Painting the Peak District: The Art of Loose Parts

In his essay, How Not to Cheat Children: The Theory of Loose Parts, Simon Nicholson described that 'in any environment, both the degree of inventiveness and creativity, and the possibility of discovery, are directly proportional to the number and kind of variables in it,' meaning that a child is likely to experience more creative and inventive play or learning if they have, in their environment, a selection of open-ended, multi-use objects such as building blocks and baskets as opposed to 'fixed' toys with 'obvious' uses, an electronic toy phone for example. Nicholson called these open-ended objects Loose Parts.

I like to keep Nicholson's theory in mind whilst planning for Art Play. Art materials, by their very nature are open-ended ('loose parts'). With them, one could suggest that you are only limited by your imagination, that the degree of 'inventiveness and creativity' is infinite. The problem is, 'loose parts' can close if there is someone trying to direct the play, or give too many instructions. Take Lego, for instance, originally an open-ended construction toy with limitless creativity, it seems to have morphed into intricate craft model-building kits. Same toy, different approach.

As the person 'in charge' or the 'tutor' at Art Play, I am aware that I could potentially obstruct any 'inventiveness and creativity' with too many instructions or demonstrations, so I try to think of myself more as a 'facilitator'. I don't 'teach' art, I 'facilitate' it. I aim to provoke, to provide just the right amount of inspiration, together with carefully-chosen materials, 'loose parts', that the children can 'invent and create' with. I aim to ask the right questions- get the children thinking for themselves and solving their own problems. It's challenging; a fine balance; an 'art' in itself; a continuous struggle to introduce new techniques, art theory and art history, in a way that doesn't interfere with what they are discovering.

Story-telling is a fantastic spring-board to creative work, inciting the imagination. This week, we read Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, then using an abundance of 'loose parts'- clay, beads, wire, leaves, sticks, pine cones and whatever else they could find outside, the children created inventive sculptural responses to the book. There were 'Wild Lands' and 'Wild Things', a 'Wild Road', and even a 'Wild T.V.!' Some children chose to work together to make an even bigger 'Wild Kingdom' complete with creatures, paths and fire-pits 'to keep warm.'