As a little book store and workshop, we come across A LOT of blogs that become books. LOTS. And it’s not always easy to make the transition…or have content that doesn’t repeat what your loyal blog readers have already seen. Transitioning your voice, style and concept to a completely new format is difficult, and not all blogs can make the shift. After reading through Barbara Rucci’s first ever book based on her beautifully curated blog, Art Bar – you’ll be delighted to discover that she’s created an engaging and thoughtful guide with 25 new projects to share with her audience.
Rucci writes alongside Reggio Inspired Educator Betsy McKenna which I really enjoyed and respected. We are hugely inspired by the Reggio Approach around here in all our classes and also offer a purely Reggio class taught by trained ECE professionals. We honor it as an approach and really love to see it presented professionally and thoughtfully. Rucci’s experiences alongside McKenna offers a nice balance in understanding, making the book a great guide for teachers and parents alike. There’s also a lot of room for fun – see the “Still Life with Donut” pic for what I’m talking about!
Art Workshop carries Rucci’s distinct and bright palate throughout the book; you’ll feel a familiarity of the blog, but with new projects to try. There’s also a balanced amount of reflection and encouragement of PROCESS over PRODUCT which is my most favorite element of the book. Also, Bar and I straight up like a lot of the same things – organized materials in glass jars? Check! beautiful art supplies? Check! Lots and lots of found objects and cardboard? Check! Check!
I’m pretty excited to bring a few of these projects into our classes and into my home – which I will share with you soon. In the meantime, you’ve got to see what our friends at mammapappabubba made, complete with candles!
Art Workshop for Children will arrive at Collage Collage soon, stay tuned for when you can pick up your own copy!