American Folk Art for Kids: With 21 Activities (For Kids series) [Paperback]

Richard Panchyk (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: For Kids series

Drawing on the natural folk art tendencies of children, who love to collect buttons, bottle caps, shells, and Popsicle sticks to create beautiful, imperfect art, this activity guide teaches kids about the history of this organic art and offers inspiration for them to create their own masterpieces. The full breadth of American folk art is surveyed, including painting, sculpture, decorative arts, and textiles from the 17th century through today. Making bubblegum wrapper chains, rag dolls, bottle cap sculptures, decoupage boxes, and folk paintings are just a few of the activities designed to bring out the artist in every child. Along the way kids learn about the lives of Americans throughout history and their casual relationships to everyday art as they cut stencils, sew needlepoint samplers, draw calligraphy birds, and design quilts. Important folk artists such as the last surviving Shakers, the legendary Grandma Moses, and the Reverend Howard Finster are also explored in sidebars throughout the book.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9–Panchyk begins with a general introduction to folk art, and then explicates the main categories of these traditional crafts. He covers a variety of decorative arts, including painting, fabric work, woodworking, and found objects. Each chapter contains several related projects ranging from reverse painting on glass to quilting, stenciling, and tin-can sculpture. The activities might be best for individuals or families as some of the crafts can be costly (e.g., a sponge-painted stool), but most are easily adapted for classroom use. Directions are generally clear. Many quality, full-color photos are included. Activities and sidebars appear between sections of the main text, which may confuse students until they realize that this supplemental information is always set against a color background. There appears to be some confusion between the Amish and the Mennonites, who are identified as "plain" people who "use only horse-drawn wagons and buggies to travel." There are also some grammatical errors. Nevertheless, the book contains great supplemental material for art teachers or homeschoolers on an often overlooked topic.–Laurie Edwards, Infinity Charter School, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-12. The author of Archaeology for Kids (2001) offers another comprehensive, illustrated overview that invites children to reexamine the objects of daily life. Here, he introduces young readers to folk art, which he contrasts with "academic art," works created by formally trained artists. Chapters focusing on specific artistic forms, such as paintings, textiles, and furniture, are followed by well-chosen activities, most of which are art projects that use typical folk art materials. The inclusion of "kids" in the title may scare off older readers, but there's a wealth of information and clearly defined artistic terms that will easily support middle- and high-school reports. The many fine color images don't always match the text description, and there are no notes, although a bibliography, a list of museums with folk art collections, and a glossary are appended. Still, this is a unique resource that will encourage a wide age range of students to reconsider what makes an object art and perhaps to reconnect with their own cultural heritages. Pair this with Susan Goldman Rubin's Art against the Odds [BKL F 15 2004]. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556524994
• ISBN-13: 978-1556524998
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #309,171 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #90 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Crafts & Music > Art > History
  • #95 in Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Folk Art

More About the Author

Born in Queens, New York, Richard Panchyk attended the prestigious Stuyvesant High School. He received a Master's degree in Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, and also completed doctoral coursework there. He knew he wanted to be a writer by the time he was seven years old. He sold his first "book," a four-page handwritten trivia booklet, to a third grade classmate for five cents. In college, he held numerous positions on the student newspaper, including Editor-in-Chief. Among other things, he wrote more than 100 articles and published a cartoon called "Over the Ledge." He printed a small book of his poems at the age of 19, and published his first book with Van Nostrand Reinhold at the age of 21. Since then has published 17 books for a total of more than 2,400 pages, including eight books in the "For Kids" series published by Chicago Review Press.