A stroke, a dot, a geometric figure, or even a hue. The visual language surrounds our surroundings, yet it also serves as a means of expressing emotions, knowledge and experiences through diverse materials and artistic techniques that are now part of a highly innovative educational initiative.
The pupils of the Las Retamas Early Childhood and Primary Education Centre (CEIP), located in the capital of Tenerife, are engaged in an endeavor led by teacher Lara Guevara, who is not only an educator but also an artist and designer. She aimed to engage over a hundred school children in an activity that transforms the conventional Fine Arts curriculum into a captivating journey through various artistic movements.
From minimalism to impressionism or cubism, each major art style is featured in this project, which has involved the entire school community since September. The teacher elaborates, “The aim is to explore art from a broader perspective, introducing students to the realm of culture through the fundamental elements of visual language.”
The initiative teaches students to distinguish between cool and warm colours, to use brushes without straying from the outlined contours, to work with tempera, and even how to conduct themselves during a gallery visit. These educational and enjoyable sessions culminated in the opening of the school’s inaugural art exhibition; the assembly hall was transformed into a vast museum open for visitation until the following week, complete with an audio guide crafted by the students themselves.
