Michigan State University Extension

4-H Youth Development

 

 

4-H Arts

4-H Visual Arts

4-H Visual Arts ProgramsArt projects can activate kids' senses to explore and express themselves creatively. Watch young people open up as they draw, paint, take photos, work with wood or make crafts. Kids and adults gain confidence as they improve their visual art skills. 4-H visual arts includes crafts, fine arts, photography and woodworking.

The Michigan 4-H Youth Development offers the following events and educational materials to support young people and adults in exploring visual arts:

Training & Events

For upcoming training and events in this area, check the 4-H Volunteer Workshops web site, the MSU Extension Calendar and the 4-H Exploration Days web site.

  • “4-H Crafts, Visual Arts and Performing Arts Workshop” Kettunen Center, Tustin, Michigan, October 24-25, 2009
    For Michigan 4-H volunteers, both adults and youth (aged 13 years by January 1, 2010 and older) and 4-H staff and other adults who work with youth. Register with your county MSU Extension office by October 9, 2009.
  • 4-H Children's Art Exchange with China
    Kindergartners to sixth graders are invited to send "visual letters" to children their own age in China. Teaching kits are available to facilitate teaching about both China and making art. For more information, check out the "Educational Materials" section of the Michigan 4-H China Project and visit the online exhibit, "Visual Letters–The Art of Michigan Children."
  • Michigan Week Youth Photo Contest
    2003 was the first year of a youth photo contest coordinated by Michigan State University Extension's 4-H Youth Development and the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries with financial support from donations to the Michigan 4-H Foundation and the Michigan Barn Preservation Network.

Learning Materials

More information on the 4-H Expressive Arts Series of publications can be found through the MSU Bulletin Office. For more information on the 4-H Children's Art Exchange Teaching Kits, contact your county MSU Extension office.

Learning materials in this area include:

4-H Expressive Arts Series:

  • 4-H Expressive Arts Manual (4-H 1525)
    This introductory manual of the 4-H Expressive Arts Series shows how to make "design finders" and "design idea books" that can help 4-H'ers collect art and craft project ideas. The manual has fun introducing the five elements of design (line, shape, form, color and texture) and the five principles of design (balance, emphasis, rhythm, proportion and harmony). (20 pages, adapted from Washington State 4-H, 1995)
  • 4-H Expressive Arts: Line (4-H 1526)
    Lines can be strong or delicate, curved or straight, jagged or calm. Lines can be used in many ways to express thoughts or feelings in an art or craft work. This manual demonstrates weaving activities, string art, crayon sgraffito, drawing lettering, enlarging and reducing designs, line collages, seed strings and braided belts. (28 pages, adapted from Washington State 4-H, 1995)
  • 4-H Expressive Arts: Shape (4-H 1527)
    This manual is about two-dimensional shapes — the kind an artist draws or paints on a surface. The bulletin includes instructions for block printing, paper and fabric collages, stitchery, collage stitchery, paper stained glass, crocheted rugs or mats, poster making, paper cut crafts and spatter painting. (24 pages, adapted from Washington State 4-H, 1995)
  • 4-H Expressive Arts: Form (4-H 1528)
    This manual discusses three-dimensional art — things with sides, tops and bottoms. It includes instructions for working with homemade clay and making pinch, slab or coil pottery. Other project activities include sand casting, soap sculpture, basketry, papier machJ and still-life drawing. (24 pages, adapted from Washington State 4-H, 1995)
  • 4-H Expressive Arts: Color (4-H 1529)
    Suppose you could never again use red, yellow, green, blue or purple. Suppose you could only use black, white and shades of gray to create your artwork. This manual will help you think about how color affects personal expression in art. Project activities include making candles, crayon batik, tie-dye pieces, stained glass patchwork, mini-patchwork, painted eggshells, watercolor painting and preserving natural colors in flowers, leaves and evergreens. (24 pages, adapted from Washington State 4-H, 1995)
  • 4-H Expressive Arts: Texture (4-H 1530)
    Texture is the surface quality of things — for example, how rough or smooth something feels when you touch it, or even how it looks like it should feel. In this manual, you'll explore texture rubbings, papermaking, mosaics, macrame, rya, drawing texture and creating a "texture petting zoo." (20 pages, adapted from Washington State 4-H, 1995)

Michigan 4-H China Project4-H Children's Art Exchange Teaching Kits

The teaching kits are designed to facilitate teaching about both China and making art that young people can submit as part of the 4-H Children's Arts Exchange with China. For more information, check out the "Educational Materials" section of the Michigan 4-H China Project.

