Dalana Castrell - Spiritual Art

I use the language of art as a tool to create a dialog between the student and his world, which allows the child to see within his or her imagination.

I guide the child to establish introspective thinking and encourage the child to explore the depths of his or her unique imagination. I use mixed media as a way to assist children in this process.

Using a variety of media — pencils, markers, and oil-pastel crayons — allows the mind to flow in a non-rigid format, the same way a child plays with toys using different objects to create a story.

We work on paper using a combination of items to form a whole:

• Recycled grocery bags and paper rolls

• Paper plates for mask making

• Collage

• Painting on board

• Illustrating a story
  

When the work is finished, we engage in a conversation which introduces words that help the child to articulate the artistic process, especially in terms of how the elements are arranged in a visual image. This allows children to experience how much fun it is to talk about the process and their ideas.