The art world is ever-expanding. There is always room for an artist to have that spark of genius, to wonder ?What would happen if I try this?? Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn?t, and sometimes the trend catches on! One of the newer trends in the art world is the exploration of an old material, in a new way: foam.
Foam sculpting has experienced recent popularity in the arts and crafts world. The material is easy to come by, relatively cheap, and not particularly difficult to work with. While achieving great and interesting works of art requires no less talent and skill than with other mediums, foam sculpting does offer those working with it a chance to explore new techniques, new curves, and new ideas that older sculpting mediums such as stone and metal did not previously facilitate. It only makes sense that this craze would catch on with artists and creative amateurs looking to try their hand at something new and fun.
Because of its malleability, people are using foam sculptures to create tons of different pieces of art. In theatre, foam sculptures are being used to create interesting and intricate, but light-weight stage props. Other artists are exploring the use of foam sculptures to create walk-thru parks with their artworks. Still others are using their foam and hot foam cutters to create large intricate costumes while the LARP-ers have begun experimenting with foam sculpting for more realistic and safe boffer weapons. Of course, still others are creating traditional decorative sculptures with their own personal, modern twists. The possibilities are endless, and it is likely that we haven?t begun to see the full extent of what foam sculpting can create!
Collecting shells and sea glass is the favorite pastime for many beachgoers, but what should you do with them? I think that mementos from trips are best served in a place where I can see them all year and be reminded of the good times I had on my vacation, so I try and use the items I collect on the beach. Using a little creativity and imagination, I?ve taken finds collected from the beach and created jewelry for myself and given it out to friends and family members as gifts, among other things.
My favorite way to use sea glass and seashells I?ve collected from the beach is to place them inside of a clear glass lamp with a little sand. It?s a nice beach themed accent in my Florida room and guests regularly comment and ask me where I bought it, which makes me smile when I tell them I made it! If you?re looking for something a little simpler, take a fish bowl and fill it with shells and sea glass? this makes a great centerpiece or conversation piece on your dining room table or coffee table. If you have a lot of beach washups to fill the fish bowl with, you can fill it up and use it as a doorstop.
I made unique necklaces last year for all of my friends after I returned from my vacation by using a craft drill to drill small holes in sea glass and stringing them on hemp or leather cord. My friends love the fact that each of them have a necklace I made but that they?re all different.
Next time you?re prowling the beach for art supplies, think about all of the possibilities there are when you take bits of nature and your own artistic instincts and use them to make found objects into works of art, decorative accents, and one of a kind gifts.
If you?re thinking of bypassing the museums on your next vacation because they?d bore your children or prevent them from enjoying themselves, think again: museums can be a unique experience for children, allowing them to see and experience things they never have before, discovering scientific and historical artifacts and art and other aspects of culture. You shouldn?t cancel out the possibility of visiting museums if you have children, especially if you?d like to go; instead, research and planning beforehand can help you find the most kid friendly methods of touring museums.
Before you go the museum, look around the website and decide what areas of the museum you and your children will explore. There may even be suggestions from the museum staff about what aspects of the museum kids typically like best. Talk to your children about the upcoming visit and get them excited about what they have to look forward to! If they?ll be checking out dinosaur exhibits or retro cars, tell them so? you may even look around the website together and ask them if there are any exhibits that they?d like to make sure you fit in to your trip. Planning ahead will prevent children with short attention spans from becoming impatient and losing interest in the museum visit.
While touring the museum with children in tow, be interactive, asking questions and encouraging children to express their opinions and appreciation for the museum exhibits. Don?t forget that many museums have certain rules about touching artwork, architecture, and other specimens, so make sure you brief your children ahead of time and remind them during the visit that they?re expected to behave in a certain way.
Finally, be careful about overwhelming children by staying too long at the museum. A good rule of thumb is to stay 5 minutes for every year of a child?s age. A first grader will probably breeze right through the artwork and be ready for snacktime, while a teenager will likely stay engaged enough for an hour or two to enjoy the visit. Take cues from your children, and when you start noticing them disengaging, begin tapering off your visit; respecting your children?s gradual ascent into artistic and cultural appreciation will help encourage curious, enthusiastic children who will rally the next time a museum visit is mentioned, not run.