With school starting back, the art projects are sure to start rolling in. It's always great to see what they've made, at school or home, but we're curious how long you leave it out on display? 6 days? 6 weeks? 6 months? What, you still have that clay plate from 1982 sitting out?
I was recently in the home of good friends and this lovely little bird had been crafted at a local art class over the summer. It sat proudly on display with all the other important works of art in their stairway and this vase of flowers. The look was precious and Mom plans to switch things out come the holidays, but for now this bird has found its nest.
How long do you keep your children's masterpieces out on display? Share your thoughts on the longevity of these types of items in the comments below.
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As a teacher, the rule was no art on display that was more than a month old, but my classroom had an always-open art center and we didn't do many teacher guided projects, so, by the end of each day, we had stacks and stacks of masterpieces to display. Most of it went up on the wall and, even though the art covered the entire classroom's walls from the children's eye level down, there was never enough space for all of it. So, the rule was no more than a month. In reality, art was displayed week at the most.
We have very little space to display our kids art (or any art for that matter). Our unwritten rule is that when the fridge is full and you want to put up something new, pick one of your old pieces to take down and then add the new. If it is not a fridge friendly project then we have a table in the living/family/play room that holds those. If it is holiday art then is comes down at the same time as the other holiday decor.
I keep particular pieces up as long as I want. Some of the large painted canvas are on a wall, and I don't plan on moving them unless we paint a new canvas or two.
However long they want. I figure if they're proud of it and we have space, why not? Obviously I dont allow them to hang it just any place but we have a huge wall to display art and then anywhere in their bedroom. Their walls are covered in art, way better then buying generic pieces in my mind. It's look beautiful and creative! If the run out of space they can choose to take some down or not display new work.
Who cares! Wheres that mermaid vase from?
As a kindergarten teacher, if it's a class project, we leave it up until the next project is ready to be displayed. If it's a personal work of art gifted to us by students, it stays up all school year if there's room. If we run out of room, then I start replacing with new artworks. The ones that have been there longest come down first. Some really special ones come home with me at the end of the year and go into a keepsake box.
At our house, the girls are in charge of swapping out their items. They each have their own galleries in the playroom, and another in the hallway between their bedrooms. When they are done, I take a photo of the item and then toss it in recycling. The photos get blogged and saved digitally. REALLY special things stay in my memory box forever.
I would love to know where the mermaid vase is from.
For those interested in the mermaid vase it's $65 at
http://www.atwestend.com/
http://www.atwestend.com/Catalogue/coastal_3/mermaid-vase
*Actually now I'm not sure if it's the same one...very similar though.
I would think it would depend on the quality of the materials the art was made from. I recall making three wisemen out of different types of pasta glued to cardboard and painted gold when I was in 2nd grade. My mother brought them out every christmas for years and they were displayed above a doorway.
I love the idea of having a child's own personal art gallery in their room. My step daughter was very artistic and would hang her 'artwork' on her walls and when she grew bored of it it disappeared.
However, I do a lot of painting to relax and sometimes do custom work for others, and she picked up my talents, and one time I opened a package from her and it contained a very modern/retro looking painting of a heart on a green background. (she was 6-7)
She is in her senior year in high school, but I will never get rid of it.
@krgr1428
Thanks, I think it's the same vase! I know what I'm asking Santa for!
My mother was particularly great at keeping kiddie art and making it work within her decor (of course my sister has always been artistically talented so she had good material). Growing up she had 4 matted frames in the entrance way which she changed our artwork in and our of. Framing it made it look 100% better. I didn't think much of it but looking back I think it was great and I'm certain it encouraged my sister to pursue a career in the arts. My mom also still has Xmas ornaments decorate by my sister and I and several nieces and nephews. One of her favorites is a ornament made in kindergarten by my cousin who just turned 42. You'd never know it was an art project that most people would have discarded years ago.
we have a small hallway, and we created a mini "gallery" for our son's art. the gallery grows for 6 months-1 year, and then i buy a cheap canvas from the art store and we create a collage from all the artwork in the gallery. we hang the collage in my son's room. they end up being really neat pieces of art.