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Art Ideas

Index of art ideas

• Promise Plaques
• Praise Sticks
• Starry Night Christmas Card
• Painted Banners

Tips for Doing Art in Friendship Groups

• Too many choices can be overwhelming. Provide options, but pay close attention to keeping a balance in this area.
• Undercover Artists: Are there artists-in-hiding among the volunteers in your group? Find out, and ask them to become involved, perhaps even coordinating art projects for your group. They’ll most likely enjoy the chance to share their gifts.
• Involve the congregation. Share the art you’ve created with others in the church. And ask the congregation to support you by providing resources—by helping purchase brushes, by raiding kitchen cabinets for plastic bowls for painting, by sharing their artistic expertise.
• Explore online resources for ideas and inspiration.
• The National Institute of Art and Disability www.niadart.org NIAD, located in Richmond, CA, provides an art program for people with developmental disabilities which promotes creative expression, independence, dignity and community integration.  Check out their online gallery for inspiration.
• VSA Arts www.vsarts.org  VSA Arts is an international organization that seeks to create a society where people with disabilities can learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts. Find your local affiliate on their website.
• Kinder Art www.kinderart.com/special This section of the Kinder Art site contains projects and techniques that work especially well for children and adults with disabilities. Adapt projects and materials to suit the ages and abilities represented in your group.
• The hand-over-hand technique: Don’t jump in to help a friend with a difficult task immediately, but if help is asked for or needed, use the hand-over-hand technique, placing your hand over your friend’s hand to execute the task together.
• Be patient: Allow your friend time to respond.
• It’s about process, not product:  It is not the end product that is so important but the process of doing it together.  Nurture a sense of exploration vs. a perfect outcome.
• Cooperation: Do group projects, and then share them with others.
• Consider your space: Make sure there’s room to carry out the project and that it can be physically accessed by all.
• Adapt tools:
  Paintbrushes: If a friend has trouble grasping paintbrushes, adapt a brush by building up the handle with foam or tape, or by attaching a Velcro strap to the brush which can then be looped around the hand.  If these don’t work, use the hand-over-hand technique.
  Palettes: Use plastic bowls that can easily be held and not so easily spilled as painting palettes.
  Paper: Tape or clip paper to the table if a friend needs more stability while drawing.
• Allow for choice: Whenever possible, allow friends to make choices about the materials they select and how they use them.
• Model: Demonstrate how to carry out a task—several times, if that helps.
• Avoid toxic materials.
• Enthusiasm is contagious!

What have you been doing in your group? We'd love to hear! Be in touch by email, phone (888-866-8966), or mail:
Friendship Ministries
2215 29th St SE #B6
Grand Rapids, MI 49508