The importance of process over product
All too often the emphasis is put on the end product of art making. Creating a ‘perfect’ piece of art can be seen as the end goal. At Doodlebox, while we understand that there is a need for this, we believe that the greater experience is held in the process of making the piece of art, which we endeavour to make engaging and fun. We encourage all the children who attend our classes and workshops to enjoy themselves, to experiment, to have fun along the way. Art is a process of learning and exploring, dealing with perceived ‘failures’, learning from them and becoming resilient in the face of adversity.
Individual expression
Children are encouraged to work at their own pace: some love to take time over careful drawing, others like to quickly move on to the next step. We value and facilitate every student’s method of self expression, each of us has a different process that takes us to the end product.
Laughter and making a mess
There are classes each year when we deliberately make a huge colourful mess. We explore exciting new ways of making marks on paper, not just with traditional tools in traditional ways. These classes are always popular, there is much laughter and fun, ooohhhs and aaahhhhhs from every corner of the studio. The children are encouraged to let go of preconceived notions of what makes ‘good art’ and are allowed free reign to express themselves in non-traditional ways. This class helps to alleviate any ambition to make ‘perfect’ art and allows the children to abandon the fear of making a mess, it celebrates the process as being an intrinsic part of the experience.
Greater confidence
Developmentally, children move beyond this messy stage at a young age, but by reminding them of how liberating it can be to re-engage with this fun, they remember how exciting abandoning the rules of art can be, this allows them the confidence to take leaps of faith in their art making and helps them to understand and realise that not all of their art has to be ‘perfect’ for it to be good, that even in the face of perceived ‘failure’ there is value in the experience.
A visual language of self expression
Creative expression in children comes naturally. It allows them the opportunity to exercise autonomy and make their own decisions about their work. Art making offers children a place where they can develop their own visual language, Doodlebox is a place where that voice is heard and encouraged.
Why Doodlebox is unlike any other art school
Doodlebox is run by Sarah-Jayne Reid, a qualified and practicing art therapist, artist and art teacher. She brings a wealth of experience from her work with diverse groups of children over the past 20 years. While teaching art, Sarah-Jayne’s experience and expertise in therapeutic practices informs a learning environment that is unique in the positivity it provides for the children. The children will learn all the techniques and tools of art and craft while being nurtured to have fun, play and express themselves in their own individual way.