| Problem solving, inventiveness, higher-order thinking skills: these are all skills that we would like to see more of in our students. But more often than not, children believe that these skills exist only in the realm of talented, highly skilled professionals. Wonder Wits will make them think otherwise.
In the book Artrageous, Aunt Stella takes Sophie and Luke on an 'artrageous adventure' where the plan is to 'look, collect, draw and look some more' and come away inspired to create wonderful works of art. Luke randomly choose their destination with a well-aimed dart at the map and after a fast-paced game of 'Imagine This Imagine That' they arrive at Far Bay.
Aunt Stella encourages the children to use their 'art eyes' to pick up on 'patterns, shapes, and textures that our normal, everyday eyes don't see'. The three artists walk amongst the rock pools and explore the rock platforms, collecting shells, rock textures and pieces of flotsam.
The children use cardboard frames ('windows of inspiration's as Aunt Stella calls them) to focus their art eyes on specific scenes and discover that what each person sees, imagines and captures on paper is completely different.
Back home Sophie and Luke experiment with the materials, ideas and techniques they have learnt. Their paintings and sculptures so impress Aunt Stella that she includes their work in her next exhibition. |
