The Importance of Art in Early Childhood

*watercolor painting class Clark Recreation 2018

As an artist, what is one of your first memories of being immersed in art? Who was one of your biggest influences? In this opinion based blog I will be explaining how I feel art can be an integral part of a child's life if taught at an early age.

When I was a child I was lucky enough to grow up with artist parents. My father was an excellent graphite and colored pencil illustrator. I remember sitting next to him by his drawing board and drawing with him. It was a great bonding experience and I feel that it was the beginning stepping stones to my full immersion in art now that I am an adult. My mother would also draw on occasion, I have faint memories of that. My grandfather was also a builder with wood and metal. I could go to him with a drawing of a vision or dream and he would make it for me. Being surrounded by creatives at an early age is one of the main reasons why I feel art is so important to me as an adult.

Currently I teach art for the City of Cleveland as a Public Service worker. My job entails creating a custom curriculum surrounding the needs of my immediate community by providing extracurricular activities to senior citizens, special needs, adults, teens and children. My position also entails that I teach school groups as their supplemental art program due to budget cuts in the Cleveland Public Schools. Art is so much more than a hobby or skill - it's an escape. An oasis of a different train of thought, a way to work through issues with art as an outlet or just to get your mind off of the every day stressors of life. There are so many stigmas that come along with being an artist or enjoying art.

*Hamilton Recreation Summer Mural Project 2018

Some of the stigmas that come along with art is that you have to be born an artist. This is not true! Anyone can be an artist all you have to do is do some art! It's that simple. If you enjoy what you're doing and you get something from the experience of being a creator, then you are an artist. Picasso once quoted " every child is an artist" and it is one of the truest statements out there. Once you learn about the masters and start to compare yourself to them and other artists, that little fire inside of you begins to go out and those dreams of being an artist fade away. You start to lose why you went into art in the first place - because it's fun!

Now you're asking yourself,"Well, why is art so important? Can it really make a difference as an adult? How can I use art to benefit myself or even my child?" Those are all excellent questions. When I say that I have an art degree, the whole world scoffs but honestly it has really helped me get to where I am today.

Having an artistic mind as a child opens the world of imagination. In this world of technology and television, children might not get as much stimulation as children used to get. For example, by "playing pretend", that was one of the earliest forms of artistic expression.

As an adult having an artistic background stemming from childhood artistic interest and fantasy, opens the doors of self expression, creativity and design which is what modern innovative companies are looking for.

To me art is everything, it's my life. If I weren't an artist I don't know who I would be and may as well not exist. I know that may seem extreme to you but art has given me the opportunity to self express and touch the world in a way I don't think I could have any other way. So please, immerse your children in art and help make the world a more colorful place to be!