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When Being Told the Right Way Gets in the Way of Learning——Learning Tai Chi, Teaching Art
A few months ago, my Tai Chi teacher noticed a problem with the way I was practising. What interested me later was that he chose not to correct it. I had learnt much of the traditional Yang-style 85 form from a video before I began studying with Sam, so almost every movement needed work. I wanted as much correction as I could get. Whenever Sam corrected something in my practice, I felt I had come away with treasure. I would go over his corrections in my mind again and again,
4 min read
What Art Education Can Learn from the concept of Yin and Yang
Language and art have both served as tools for communication. As human society advanced, language became a type of art—as in "the art of communication." Yet, in some schools and the majority of community art centres, art has been reduced to little more than skill, losing much of its communicative power. Children are taught the same set of skills and knowledge and are instructed to produce the same or very similar output. Art should really be a heartfelt expression of who we a
2 min read
What Can Art Teach Children Beyond Art Skills?
Growing up in China, I came across many different ideas about why children should learn art. Some common ones went something like this: “Most artists spend their lives in poverty and only become famous after they die. Some even go mad and cut off their ears. Still, art can be useful—it might help a child get into a better university if their academic results aren't quite good enough.” “I've never really thought much about art, but everyone else’s kids are learning it. Mine ca
6 min read
When Children's Art Becomes Imitation
Picasso famously said, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." Yet the sad reality is that lots of art teachers spend their time teaching kids how to draw like adults. One especially notorious practice—widely criticised by art educators is the so-called "stick-figure drawing" method. In Chinese, there's a distinct name for it "简笔画”(Jian Bi Hua), which simply means simplified drawing. It's quick and easy as ABC, and was developed to
4 min read
Why Picasso and Matisse Looked to Children and Eastern Art
Speaking about Picasso, most people think about his famous paintings, such as Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, Guernica, or The Weeping Woman. Hardly anyone would connect the Cubist master with Chinese ink painting. In fact, Picasso held Eastern art—especially Chinese brushwork and calligraphy—in very high regard. He once said, “If I had been born in China, I might have become a calligrapher instead of a painter.” Pablo Picasso and traditional Chinese painter Zhang Daqian (right)
3 min read
Does Your Child Really Lack Imagination?
They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn't. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.-Frida Kahlo A while back, a parent told me she was worried about her daughter's artistic abilities. "I think she lacks imagination," she said. This parent is not the only parent that is concerned about their children's imagination. Even some art educators seem to have the same judgment on what should imagination look like in children's art. To me, a child's imagination isn't neces
3 min read
When Life Took a Turn, Art Led the Way
"Life really does begin at 40. Up until then, you are just doing research."— Carl Jung I'm Faye. I'm a mother of two children, and someone who has spent much of her life searching for what truly gives life meaning. I was born and raised in China, and since 2008, Australia has been my home. Cozy Study Session with Roxy, Sapphire, and a Pile of Books, 2023 In 2019, I lost a dear family member. This traumatic experience made me rethink what truly matters in life. In search of
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When AI Can Create, Why Do We Still Make Art?
W.H. Auden called art a "rite of worship," something instinctive rather than learned. Maybe that is the reason why, in Aboriginal Australian languages, there's no direct equivalent for the word "art". To Aboriginal Australian people, art is a way of being and how they live their lives. It is woven into storytelling, traditions, and daily existence. The impulse to create is deeply human. Poets often describe writing as something that just happens—an unfiltered response to emo
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From “What Should I Draw?”to“I Know What I Want to Draw”
One of the most common questions I get from parents is, "What course do you offer? Do you teach watercolour, oil painting, or sketching?" If I had to name the kind of art course I offer, I'd call it an art nurturing class. It's not structured around teaching specific skills, or a particular theme—instead, it's about providing inspiration, and allowing kids to explore their own interests, discover their preferred styles and materials, and develop organically. When they reach a
4 min read
Why Do So Many Children's Artworks Look the Same?
Qiyuan, 6 years old Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” This is probably one of Picasso’s most famous quotes—and perhaps one of the most frequently used slogans in children’s art centres. You see it on walls, websites and flyers. Even parents who have never considered that their child might have much artistic talent may find it hard to resist a slogan that seems to suggest: perhaps my child, too, could become
4 min read
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