Outreach Tip of the Month – Creative Arts Projects

I am seeking.  I am striving.  I am in it with all my heart.  -Vincent van Gogh

Students often say to me “I’m no artist…I can’t draw or paint!  How am I supposed to do a Creative Arts project?”  To them, I say…neither can I!  But Creative Arts is so much more than traditional drawing, painting, or sketching.

Do you remember the nature journals you kept at camp?  Those are creative arts!  When you take your camera with you and take pictures in your tree stand as you wait for that trophy buck to wander by – that is a creative arts project!  The key to creative arts is not overthinking it.  Using the creative part of your mind means stepping outside your usual way of thinking and trying something new – maybe you make some homemade ink from berries you found while out on a hike through the woods and sketch a picture with it, or use the colorful fall leaves to make a freeform collage.

Rose had a great idea about creating her own habitat-themed version of a Jenga-style game.  This is a fantastic idea for a creative arts project!  So, even if you are not a “traditional” artist, there are a ton of different ways to complete your creative arts outreach projects – let your imagination run free!

Using the feathers from a turkey you harvest to make a new band for your hat…arranging some cool stones you found in the woods to create a mosaic in the garden (take a photo!) – anything that gets those creative thoughts flowing.  We assess your work based upon how much thought and energy goes into it – did you try something new for you?  For example, if you tried your hand at pottery and what resulted is a cup that doesn’t hold water is still a good project!  We are happy you took the initiative to get out there and stretch your creative muscles.  Don’t forget to fill out an outreach form for each Creative Arts project you complete – and put it in your record book!

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