Well-Educated Mother's Heart Study Guide
Month 4: Art
"When we see ordinary things we see only with our eyes, but, when we see works of art we see with our hearts." -Charles Caffin
"Never lose an opportunity to see anything beautiful. Beauty is God's handwriting." - Charles Kinglsey
"You must look at pictures studiously, earnestly, honestly. It will take years before you come to a full appreciation of art; but when at last you have it, you will be possessed of one of the purest, loftiest, and most ennobling pleasures that the civilized world can offer you." - John Van Dyke
"The human ear can process up to 10,000 bits of information per second (bps) at maximum bandwidth. The human eye can process up to 7 billion bps. Neurologically speaking, a picture is not worth a thousand words. It is worth 700,000 words." - Dr. Rich Melheim
"Never lose an opportunity to see anything beautiful. Beauty is God's handwriting." - Charles Kinglsey
"You must look at pictures studiously, earnestly, honestly. It will take years before you come to a full appreciation of art; but when at last you have it, you will be possessed of one of the purest, loftiest, and most ennobling pleasures that the civilized world can offer you." - John Van Dyke
"The human ear can process up to 10,000 bits of information per second (bps) at maximum bandwidth. The human eye can process up to 7 billion bps. Neurologically speaking, a picture is not worth a thousand words. It is worth 700,000 words." - Dr. Rich Melheim
The Angelus
This little story captures the heart of this month's study. (It's also found in Stories of Paintings.)
This little story captures the heart of this month's study. (It's also found in Stories of Paintings.)
Video: 500 Years of Women in Art in 3 Minutes
This month's Mother's Learning Library volume: Art (a free pdf version is found here. Free hard copies are available to those who purchase our monthly bundle or may be purchased separately.)
"Pictures are primarily intended for pure aesthetic joy, and it is a thousand pities to assume a didactic tone in showing them to children. Let them be, like the stories we tell, among their dearest delights. Above all things else we must avoid mechanical methods of instruction as the most deadly blight to the imagination. We cannot be too careful lest the child's perception be dulled by prosaic influence, or his taste vitiated by unworthy material. For the imagination is the key by which we unlock the doors of beauty. While the divine gift is still unspoiled, the child is most keenly alive to the joys of life." - Estelle Hurll
This quote is taken from the first selection in this month's Mother's Learning Library volume, "How to Show Pictures to Children." You'll come away with many practical ways to introduce art to your children as well as a deeper understanding of why it's so important. She also suggests many works of fine art that you should be able to access through Google images. Also, pay attention to her book recommendations. It's the book recommendations at the back of these old books that has led me to treasures I never would have found on my own. While I can't always find the titles at Internet Archives (archive.org), I'm surprised how often I do find a digitized copy there.
Then, continue and deepen your understanding of fine art with Charles Caffin's Guide to Pictures for Beginners.
From the Forgotten Classics Library (books we print as well as free online options):
Stories of Paintings (Story Hour Series)
There are two parts to this book. The first part gives you many paintings that you can use to introduce your very young children to fine art. As you read the book in the Mother's Study Group about how to show pictures to children, it talks about Picture Talk. Every picture doesn't need to be introduced in this way, but this will get the process going and will help your children to begin to see the story of paintings. The book includes black and white images of the paintings, but I would expect that you would do a Google Image search for each one so that you can show it in color to your children. The images in the book are purely to give you a point of reference so that you know you have found the right image.
I tried to pull in stories from several different sources so that you have more to work from. The subjects are simple for the most part -- family and child life and animals; those things that appeal to and are familiar to young children. You'll find additional stories in the S1 Online Library.
The second part of the book will help you introduce the 'rules' of art to your children when they are ready or will help you to understand them so that you can teach them as you go along. You'll learn about different mediums, the use of color, techniques, design and so forth, all related in an engaging way. It further enhances the study you will have begun in the Mother's Learning Library writings.
Search the S1 library for books that center on children and animals in art. You'll also find additional stories to supplement the Stories of Paintings mentioned above. A personal favorite is : Gabriel and the Hour Book by Evaleen Stein (1906). It's a delightful story of a sweet young boy who grinds colors for illuminated texts in the Middle Ages when all books were hand written. A story of faith, trust and courage to share with your family.
Art and Music History, Parts I and II (Nature, Art, and Music Series)
For those of you who are purchasing the bundle, you'll receive these books in your Months 11 and 12 shipments or they are available to purchase now. These books will give you an introductory view of the history of art and music. I've organized them by country if you want to weave your study into your 12-month rotation.
Great Artists (Great Lives Series)
I searched for as many stories of artists as children as I could find to include in the volume we printed, but you'll also find many biographies in the G2 online library as well as the N9. There are still many treasures to mine and I'll continue to add them as I find them. I include the country each artist is from in the Great Artists volume if you want to weave their stories into the 12-month rotation.
Architecture: You'll find some great books to deepen your understanding and awareness of architecture in the N9 online library. I am enjoying both Charles Caffin's and Clara Erskine Water's books equally. When I look around at our giant rectangular glass buildings that won't last more than a generation and do little to inspire, I hope more children will be raised on books like these and get back to designing buildings that are not only functional but inspire the heart as well; classic designs that can last far into the future. You may want to run Architecture as a story thread in one of your 12-month rotations.