Photography

  • Adventures With Your Camera A – Manual for 8- to 10-Year-Olds (4-H 1566, 43 pages)
  • Adventures With Your Camera B – Manual for 11- to 14-Year-Olds (4-H 1567, 47 pages)
    Each topic area (adventure) in this series includes a list of goals to be accomplished and life and job skills gained by participants who complete the adventure. The manuals include the latest in digital photography and digital file information. The first manual presents the basics of photograph, including information on getting to know your camera, saving and sharing photos, seeing the shot and choosing good subjects. The second manual provides a more detailed overview of basic photography concepts. Topics covered include photography basics, picture composition, flashes and film, concepts of lighting and focusing on careers.(National 4-H Council, 1999)

Woodworking

  • Woodworking Wonders 1: Measuring Up (4-H 1588)
  • Woodworking Wonders 2: Making the Cut (4-H 1589)
  • Woodworking Wonders 3: Nailing It Together (4-H 1590)
  • Woodworking Wonders 4: Finishing Up (4-H 1591)
  • Woodworking Wonders: Helper’s Guide (4-H 1592)
    This series, written for fourth- through twelfth-graders, allows participants to build items using wood and a variety of woodworking tools. From the basic skill of measuring to using advanced equipment such as routers and jointers, this curriculum has something for everyone. Designed to improve participants’ scientific and technical literacy through hands on learning, the curriculum also helps learners develop life skills such as decision-making and communications. (36 pages each, 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System, 1997)

Resources – General

Organizations:

Art Serve Michigan
Riley Broadcast Center
1 Clover Court
Wixom, MI 48393
Phone: 248-912-0760
Toll Free: 800-203-9633
Fax: 248-912-0768
https://www.artservemichigan.org/index.asp
· Mission is to cultivate the creative potential of Michigan's arts and cultural sector to enhance the health and well-being of Michigan, its people and communities.

Detroit Area Film & Television (DAFT)
Digital Arts, Film & Television
P.O. Box 1443
Royal Oak, MI 48068
Phone: 248-547-0847
Email: areyoudaft@hotmail.com
http://www.daftonline.org/
· Mission is to promote media literacy through the creative use of film and video.

Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs (MCACA)
702 West Kalamazoo
P.O. Box 30705
Lansing, MI 48909-8205
Phone: 517-241-4011
Fax: 517-241-3979
Email: artsinfo@michigan.gov
http://www.michigan.gov/arts
· Serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative, cultural activity in Michigan.

Michigan Humanities Council
119 Pere Marquette, Suite 3B
Lansing, MI 48912
Phone: 517-372-7770
Fax: 517-372-0027
Email: contact@mihumanities.org
http://www.michiganhumanities.org/
· Mission is to connect people and communities by fostering and creating quality cultural programs.

Michigan Traditional Arts Programs
Michigan State University Museum
Michigan State University
West Circle Dr.
East Lansing, MI 48824-1045
Phone: 517-355-0368
http://museum.msu.edu/s-program/MTAP/
· Mission is to advance cross-cultural understanding and equity in a diverse society
through the documentation of folk arts and folk life in Michigan.

Very Special Arts/Michigan (VSA of Michigan)
P.O. Box 02805
100 West Alexandrine
Detroit, MI 48202-2805
Phone: 313-832-3303
Fax: 313-832-3387
Email: info[AT]vsami.org
http://www.vsami.org
· Mission is to promote creative power in people with disabilities.

Contact Information

For more information on how to get involved as a youth or volunteer, contact your county MSU Extension office or:

Betsy Knox, Program Leader
4-H Youth Development
Michigan State University
160 Agriculture Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
USA

Email: knoxe@msu.edu
Phone: 517-432-7603
Fax: 517-355-6748

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Last Updated: August 11, 2009
Last Reviewed: February, 2009