When it comes to an Art curriculum and the thought I’ve put into it…………….well, paying for my son to attend our co-op where a skilled art teacher leads him making projects and understanding techniques was the extent of my effort.  Sigh.  I may not consider myself talented, but I am motivated when I want to learn something or be creative.  I can sew, cook, make home repairs and rennovations, cross stitch, taught myself to crochet, recover furniture, make curtains without a pattern – you get the picture, but ask me to draw you something and I sure hope you’re expecting a stick figure version!  That is the extent of my “artistic skill”.  Seriously.  Painting to me equates 4 walls, a few gallons and a roller! 

When Artistic Pursuits – The Way They See It arrived in our mail I thought “oh no!” but once I sat down and looked it over (after the everyone was in bed asleep and I could THINK) it really seems to be quite a good idea.  Written for preschoolers, by a teacher it lays everything out in easy lessons – from proper techniques to ensure your child is holding the crayons or scissors correctly to actual lessons of concepts that include a picture of a famous work of art to discuss with your child.   I like that although I might not have a clue as to what I’m supposed to be seeing, the book tells me what I should be relaying to my child.  I don’t need to know a thing about El Greco because the lesson is going to give me a dialog of what my child should be learning and how to create art in individual form.  It is really just a guide to help them start learning to express themselves through art – not create and “art project”.    They carry several books from preschool all the way through 12^th grade and at $42.95 each the pricing isn’t bad when you consider it’s a non-consumable that you can buy for your oldest and continue using with your younger children as they grow.