St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano joined forces with Young Rembrandts of North Dallas for summer arts educational fun. SMAK (Summer Music Adventure for Kids) & Young Rembrandts took kids on a music, art and cultural world tour. Continent hopping gave the students an overview of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Australia and Asia.
The K-1st students created landscapes and animal pictures including colorful birds, cactuses and desert scenes, elephants and patterned snakes. The 2nd through 4th graders tackled koala bears in pastels, the British Royal Guards with color pencils, the Eiffel Tower with Sharpies and markers, French Impressionist painters including Post-Impressionist painter Henri Rousseau’s jungle scenes in color pencil. The 2nd through 3rd graders drew portraits of Cheetahs and learned about the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center’s world famous Cheetah breeding program only 80 miles from North Dallas.
The 2nd-3rd graders wore Asian silk scarves and recycled antique kimono sleeves. They also studied ornately decorated Chinese baby caps handmade in the early 1800s. The older students created strikingly lovely panda bears chewing on bamboo. The 3rd through 4th grade students visited Egypt and drew Egyptian art including graceful black cats and patterned jewelry. The classes toured Australia on the last leg of their journey and fell in love with koala bears.
As the students learned art techniques they were given brief history lessons. They found out Henri Rousseau was a self-taught artist loved by other artists but disliked by the critics. He believed in himself throughout his career and shared that one-day his work would be in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Rousseau died in poverty, but his vision came true and his paintings are now admired worldwide and hanging in the Louvre.
Through the combined efforts of St. Andrew United Methodist Church of Plano and Young Rembrandts of North Dallas children enjoyed the arts while studying music, theater and art. They became more aware of the world around them including eco-systems, endangered species and unique cultures. They also recognized the importance of believing in themselves.
Did you know?
The Dallas Opera offers TDOinaSuitcase (free 45 minute programs) and campTDO (free one-day camps). For more information click here.
Did you know that Operation Kindness has a wonderful youth volunteer program? For more information click here.
Texas Discovery Gardens offers botanical education programs for children and welcomes photography in their butterfly house. They also have free indoor Basically Beethoven concerts during the summer. For more information click here.
Just 10 minutes from downtown Dallas, The Trinity River Corridor is the largest urban forest in the U.S. To find out more and learn about the youth photo contest click here.
The Dallas Children’s Theater was named by Time Magazine as one of the “Top Five Children’s Theaters” in the nation. They also produce award-winning world premier plays for pre-teens and teenagers. To find out more click here.
St. Andrew United Methodist Church
Young Rembrandts of North Dallas
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