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Art Tales

Need ideas for how to talk about art with your little ones? Watch these videos to start the conversation and get your little artist making!

Take time to look closely and listen carefully—to the artwork, to the books, and to each other. Let children’s interests and attention span set the pace for a shared looking and reading experience. Encourage conversation throughout your reading, not just at the end. Sharing thoughts and questions as they arise helps keep everyone engaged.

Follow up your exploration with a museum visit or a hands-on art making experience. What new ideas about an artist’s work—including your own!—do you have after learning more?

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Do you want to make art like a famous painter? Learn how to create your very own cut-out collage with just paper, scissors, and a glue stick! By the end you’ll be painting with scissors (with your parents’ permission of course!) just like the French artist Henri Matisse. Perfect arts and crafts activity for kids aged four and up.

Learn more about Art Tales at the National Gallery of Art:  www.nga.gov/arttales

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Escuche el libro  “Las Tijeras De Matisse” por Jeanette Winter en voz alta. Cuenta la historia del viaje del artista francés Henri Matisse de pintor clásico a maestro del colorido collage recortado. Consulta nuestra lectura de cuentos de este mes, disponible solo del 24 de enero al 31 de marzo.

Aprende más acerca de Art Tales en la National Gallery of Art: www.nga.gov/arttales

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Do you want to make art like a famous painter? Create your own color square masterpiece with just markers or paint, paper, scissors, and a glue stick! By the end you’ll be coordinating blocks of color just like the artist Alma Thomas. Perfect arts and crafts activity for kids aged four and up.

Learn more about Art Tales at the National Gallery of Art:  www.nga.gov/arttales

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¿Quieres crear arte como un pintor famoso? ¡Aprende a crear tu propio collage recortado con solo papel, tijeras y pegamento! Al final, estarás pintando con tijeras (¡con el permiso de tus padres, por supuesto!) como el artista francés Henri Matisse. Actividad de arte y manualidades perfecta para niños de cuatro años en adelante.

Aprende más acerca de Art Tales en la National Gallery of Art: www.nga.gov/arttales  

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Listen to this read aloud of Jeanette Winter’s book “Henri’s Scissors” which tells the tale of French artist Henri Matisse’s journey from classic painter to master of the colorful cut-out collage. Check out our storybook reading this month, available only from January 24th to March 31st.

Learn more about Art Tales at the National Gallery of Art:  www.nga.gov/arttales