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You are here: Home / Archives for Art & Faith

Art & Faith

Discover the Power of Painting with Teens in Your Youth Ministry

Alissa Ellett Leave a Comment

Like any form of art, painting with teens helps them make sense of their life, relationships and encourages growth.

painting with teens 106

As youth walk through the world they face several difficult things to navigate, including heartbreak, sexual development, friendship, drug and alcohol use, family dynamics and decisions about the future.

Being a mentor for youth, God has placed you in a unique position to help them make sense of it all. And art, with its many applications, is a great way to do so.

Do you incorporate painting with teens in your ministry? We’d love to know how in the comments below!

painting with teens 107

Just a Starting Point

There are countless ways to help teens process what’s going on in their lives. Art with teens is a helpful avenue with endless possibilities. We’ve put together a list of just five ideas in this blog series: art journaling, sculpture, painting, poetry, and photography.

No matter our age, we connect to our Creator as we live into our own creativity. God creates us, and we’re a part of that collaborative process. Painting with teens is a cool way to experience this metaphor.

We hope these painting ideas are a starting point into deeper connection with God and self and that they help your youth make sense of their world.

painting with teens 103

Laying the Foundation for the Process

All of us, especially teens, develop through a process of trial and error. Art can be the same way as we create through play. We try a thing and see what happens, becoming familiar with the medium and adjusting along the way.

When making art as a form of spiritual formation, there is no specific goal except to listen internally. Each of your youth has a unique story and perspective. As you teach them to listen to the voice within, you facilitate their process of connection with God. So, assure them that there is no wrong or right way to paint.

When doing art with teens, help them trust their intuition, because it is the wisdom guiding them in their process of exploration and growth. As youth learn to trust this, they uncover who God has created and is creating them to be.

painting with teens 102

A Note on Lowering Anxiety

Many youth feel self-conscious and insecure when doing art. So, help ease their anxiety with a few simple tactics.

First, when painting with teens try switching out conventional materials for more unconventional ones like using cardboard instead of watercolor paper. Also, try allowing them to only use their non-dominant hand or have them close their eyes while painting. Additionally, try using paints they used as children, like watercolor trays or bottles of tempera paint.

These tactics help the kids feel that talent isn’t as much a factor in their process and outcome. Now, let’s dive into a few ideas!

painting with teens 103

Crumpled Paper Painting

Pre-paint sheets of paper with dark blue or black paint and crinkle them up into a ball. Place the balls of paper altogether in a container.

Invite your youth to choose one ball of paper. Provide them with paints and paint brushes to create their own painting using the lines on the crumpled paper. This project can be painted in 3D or 2D formats.

Additionally, give them a quote or two to consider as they paint and lead a discussion about their process and reflections after they’ve completed their painting. Use the following quote or others that speak to your youth’s context.

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

“The Internet is the stained glass picture of the 21st century.” -Diana Butler Bass

“The easiest thing to do is throw a rock. It’s a lot harder to create a stained glass window. I used to get upset at the people who threw rocks but now I’d rather spend my time building the stained glass windows.” -Jon Foreman

painting with teens 101

Drip Painting

This can be a large scale painting done on large sheets of paper on the floor using pour-pots of latex paint. This option can be utilized for a group art project that is completed as a community together. Alternatively, this painting can be created on a small scale using watercolor paper and paint. Organic watercolor shapes can also be painted on the background prior to the drip painting.

For large scale, mount a large piece of canvas on the wall or hang it from the ceiling. Then, provide pour pots of water-based acrylic paint with large paint brushes. Encourage students to work together filling the whole canvas. They can use both painting and pouring techniques as long as it’s non-representational and abstract shapes. Be sure to mask off the ground on which you’re working for easier clean-up.

For small scale, give each student a piece of watercolor paper, a brush or two, a cup of water for rinsing, a few paper towels and a case of watercolor paints like they would have used as children. Next, allow time for the students to fill their paper using the drip and paint method. Be sure to line the table with plastic tablecloths.

Then, lead a discussion with them about the way they used both methods and how they made their decisions. Ask them if they found anything that connected to their understanding of God or their faith journey as they worked.

painting with teens 105

Poured Line Painting

This is an art technique that takes little preparation and planning. It’s a wonderful technique that provides an opportunity to play with “fail free” abstract painting. Ask the students to think as they paint about their feelings around failure, how they define failure, where their standards for failure come from.

First, provide the students with watercolor paper and tubes or small cups of water-based paint. Ask teens to pour their paint onto their sheet of watercolor paper in free-form poured lines. Cross poured lines over one another to form interesting shapes. Teens can also “rock” the paper to create spontaneous designs. Allow lines to completely dry. Next, provide watercolor paint to fill in the shapes with color.

Then, once they’ve completed their pieces, lead a discussion about their reflections as they painting and wonder with them about God’s take on failure and how the world’s ideas may differ.

We hope these ideas have inspired you to think of painting with teens as a spiritual practice. Have you seen the power of painting with your youth? Don’t forget to tell us about it in the comments below!

Discover the Power of Sculpture with Teens in Your Youth Ministry

Alissa Ellett 2 Comments

Like any form of art, doing sculpture with teens helps them make sense of their life, relationships and encourages growth.

sculpture with teens 101

As youth walk through the world they face several difficult things to navigate, including heartbreak, sexual development, friendship, drug and alcohol use, family dynamics and decisions about the future.

Being a mentor for youth, God has placed you in a unique position to help them make sense of it all. And art, with its many applications, is a great way to do so.

