The Gallery ~ Saving Children's Creative Projects

March 23, 2011

A few of you have asked what we do with all our children's art and creations. To be sure we don't keep it all but we aren't minimalists when it comes to their creative energies either.

What we do with their creations really depends on what it is. Here's how we approach it:

Flat artwork

Drawing, painting, collage, photography, etc. See my supply list for these type of crafts.

If the artwork is flat and chosen by either parents or child for showcasing it goes on the gallery wall (as shown above). Damien built this corkboard gallery for our family a couple years ago. It's super easy to make with just some basic tools and building know-how. It's a key feature in our home and if you visit it's one of the first places the children will show you to share their latest artwork.
After a few months on the gallery wall (select pieces only are chosen for the gallery) the artwork gets filed in each child's yearly homeschool portfolio. Many pieces of Laurent's art by-pass the gallery all together and go straight to the binder. The boy is an artist and we take seriously the archiving of his work (we do with the girls also but their creative output is different and is saved differently). The girls also send artwork straight to the binder, but with much less frequency - like once every couple weeks.
Creative paper artwork that is not worthy of saving (as agreed by parent and child) is recycled. When the children were younger (ie: under age 7) I saved their favorite scribbles and artwork in individual memory binders. You can read more about those here.
Select paintings done on canvas board and framed stitching projects are hung on the wall for long term. Our walls, and even windows, are decorated with photography (mine and others), stitched heirlooms and gifts from family, and our children's art. I love it! Every piece is somehow meaningful to our family.

{In the coming month I will share more of my desk organization and this beautiful cork door Damien built}

3D Creative Projects

Sewing, stuffies, miniatures, felting, clay, etc. Anything that is not flat and takes up space.

These objects are created, in most cases, for play or some other function. We therefore treat them as we would other toys and useful items.

mixed pottery bowls

Our guidelines for accumulating and decluttering toys evolve over time, as our children grow, but are similar to what I shared in this guest post at Small Notebook.

Our kids can keep whatever toys - their own creations, gifts, or otherwise - within given parameters. Basically, there is space set aside for these things - under beds, on dressers, and in closets. Once that space is full something (or many things) have to go.

For purchased items we have a one in/one out rule. If you bring something new in the house, something else has to go. The same rule does not apply to created items though.

About once a year we do a big purge and often get rid of less-loved created objects at that time. The kids are learning to continually evaluate their possessions and will often part with created items on their own initiative.

If they are no longer playing with a creation it might get:

given to a cousin (if it's still in good condition)
recycled or burned
composted or thrown out

If the object is very, very meaningful to them and they want to keep it "forever" it gets stored in their childhood memory bin. Each child has one of these and quite honestly not too much gets put in them these days.

We encourage our children to consider gifting their art. And not just cast offs, but to spend energy making gifts vs. buying them. To think about the person they are creating for, what they appreciate and what their needs are.

These posts give examples of that:

We are trying to guide our children more in the direction of mindful creation. To think about how they can use their creative gifts to bless and serve others, not just store up possessions. But we don't want to discourage the creative process so it's a bit of a balancing act sometimes.

Sunflowers, a gift from my sister in law