur weekly at the same time and date, right after school. The teacher brings all art supplies to a classroom on-site and a parent volunteer is usually there to provide extra support. Classes usually run for 6-10 weeks and focus on a specific medium (like painting, drawing, or polymer clay). If you think your school would be interested in after-school classes, email us at [email protected] for more information. 

We are delighted to know wonderful, supportive parents like you who make art a priority in their children's lives. Check out our website for more fun activities, like upcoming events, Summer Art Camps, or weekly summer classes.
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​We get it...sometimes it's hard to keep your child engaged throughout a long summer without school to keep them busy. When your regular list of fun activities becomes exhausted, what's a parent to do? Take advantage of long summer days to get your kid involved in art. We've listed some fun activities to do at home. But we also offer regular kids' programming throughout the summer at our art studio in Issaquah. If you'd rather not deal with the planning and clean-up, leave it all to us. Read the summer activities listed below and get going. Happy creating! 

Squirt Gun Paintings

Maybe you don't want to commit to a week of art camp, but an evening art event sounds perfect for your child's attention span or your family's schedule. Many art schools offer art events on Friday nights for children and/or families. These events are a great excuse to get out of the house and make some art. Museo Art Academy's Friday Night Events include Pizza & Picasso Night, Manga Night, Masters Night and our new Family Pottery Night. We also have art events that take place during the week for that mid-week art kick. Check out our Summer Workshops to learn more about those.

Each week students can learn about different artists and techniques in a fun and nurturing environment. Friday Night Events are held throughout the year, but summer is a great time to try them out. 

Art Classes

If you're new to Museo Art Academy, you might have some questions about the weekly classes we offer throughout the year. If this post doesn't answer your questions, feel free to email [email protected] for personalized help! 

We wanted to give you an insider peek into what goes on during weekly classes. We know many parents sit in the lobby during classes and may hear snippets of the teacher's lesson. Other parents get to see their children's work after each class when they come to sign their son or daughter out for the day. But what if you'd like to be a fly on the wall during the whole class? Here's a basic outline of what each class at Museo Art Academy looks like:

Roll Call - Teachers take roll each class to confirm who is present or absent. 

Warm-Up - Students often do warm-up drawing exercises on scratch paper to prepare their brains and hands for the upcoming lesson. These warm-ups are a few minutes long.

Lesson Introduction - We try to move on to a new lesson every 3-4 weeks. When a new lesson begins, the instructor introduces the class to a new artist, art movement or concept. This information will be briefly revisited in each subsequent week of the lesson to ensure that students understand and retain the information from one week to the next.

The intro may take up most of class depending on the age of the students. In subsequent classes, the teacher goes over past information to make sure students understand what was taught last week before moving on.

Art Project - Once students are familiar and comfortable with the information, they'll spend the majority of class time creating art in response to a clearly defined objective. During this time, the teacher moves about the room working with students individually and answering questions. Students create rough drafts before moving on to a final project.

Clean-Up - Cleaning up is a big part of being an artist! We teach even our youngest students to clean up after themselves.  

Take-Homes - At the end of each 3-4 week project, we photograph and document each student's work. Most projects are given back to students to take home the following week. 

It's important to note that each teacher has their own style of teaching, but our curriculum stays the same whether your child takes a Monday Discovering Art class or switches to a Wednesday session, for example. Each lesson is written and approved by our directors using high level teaching and art concepts, and interpreted by qualified instructors in accordance with the national standards for visual arts education.

If you would like to do a one-day trial class* before registering for an ongoing weekly class, we'd love to have you join us! Just let us know the specific desired date drop-in date by writing it in the "comment" box when you register.
*one-day trial classes range from $25-28 

It's fun to see the projects your child brings home from art classes at Museo Art Academy. But maybe you're itching to make art with your child at home. After all, being hands-on in each aspect of your child's life helps them feel connected to you and confident of your support in their interests. This includes being involved with art!

If you don't consider yourself to be the creative type, it can seem daunting to plan and execute art projects at home. Luckily, no one expects you to come up with college-level art lessons...leave that to us! Even the simplest art activity counts. Here are a few ways to become more hands-on with your child when it comes to making art at home.

Create a Portable Art Bucket

Maybe you've avoided making art at home with your child because you simply don't have the supplies (or they're strewn about the house in various nooks and drawers). Make a portable art bucket with simple supplies. Take your artsy child to Walmart or Michaels and pick out basics like:

-plain white printer paper
-colored paper
-washable markers
-colored pencils
-crayons
-watercolor paints and brushes
-scissors
-glue

Then add fun extras like:

-stickers
-pipe cleaners
-tiny pom poms
-googlie eyes
-glue
-glitter glue
-popsicle sticks

Bring out the portable art bucket whenever your child says they're bored. You'd be surprised how fun it is to just sit and make something together without a prompt or a lesson. Believe us, your child will find something to make. And if you're stumped, try making a monster or a popsicle stick puppet.

Doodle

We've all been stuck at the doctor's office or the car wash with nothing to do. Instead of relying on the iPad, stash a little notebook and a couple of pens in your car or purse. Encourage your child to draw something they see, then take turns adding to the picture until you've drawn the scene in front of you. Or take turns drawing each other, then sign and frame your work! 

Use Art as a Reward

If your creative child can't get enough art, use it to your advantage and present art-making time as a reward. If they finished their chores early or came home with a nice note from their teacher, set aside an hour to do something artistic with your child. This could include making a larger art project (like a hand-painted doll house or a personalized, painted skateboard). Or you can take them to a local museum on a mommy/daddy date. 

Let Your Child Teach You

When you really feel unqualified to make any kind of project that resembles good art with your child, we understand. Instead of taking the reigns on an art project with the suggestions above, let your child teach you. They learn a lot at Museo Art Academy and would probably be excited to show off what they know! Ask them to teach you what they're making in class step-by-step. This not only reinforces their learning, but lets them feel like an expert, which boosts their confidence. The perk for you? You don't have to plan a thing.

Maybe you're already a hands-on art parent. What insights or tips do you have for other parents? Share them in the comments below. We'd love to hear your opinion! 

Have you ever been to a Friday Night Event at Museo Art Academy? Each Friday of the month, you can find instructors and students making art in the studio. We're excited for this Friday's Pizza & Picasso Night featuring Claude Monet! (Other Friday Night Events include Masters Night and Manga Night.)

Bring your kids to the studio this Friday to experience the awesomeness first-hand. The workshop starts off with a pizza dinner and fun facts about that night's featured artist. Then the instructor leads the class in an art activity. 

We're so happy with the turnout of our first ever Manga Night at Museo. Manga Night is our newest Friday Night event (in addition to Pizza & Picasso and Masters Night). Over 20 people showed up to learn about Character Design with Miss Sarah! Students learned about body proportions and manga styling, then created their own characters with markers and watercolors. 

Seating is already limited for our next Manga Night on February 12, so be sure to sign up early. If you're interested in diving deeper into the world of manga, check out our weekly classes here. 

Issaquah is home to many artistic endeavors, including visual art, dance, and music. We love being a part of this community and supporting all kinds of local art whenever possible.  
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We're so happy to have partnered with our neighbors, Issaquah Dance Theatre, to provide a visual art and dance workshop this week. Students started off with a dance lesson at IDT, then joined Miss Kellie S. for an art project. They used polymer clay to make dancing ballerinas. How fun! Miss Kellie baked the ballerina sculptures so they would harden and returned them to students after a second dance workshop.  ​