Making art a family affair

Colorful image — Red Rabbit Reflects by Donne Bitner, mixed media, is part of the Museum of Florida Art’s permanent collection, and is one of the images that was selected for use in the Arts on the Grow program.

Museum of Florida Art unveils Arts on the Grow

By Pam Coffman
Beacon Columnist

posted Feb 4, 2012 - 9:46:49am

All young children are artists. Just give them some crayons and paper, or an empty cardboard box, and watch what happens. In the hands and imagination of a child, these simple materials can be transformed into a family portrait or fantasy landscape, a rocket to Mars or a castle complete with a dragon.

Curiosity, creativity, spontaneity, and play are important components of the early-childhood learning experience. All one has to do is observe the expressive joy and concentration of a child making art to witness the creative process.

That sense of curiosity, creativity and joy is not just for the young child. The arts and the creative process are one of the main ways that humans define who they are. At the Museum of Florida Art in DeLand, we are passionately devoted to providing a welcoming space where everyone can experience the pleasure of lifelong learning through the arts.

In this uncertain economic climate, when many arts and cultural organizations are decreasing programs, the Museum of Florida Art remains firm in its mission and maintains its commitment as an educational and cultural partner to the community. We are excited to introduce Arts on the Grow, a new arts-integration program that embodies this idea of inspiration and creativity. The name says it all. With Arts on the Grow, our objective is to create arts programs that provide a continual opportunity for growth and lifelong learning. Arts on the Grow is the museum’s commitment put into action.

The museum collaborated with Mid Florida Community Services Head Start to develop Phase One of the Arts on the Grow program. Funding for the project was made possible by a grant from the PNC Foundation, whose Grow Up Great program provides innovative opportunities that enhance learning and development in a child’s early years.

A writing team from Head Start and the Museum of Florida Art selected images from the museum’s collection to serve as the foundation for the Arts on the Grow curriculum, lesson plans and activities. Three Head Start centers, serving approximately 200 students, will participate in the initial phase of the project: Coleman Head Start Center in Orange City, Malloy Head Start Center in DeLeon Springs, and the West Volusia Head Start Center in DeLand.

The comprehensive arts-integration program includes: teacher training; museum visits for the participating Head Start students, teachers and parents; classroom visits from area artists; art reproductions from the museum’s permanent collection and corresponding books and lesson plans; Gallery on the Go backpacks with take-home activities; and a student celebration and art exhibition at the end of the school year. If the enthusiasm of the Head Start teachers and parents for Arts on the Grow is any indication, then we are off to a great start.

In addition to Arts on the Grow, the Museum of Florida Art offers a variety of education programs that foster enjoyable and enriching experiences for visitors of all ages, incorporating all levels of familiarity with art. Our goal is to make art a family affair.

— Pam Coffman is curator of education at the Museum of Florida Art. The museum is located at 600 N. Woodland Blvd. in Downtown DeLand. Call 386-734-4371, or visit www.MuseumofFloridaArt.org.

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