Welcome back to the Art Room

I’m really sorry your old art teacher was bad at their job.

They let you believe you weren’t good enough. They told you that you drew things wrong. They gave you so many instructions that you couldn’t keep track of what was expected of you. They showed you an example of what your art was supposed to look like, and that definitely was not what your art looked like. They made you think you were bad at art.

They were wrong.

And now we’re going to start over.

My name is Naava and I’m your new art teacher.

Together we are going to reclaim your creativity. We’re going to let you make the things you’ve always wanted to make. We’re going to let you be silly, irreverent and even overly precious if you want. We’re going to agree with you when you are proud of what you made.

When we lay out all the materials on the table, we’re not going to decide what you’re going to make. We’re going to say, “Let’s see what happens.”

We’re going to hang your art up on the wall with tape. We’re going to sign your name with a Sharpie. We’re going to show your art to other people so that they’re inspired too.

We’re going to help you raise brave, creative kids of your own so that they always know they are an artist too. We’re going to make art next to our kids, not for them.

We are going to get paint on our hands, stain our clothes, and when people ask us why our fingertips are pink and purple, we’re going to say, “Because I’m an artist.”

Take off that smock. Turn the music on. Believe in yourself.

Welcome to the art room.

Love, Naava