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Saturday, 27 December, 2008 1:31 PM
Are You Feeding Your Child’s
Inner Artist?
Photo
credit: www.amazon.com
"Snobbles
the Great: A Snooze Patch Story"
Los
Angeles, CA -- When children start pre-school, it begins.
They dabble with construction paper, finger paints, and glitter.
They bring art work home nearly every day and we proudly plaster
it across the refrigerator. But once most children start elementary
school, the deluge of childhood masterpieces slows to a trickle,
or in some cases, simply disappears. Thanks to shrinking budgets,
many school systems have drastically reduced art instruction or
eliminated it completely. So, if your child isn’t taking art
classes in school, how can you be sure their inner artist doesn’t
waste away?
Art teachers
are quick to explain that art is more than just a fun outlet for
students; it’s an essential element of learning. According
to the National PTA, art cultivates self-expression, imagination
and creativity, as well as critical-thinking and problem-solving
skills.
Jason Dobkin
and Erika Gragg, co-creators of the new children’s book “Snobbles
the Great: A Snooze Patch Story,” (Grabkin Creatives, LLC
www.snobbles.com)
credit their love of art as a driving impetus behind the book. Snobbles
is a fruit-eating snake who is ridiculed by the other snakes in
the Snooze Patch where they all live. While the story is sure to
elicit giggles from both children and adults, the clever and unusual
artwork will grab your attention from page one. Unlike many children’s
books, the story was inspired by the artwork, not the other way
around.
“I
was making little clay animals and Erika would place them in plants
or other settings and photograph them,” says Dobkin. “That’s
how Snobbles and the Snooze Patch came to life. We wanted to create
a fantastical, new world for kids so we combined the normal aspects
of children's books - drawings and a story - with painting, sculpture,
photography, stage design, lighting, and cinematography to make
a hyper-real experience. It’s truly a children’s book
for the 21st century!”
Dobkin and
Gragg hope parents will find ways to incorporate creativity into
daily activities, especially when schools place such a strong emphasis
on standardized testing. Some educators believe the tests stifle
creativity because the questions focus on finding one correct answer
instead of seeking various ways to solve problems. They fear this
inhibits independent thinking and innovation—which can ultimately
leave kids behind the curve when it comes to career opportunities
in our globally competitive job market.
“If
kids don’t have the opportunity to be creative when they’re
young, it’s not going to dawn on them to suddenly start thinking
in new ways when they’re older,” says Gragg. “Kids
who have artistic outlets are more likely to be successful adults
because they see things differently. As business people, they’ll
be able to apply creative solutions and think beyond the basics.”
While many
parents want their children to excel in the basics, students who
struggle with math, reading and science often benefit from artistic
expression.
“There
are children who don’t do well academically, but put them
in a dance class or give them a paint brush and they connect with
it,” says Gragg. “Suddenly, everything clicks. They
start understanding math or English better because their brain has
a new way to approach and interpret those subjects.”
Speaking
of brainpower, according to Americans for the Arts, students who
participate in three hours of arts, three days a week for at least
one year are four times more likely to be recognized for academic
achievement.
“We
tend to think of creativity as something optional we can scale back
as children grow up, but it’s much more valuable than that,”
says Dobkin. “When a child transforms a blank piece of paper
into a colorful drawing, learns a song on the piano or memorizes
a scene from a play that’s an enormous confidence booster.
And that confidence changes everything.”
Better grades,
problem-solving skills and confidence. Sounds like some very strong
incentive to make sure you encourage your child’s inner artist
to come out and play on a very frequent basis.
About
Jason Dobkin
Dobkin,
a native of Long Beach, California, studied music at Wesleyan University.
His musical abilities came in handy when Snobbles co-creater Erika
Gragg was penning the lyrical, sing-song quality of the book’s
storyline. Dobkin is a guitarist and is currently working on a new
album with his band “Jason and the Rockernauts” in addition
to a solo album of children’s songs. www.snobbles.com
About
Erika Gragg
Gragg earned
her Bachelor of Fine Art from Cornell University. She is a professional
painter with a studio in Los Feliz, California. Her work has been
featured in shows and exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, Rome,
and Brittany, France. Gragg credits her early educators for weaving
artwork into the school curriculum. She says those learning experiences
helped her earn good grades and stay interested in school.
Source:
News and Experts
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