Developed by Alejandra Phelts, “El Arte Alimenta” is a non-profit art education project. It’s mission is to help the artistic development of children and teenagers who live in orphanages.
It consists on a one year art class program targeting kids from 4 to 14 years of age. Here, different disciplines entwine to help develop their artistic intelligence.

“This program evolved from my experience as an art teacher in these kind of centers. After realizing the positive impact that artistic activity has in the lives of these little ones. And then the question was- How to multiply forces and reach more children?
The answer was to create a one year program, that could be taught not only by an artist o educator, but by any person willing to help.
That was how the pilot program was tested in Casa Hogar Belén, implemented successfully on 8 to 10 year old kids by their fellow housemates thirteen year old Jazmín and fifteen year old Marisol.
The second year twelve year old Sara and fourteen year old Mitzy implemented the program on smaller children ages 5 to 7.”

 

Prototype Class

Breathing Exercise

1. Breath as you lift your arms for 4 seconds, hold the air in, then exhale as you say the word CALM.
2. Make circular movements with your head and shoulders.

Creativity Exercise

The Supermarket Cart:

The kids make a single file, after, a spot is chosen (about 9 feet away). In that spot there will be an imaginary supermarket shelf, a supermarket where you can buy all kinds of things. For this, the teacher must select a category (examples on the inferior text) and the child must run to the imaginary shelf, and upon arriving shout out an article from that category and then return to their original place in the single file.

Categories:

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Food
• Cities and countries
• Home articles
• Construction material
• Body parts
• Animals
• Colors and numbers
• Clothing
• Insects

Musical Exercise: Disc 1

The teacher tells the kids to stand about 3 feet from one another. After saying the word DREAM they close their eyes and in their place start moving to the music, imagining that they are in a dream. After the teacher will say WAKE UP, then the kids will open their eyes and be able to walk to another spot to the rhythm of the music. Then the teacher will say SLEEP and they have to stop and stay where they are, as still as possible. Between every movement the music should be changed.

Drawing Exercise. Disc 2

Before starting the drawing exercise, it’s recommended to have the kids rub their hands together, generating heat and them cover their eyes with them; repeat 2 or 3 times.

 

The Crazy Face:

Kids with a pencil and paper in hand, are seated at a table, face to face. When the teacher gives the indication the kids must start to draw the classmate that is in front of them, after one minute the teacher yells CHANGE! And the kids must change to the seat on their right side and start drawing their ‘new model’ on top of the previous one. They must keep doing this over an over until their drawing is a very interesting and peculiar portrait… a crazy face!

If you want to be involved in the project, implement it in your institution, or are just interested in artistic education write me: phelts@alejandraphelts.com