Natural Transient Art in Early Years Settings
(Photo Credit: Glenwood Family Centre)
This blog posts explores what is transient art and some of the origins of transient art. It also, looks at the why (intent) behind transient art, how it can benefit children’s learning, development, and well-being. As well as starter resources for early years settings to begin to evolve your practice into the journey of transient art.
What is transient art?
Transient art is the use of loose parts or natural objects to make art that is ‘moveable’ and not permanent. It can be evolved and developed over time. It allows children to embrace the process rather than the product. As well as being able to continuously develop and grow their ideas, think of new ideas, reflect, and change their art piece.
How can you draw on famous artists to influence your practice or study with children?
Both Andy Goldsworthy and Richard Shilling are famous nature artists, who make arrangements with natural materials (or what we might coin the phrase natural loose parts). They produce wonderful and beautiful made pieces out in nature and are highly inspirational for those of you who want to explore natural art using loose parts. Providing books, photos and posters of their work can help to promote and inspire children. Additionally, you could introduce I.C.T. skills as you research and find out about these different artists.
Why is participating in transient art beneficial to learning, development and well-being?
Both Goldsworthy and Shilling recognise the importance of nature art and the benefit of taking the opportunity to connect with nature. Nature Connection is to sound a little bit corny the relationship that we have with nature, just like we have a relationship with one another. Our connection with nature is important to our well-being, Richard Louv goes as far as to say that children are now suffering with something he has labelled a nature-deficit disorder. Simply because in everyday life and society, we have lost that connection with nature, which is having a detrimental effect on well-being. So, promoting space and opportunities to be outside and connect with nature, now more then ever is so important to our well-being. To find out more about nature connection and well-being in the early years, click here to book on our next running of our webinar.
Joining in the process of transient art can help to build children’s confidence and resilience. It is believed that there is less pressure of getting it right or wrong, but also children are not doing anything permanent. Therefore, if they are not happy with something then they can easily undo it and start again, or simply rearrange items.
As children explore transient art it can help support all areas of development and learning. From exploring positioning, making arrangements, patterns, symmetry, working cooperatively with others, exploring their own ideas, building on ideas, adapting changing. Communicating with others to share ideas and thoughts, talking about texture, shape, size, and differences in natural objects. Creating simple representations and giving meanings to them, the learning opportunities are literally endless.
Starter resources for introducing natural transient art to early years settings.
So, what do you need to start collecting resources to create an amazing area outdoors or indoors with natural items to give children an opportunity to participate in transient art. My first advice would be to get parents and staff involved…can they collect items when they are out and about on their walks?
Things such as:
Fir cones
Acorns
Pinecones
Leaves
Feathers
Coloured petals from the floor
Sticks
Pieces of fallen bark
Moss
Stones and pebbles
Shells
Bamboo circles
Straw
Wood shavings
Sometimes some children find it helpful to have a photo frame or stick frame to create their image in.
If you want to find out more about using loose parts in your setting why not join our webinar, ‘Loose Parts More Than Just a Fad’ on the 13th May 2021 at 7:30 pm.
(Photo Credit: ST Teresa’s Nursery)