Symbols: When you're ready, here's a handbook for understanding the Christian symbols in art, as well as a handbook for understand symbols in mythological art.
Resources for online Fine Art:
Art Renewal Center -- a favorite! (artrenewal.org)
Other Fine Art Sources
Movies: The Agony and the Ecstasy -- Charlton Heston stars as Michelangelo in this epic classic.
The Monuments Men -- a recent movie starring George Clooney. The movie isn't the best, but it carries a powerful message
of the importance of art among civilized people. What Hitler did to masterpieces of art is heart
Sister Wendy's Story of Painting Series -- Many public libraries still carry this popular series.
These resources should keep you busy for awhile!
This month's Mother's Learning Library volume: Art (a free pdf version is found here. Free hard copies are available to those who purchase our monthly bundle or may be purchased separately.)
"Pictures are primarily intended for pure aesthetic joy, and it is a thousand pities to assume a didactic tone in showing them to children. Let them be, like the stories we tell, among their dearest delights. Above all things else we must avoid mechanical methods of instruction as the most deadly blight to the imagination. We cannot be too careful lest the child's perception be dulled by prosaic influence, or his taste vitiated by unworthy material. For the imagination is the key by which we unlock the doors of beauty. While the divine gift is still unspoiled, the child is most keenly alive to the joys of life." - Estelle Hurll
This quote is taken from the first selection in this month's Mother's Learning Library volume, "How to Show Pictures to Children." You'll come away with many practical ways to introduce art to your children as well as a deeper understanding of why it's so important. She also suggests many works of fine art that you should be able to access through Google images. Also, pay attention to her book recommendations. It's the book recommendations at the back of these old books that has led me to treasures I never would have found on my own. While I can't always find the titles at Internet Archives (archive.org), I'm surprised how often I do find a digitized copy there.
Then, continue and deepen your understanding of fine art with Charles Caffin's Guide to Pictures for Beginners.
From the Forgotten Classics Library (books we print as well as free online options):
Stories of Paintings (Story Hour Series)
There are two parts to this book. The first part gives you many paintings that you can use to introduce your very young children to fine art. As you read the book in the Mother's Study Group about how to show pictures to children, it talks about Picture Talk. Every picture doesn't need to be introduced in this way, but this will get the process going and will help your children to begin to see the story of paintings. The book includes black and white images of the paintings, but I would expect that you would do a Google Image search for each one so that you can show it in color to your children. The images in the book are purely to give you a point of reference so that you know you have found the right image.
I tried to pull in stories from several different sources so that you have more to work from. The subjects are simple for the most part -- family and child life and animals; those things that appeal to and are familiar to young children. You'll find additional stories in the S1 Online Library.
The second part of the book will help you introduce the 'rules' of art to your children when they are ready or will help you to understand them so that you can teach them as you go along. You'll learn about different mediums, the use of color, techniques, design and so forth, all related in an engaging way. It further enhances the study you will have begun in the Mother's Learning Library writings.
Search the S1 library for books that center on children and animals in art. You'll also find additional stories to supplement the Stories of Paintings mentioned above. A personal favorite is : Gabriel and the Hour Book by Evaleen Stein (1906). It's a delightful story of a sweet young boy who grinds colors for illuminated texts in the Middle Ages when all books were hand written. A story of faith, trust and courage to share with your family.
Art and Music History, Parts I and II (Nature, Art, and Music Series)
For those of you who are purchasing the bundle, you'll receive these books in your Months 11 and 12 shipments or they are available to purchase now. These books will give you an introductory view of the history of art and music. I've organized them by country if you want to weave your study into your 12-month rotation.
Great Artists (Great Lives Series)
I searched for as many stories of artists as children as I could find to include in the volume we printed, but you'll also find many biographies in the G2 online library as well as the N9. There are still many treasures to mine and I'll continue to add them as I find them. I include the country each artist is from in the Great Artists volume if you want to weave their stories into the 12-month rotation.
Architecture: You'll find some great books to deepen your understanding and awareness of architecture in the N9 online library. I am enjoying both Charles Caffin's and Clara Erskine Water's books equally. When I look around at our giant rectangular glass buildings that won't last more than a generation and do little to inspire, I hope more children will be raised on books like these and get back to designing buildings that are not only functional but inspire the heart as well; classic designs that can last far into the future. You may want to run Architecture as a story thread in one of your 12-month rotations.
Symbols: When you're ready, here's a handbook for understanding the Christian symbols in art, as well as a handbook for understand symbols in mythological art.
Resources for online Fine Art:
Art Renewal Center -- a favorite! (artrenewal.org)
- Resource on website - over 2000 images that will appeal to children have been selected from Art Renewal and organized on Pinterest pages here
- Why Classical Realism Matters - This article is excellent and well worth your time.
- More on the same subject by Prager University
- Nudity in Art
Other Fine Art Sources
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art now offers of 400,000 high resolution images available for you to download for use in your home
- Olga's Gallery
- CFGA
Movies: The Agony and the Ecstasy -- Charlton Heston stars as Michelangelo in this epic classic.
The Monuments Men -- a recent movie starring George Clooney. The movie isn't the best, but it carries a powerful message
of the importance of art among civilized people. What Hitler did to masterpieces of art is heart
Sister Wendy's Story of Painting Series -- Many public libraries still carry this popular series.
These resources should keep you busy for awhile!