Here's some tips for those days when inspiration and creativity seem elusive:
*Experiment with unusual materials (make up-eye liner, eye shadow), food coloring, grind spices to make natural dyes, tea or coffee, charred wood)
*Experiment with textire (q-tips, feathers, comb, sea sponge, cheesecloth, plastic wrap, fork, bubble wrap, etc. can all make interesting tools...)
*Experiment with perspective (draw an object as realistic as you can in pencil, then try it again using only ink and brush. Try painting it in simple geometric forms, or in an unexpected color or texture. Try drawing part of an object from a close up perspective, or from an unusual angle).
*Experiment with Line - Try a 1 or 2 minute contour drawing (simple, quick line drawing), or set a timer for 1 minute, place your pencil in one hand on the drawing paper, and hold an object in the other. Turn your body away from your paper and look only at the object while you draw (don't cheat and peek at the paper). This "blind contour" exercise is great for training yourself to observe. Or, try a gesture drawing... a quick sketch of an object in motion.

Let go of a desire to achieve perfection and just have fun. It's amazing how a few exercises like these will get those creative juices flowing again!

If you live in or near Washington D.C., check out the "Alaska tree" this month.  As part of the National Tree Lighting Ceremony and the "Pathway to Peace"  each state has an artist and a group of kids provide ornaments to decorate their state's tree. I'm thrilled to say that  my home school art students (ages 10 and up) were selected to decorate this year's tree! My students used a paper art form called "quilling" to design their ornaments.  You can also view one of my ornaments at the White House Visitor Center.  I'm very proud of my students and I'm excited about others in the Country getting to view their work as well. 

I've been teaching art classes off and on for over 20 years now, and I love it.  I love seeing how creative kids can be when given the right tools, and the lights go on in their eyes when they learn something new and apply it.  This time of year is always fun for me as I plan out what to teach in the fall. This fall I'll be taking "my" kids back to the basics.  My hope is that they will be less concerned with what others will think of their work, and simply enjoy the process. I want them to learn courage as they think outside the box, wonder as they study the world around them and observe all the details, confidence as they learn the principles of design that enable them to record what they see and feel....and I hope they end the year with a deeper appreciation for art and a desire to continue learning.

Tips for encouraging your child (or yourself!) in art beyond the class room:
*Let your child look at art. Study pictures of great paintings in a variety of styles and genres.  Encourage them to observe and ask questions .
*Encourage your child to experiment with art supplies and praise progress and creativity more so than finished product.  Being an artist is a lifelong journey, one that will hopefully see us learning something new every time we pick up a pencil or paintbrush.  
*Encourage your child to focus on learning one skill at a time. For example, if they have just learned about colors, have them do a painting in any style they wish, using all primary colors, or all one color (just adding white to lighten and black or it's complement to darken). If they are learning about composition, have them take a few very simple, plain objects and practice arranging them in a variety of ways, then drawing or painting them (not focusing so much on color and proportions as much as overlapping and filling up the paper). 
*It's ok for kids to struggle. I give my students permission at any time during a project, to take a break, set down their materials and rest for a moment or two. Sometimes kids will have a hard time getting a "line just right", especially when trying to do a realistic art work, or they will accidentally put a line where they did not want to put one. I reassure them that every artist gets frustrated from time to time, and that by thinking it through, and trying different ideas, they often come up with a solution better than the first. 
* Display their work. Rotate different pieces as they complete them, or photograph their work and put in an album or DVD so they have a record of them. Consider saving (and dating) 1 or 2 pieces each year. It's good for kids to be able to see how they've progressed over the years.