One of the mini-musical workshops I led this summer with Apollinaire Play Lab for kids ages 6-10 years was inspired by the picture book, Maybe Something Beautiful - How Art Transformed a Neighborhood, by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell, with illustrations by Rafael López. We met for four half-days and performed a mini-musical for families and friends on the final day.
The focus of the workshop was painting a giant mural on the wall of our stage area. The students almost totally self-directed the mural-painting process. We talked about the concept of beauty being in the eye of the beholder, and we agreed that anyone could paint wherever they wanted and whatever was beautiful to them.
I was able to take MANY photos because the kids were so focused. Some of the things I noticed as they created their art...
There were times of peaceful silence. When they did talk, they asked each other questions about what they were making and commented on the colors they chose.
They painted for over an hour the first day and a few didn't want to take a break.
On the second day, they spent much time experimenting with mixing paint colors and...
making hand prints...
and adding details to their creations.
In the painted words of one of the students...
"Believe in your art."