Do you incorporate sculpture with teens in your ministry? We’d love to know how in the comments below!

Just a Starting Point

There are countless ways to help teens process what’s going on in their lives. Art with teens is a helpful avenue with endless possibilities.We’ve put together a list of just five ideas in this blog series: art journaling, sculpture, painting, poetry, and photography.

No matter our age, we connect to our Creator as we live into our own creativity. God shapes us as a potter molds clay, and we’re a part of that collaboratively creative process. Sculpture is a cool way for your youth to experience this metaphor.

We hope these sculpture ideas help them make sense of their world, connect to God and discover themselves, too.

sculpture with teens 104

Laying the Foundation for the Process

All of us, especially teens, develop through a process of trial and error. Art can be the same way as we create through play. We try a thing and see what happens, becoming familiar with the medium and adjusting along the way.

When making art as a form of spiritual formation, there is no specific goal except to listen internally. Each of your youth has a unique story and perspective. As you teach them to listen to the voice within, you facilitate their process of connection with God. So, assure them that there is no wrong or right way to sculpt.

When doing art with teens, help them trust their intuition, because it is the wisdom guiding them in their process of exploration and growth. As youth learn to trust this, they uncover who God has created and is creating them to be.

sculpture with teens 102

Ideas for Doing Sculpture with Teens

Many youth can feel self-conscious and insecure when doing art. When doing sculpture with teens try using unconventional materials, or allow them to only use one hand or have them close their eyes while sculpting. These tactics help the kids feel that talent isn’t a factor in their process.

Foil Sculptures

Give each student a roll of aluminum foil and a prompt, e.g.: the state of their life currently, what God looks like, what they hope for this year. Then, set a timer and let them create. When time is up, lead a discussion, encouraging them to describe and explain their sculptures.

Playdough Sculptures

Give each student three colors of playdough. They can mix their colors or not. Next, give them a prompt such as creating their greatest passion or what they imagine Heaven to be. Then, ask them what it was like to use that medium. Discuss their sculptures together as a group and give an opportunity for them to describe what they did and why.

sculpture with teens 105

Wood Scrap Sculptures

Gather wood scraps from your congregation or local home improvement store. Usually, stores will allow you to take scraps for free. Stop at a craft store to grab wooden shapes, too. Non-representational items encourage imagination and can be used more freely. So, try to stick to those.

Provide the kids with wood glue, sandpaper, wood files, paints, etc. Then, invite them to create something that’s meaningful to them or simply to pay attention to the process of creation. Then, discuss the experience and what they’ve made.

Free Sculpting

Provide the kids with various materials they can use to create sculptures. Then, give them time for free sculpting. Tell them that they can use this time to talk to God, meditate, relax, or create something specific. This can be a great time for teens to simply quiet their minds and do something that makes no demand on them.

We hope these ideas have inspired you to think of sculpture with teens as a spiritual practice. Have you seen the power of sculpture with your youth? Don’t forget to tell us about it in the comments below!

Discover the Power of Art Journals with Teens in Your Youth Ministry

Alissa Ellett Leave a Comment

Creating art journals with teens helps them make sense of their lives and relationships and encourages growth.

art journals 101

As youth walk through the world, they face several difficult things to navigate, including heartbreak, sexual development, friendship, drug and alcohol use, family dynamics and decisions about the future.

Being a mentor for youth, you are in a unique position to help them make sense of it. And art, with all its applications, is a great way to do so.

Do you incorporate art journaling with teens in your ministry? We’d love to know how in the comments below!

art journals 102

Just a Starting Point

There are countless ways to help teens process what’s going on in their lives. Art with teens is a helpful avenue of endless possibilities. We’ve put together a list of just five ideas in this blog series: art journaling, sculpture, painting, poetry, and photography.

We hope this series of blogs will inspire you. But, don’t be limited to these articles. No matter our age, we connect to our Creator as we live into our creativity. So, think up other ideas that will be helpful for your youth group.

Laying the Foundation for the Process

All of us, especially teens, develop through a process of trial and error. Art is the same way. We create through play, trying a thing and seeing what happens.

When journaling, there is no specific goal, except to listen internally. Each of your youth has a unique story and perspective. As you teach them to listen to the voice within, you facilitate their process of connection with God. So, assure them that there is no wrong or right way to journal.

When doing art with teens tell them to trust their intuition, because it is the wisdom guiding them in their process of discovery and growth. As youth learn to trust this, they uncover who God has created and is creating them to be.

art journals 103

How to Create Art Journals

First, gather some basic supplies for your students to use:

  1. Blank, unlined journals
  2. Watercolors
  3. Tissue paper
  4. Pens
  5. Colored pencils
  6. Glue sticks

Second, invite them to create a background out of tissue paper, watercolor or colored pencil. They may use one page or the spread of two pages. Encourage them to cover the entire page with the medium they’ve chosen or a mix of media.

Third, encourage them to think of a topic they’d like to write on like their family, a current struggle/joy, or question for God.

Fourth, give them time to create their entry that revolves around that topic. Encourage the youth to use very few or no words at all.

Fifth, discuss together as a group what was challenging about the process, what they experienced and discovered, and how they feel having done it.

art journals 104

Invitation to Continue

Once your time creating together is over, invite your youth to continue this process of creation. If it was particularly meaningful to them, give them opportunities to make it a regular practice.

You can send the art journals home with your students to use and invite them to bring them back periodically. Or keep them at the church to use when you do contemplative practices as a group.

Have you used art journals in your youth ministry? Don’t forget to tell us about it in the comments below!

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