ART CLASS
I see children as artists already, not just artists in training. There is no set picture for everyone to reproduce. Children take the starting point in their own direction, with techniques introduced when they need them to develop an idea or make something possible.
Why I Teach Art
From studying fine arts, to completing a Master of Art Therapy, and now doing a doctorate related to art education, I have never stopped exploring children’s art and art education. I am very grateful for the ten years I have spent teaching art to children. In the first year, I focused more on teaching skills. I soon realised that, as an art teacher, what mattered more was being able to see what each child needed at that time, while giving them enough space to express their own ideas. Through further study and years of teaching, I gradually developed my own approach to art education. My doctoral study is also a chance for me to bring together what I have learnt over these years, develop it further through research, and bring it back into practice. I hope my research and practice can bring some new possibilities to art education today. I hope that one day art can become a way for children to form their own ideas and values, understand themselves, and make sense of other people and the world around them. I truly enjoy this work and find it meaningful. I don’t plan to make the groups very large. I hope to meet students who genuinely enjoy making art, are curious about things, and are willing to take their time to explore. Let’s keep exploring together and see where it takes us.
Art & Creative Exploration (6–8)
Suitable for children aged around 6-8
Creative Art Exploration is a small-group art course for children aged around 6–8, combining drawing, painting, making, storytelling and imaginative play. At this age, children are becoming increasingly able to use images to express their experiences and ideas, while still retaining a natural and often wonderfully unconventional way of drawing and seeing. The course aims to nurture this while they develop their artistic skills.
Each class introduces an artist and their work through a theme such as family, friendship, feelings, dreams, nature or places. Stories and imaginative prompts then give children a starting point from which to develop their own work.
With only four children in each group, there is time to follow each child’s ideas and give guidance when it is needed. Children are encouraged to make their own choices, so even when everyone begins with the same artist, story or theme, the work that emerges can be very different. Artistic skills and techniques are introduced individually when children need them to develop an idea or make something they have in mind. Sharing at the end of the session gives them a chance to see how differently another person might understand and respond to the same thing.
See how this approach has developed through the work of my students → From “What Should I Draw?”to“I Know What I Want to Draw”
With AI making ready-made answers, images and ideas increasingly easy to access, it becomes even more important for children to have space to observe, feel, imagine and make choices for themselves. Through art, they can begin to notice what interests them, what matters to them and how they see the world. These experiences may not always be visible in how “good” a finished artwork looks, but they contribute to how children develop their own ideas, make choices and gradually find their own ways of relating to the world around them.
Art & Creative Inquiry
Suitable for children aged around 9-13
Creative Inquiry is a small-group art course for children aged around 9–13. At this age, children are becoming more able to think about different perspectives and engage with bigger questions, so the course brings more discussion and inquiry into the art-making process. Alongside developing artistic skills, children explore ideas about values, identity, relationships, society and the world they are growing into through art.
Each session begins with an artist and their work, leading into a topic, story or question. Children may respond to the same starting point in very different ways. They decide what they want to make, how they want to approach the idea, and which materials and techniques they would like to use. As a result, the work produced within the same session can look completely different from one child to another.
Groups are limited to four children so there is time to follow each child’s thinking as well as their artwork. When a child has an idea but is unsure how to realise it, relevant techniques and ways of working are introduced individually as they are needed.
This approach reflects what we believe at Artonomy. Children grow up surrounded by ideas about what matters, what success looks like and what they should aim for. But the world they are growing into is changing quickly. As AI takes over more of what once depended on knowledge and technical skill, we need to think carefully about what will matter for them in the future. Their own experience, judgement, perspective and understanding of life will matter more. So will the ability to think deeply, question things, understand people and see the world from different angles. These things affect the choices we make, the relationships we have and the lives we build. Art gives children a place to develop them.
Read more about why I believe this approach to art education matters in an AI-shaped world → When AI Can Create, Why Do We Still Make Art?
