There it was, hanging in front of my eyes. I knew the moment I turned the corner and entered the white walled room that I was living out a dream of mine. The white walls allowed the art displayed on them to shine, but they weren't distracting me from my goal. I made a beeline across the room and stood in awe. In front of me hung the famous painting by Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night.
I spent years dreaming of seeing this painting and couldn't believe I was finally standing in front of all of its' beauty. The texture, movement, color, and emotion poured off the canvas. Every expectation was exceeded as I soaked in the moment.
It was just this past March that I had the opportunity to experience van Gogh's painting. That trip was a treat and I do not take it for granted because the day after we arrived home, New York began to shut down and things began to change. I have carried the inspiration from my trip with me throughout this year. When Christmas came around, I knew I wanted to work on a specific art project with my daughter. It was one of my all-time favorite projects from when I was teaching elementary art...one that is deeply inspired by Vincent van Gogh's, The Starry Night and my faith.
There are so many wonderful things you can incorporate into this lesson beyond the fun techniques and skills that are learned through creating it. You can discuss the history and who van Gogh was, along with how he not only captured a scene, but found a way to express emotion through his mark-making. Most of all, you can read and discuss the Christmas story found in Luke 2:1-21. I hope this project brings you joy and helps create sweet family memories.
Merry Christmas!
or click the photo below!
Note about age ranges and supplies for the lesson:
This lesson can be modified for a variety of ages. The lesson I have posted follows the steps I did with my 5 year old. For older artists, I would encourage them to explore more detail and to focus on capturing more movement and expression like Vincent van Gogh. Most of all, have fun and enjoy being creative with your artist!
If you are missing certain supplies you can substitute most! If you just have crayons and paper, replace the paint with crayons and glue the nativity on. If you don't have black paper, you can substitute white. Another option is to use watercolor paper and watercolor paints. The main goal should be to have fun, learn something new, and create a memory!
As always, I would love to see what your artists create. Please email me (kelliwassomart@gmail.com) or tag me on social media- Instagram or Facebook - so I can see the beautiful art work they are creating.
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