START WITH ART: Water-Lilies, Setting Sun

Starting your day with art can be a transformative experience for both children and adults alike. Engaging with artwork not only stimulates creativity but also fosters critical thinking skills. Here’s how you can incorporate this enriching practice into your daily routine.

Step 1: Observe the Artwork Pictured in this Blog Post!

Begin each morning by examining a piece of art. This could be a painting, sculpture, or any other form of visual art. Take a moment to really look at the details, colors, and emotions conveyed in the piece. We’ve curated art for you on this Google calender! 

Step 2: Engage with Thought-Provoking Questions

Once you’ve taken a good look at the artwork, ask the children in your life some guiding questions. We’ve listed some below the artwork here on this blog post.

These questions encourage children to articulate their thoughts and feelings about what they see, promoting dialogue and deeper understanding.

Step 3: Ignite Creativity and Critical Thinking

By starting your day with art, you set a tone of curiosity and exploration. This practice can lead to discussions later in the day, whether at the dinner table or during evening reading sessions. Children will have had time to reflect on the artwork and may come back with new insights or creative ideas inspired by their morning experience.

Let’s START WITH ART!

Title: Water-Lilies, Setting Sun

Artist: Claude Monet

Date: about 1907

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: 73 × 92.7 cm

Start with Art Questions: 

• What feelings do you get when you look at the way the setting sun lights up the water and lilies?

• What details do you notice about the way Monet used different brushstrokes to show the light reflecting on the water? How does this technique make the scene look magical or dreamy?

• How is the lighting in this painting different from “The Water-Lily Pond” that we looked at yesterday? What changes do you see in the colors and the mood between the two paintings?

Add our START WITH ART calendar to yours by clicking here then click "add." Share how you're folding this into your daily routine by tagging us on Instagram @pageofarthistory and/or the tag #startwithart 🖼️