Art Lesson: Learning from Courbet

Last week, I wrote about my decision to focus our studies this year on art, using it as a tool to discuss everything from history and math to science, ethics and character. Just about any subject can be studied through the arts, and we're having a great time both experiencing the artists and trying our own hands at their media and styles.

But funny things happens when kids have the freedom to stray from the lesson.





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Nålebinding - a new fiber art for V

E has always enjoyed the fiber arts. First, she just played with string and thread and rubbed her tiny fingers on any cloth she could find. Later, she learned to knit (thanks, Grandma), sew, embroider and spin fibers (cotton, wool and dog hair). Today, E has a new fiber arts project, thanks in no small part to volunteers at the Elverhøj Museum in Solvang.

While visiting Solvang for Danish Days, we stopped by the museum to visit the doll house and kid-friendly docents and for a story-telling/paper-cutting session. E was soon distracted from the norm by the lace makers working on site. While she tried her hand at Mrs. Hale's lace, the two got to talking. When Mrs. Hale learned E's fiber arts tendencies, she got very excited, picked up a binder and told E to go inside the museum, find Mrs. Hale's daughter, Crystal, and ask about nålebinding.

An hour and a half later, E had been given a great start on the ancient art of "knotless knitting" which predates both crochet and knitting. She had practiced long enough to get the muscle memory well set, and to develop an appreciation of the form. According to Crys, the vikings used the craft to make everything from socks to hats. Unlike knitting or crochet, she explained, nålebinding doesn't unravel if it's injured. It also requires only one tool, some sort of dull "needle," and short lengths of yarn.

If you'd like to try your hand at it, begin here or watch the video here.

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Blueberry Pie

While we were away on our last trip, V mentioned pumpkin pie a time or two. I think the idea got into her head during our summertime Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's and Grandpa's. Once home, I decided to make her a pie. (It's no fun having a hankering for weeks on end.) The pie crust recipe is large enough for a whole covered pie or two topless pies. So, once we had V's pie ready for the oven, I asked the girls what we should do with the extra crust.

E was quick to the mark.

"Blueberry pie!"

She's also been talking about blueberry pie for awhile and we recently picked blueberries at a local farm. So, blueberry pie it was. E was so excited about the pie that she offered to help. It was pretty simple and tasted DELICIOUS when we were finished. The only problem was that the baking time which led to a wonderfully thickened fruit filling also burned the crud out of the crust edges. Ah well. We managed.



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