Artist of the Month

Artist of the Month

Declaring an artist or composer of the month is a fun way to learn about visual art and music.

Materials

1. Art prints
2. CDs or audiotapes
3. Simple biographies of visual artists and composers

Directions

1. Decide ahead of time which artists or composers you will feature. Look at your local library, on the Internet, or in an encyclopedia for some information on each.
2. Find a few prints of each visual artist's work or an audiotape or CD of each composer's work.
3. You may want to base your choices on the seasons; for example, December is the perfect time to feature Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and The Nutcracker.
4. In a prominent place, post the name and, if possible, a picture of the artist or composer for the current month.
5. Display the artist's prints or spend some quiet time listening to the composer's music. If possible, attend an exhibit or concert that features the artist's or composer's work.
6. Ask your child what he likes and/or dislikes about each work.
7. Read a short biography of the artist or composer or simply share the interesting things you've learned about his or her life.
8. Have a few books available for your child to read or leaf through.
9. At the end of the month, change your display.