Kids produce a lot of art, but what's a parent to do with it all?

Featured on grandforksherald.com

Kids produce a lot of art, but what's a parent to do with it all?

If the piles of artwork created by your little Picasso are threatening to overwhelm your home—as well as your sanity—you may need a strategy for preserving it in a meaningful but manageable way.

"I think kids' art is so unique," said Courtney Olson, a graduate of The Art Institute in Minneapolis who teaches art to kids, ages 2 to 12, at The Ember in downtown Grand Forks.

"When they're young, they let themselves go—that's when they're most free. That art is precious."

Olson, of Crookston, works as a graphic designer at the UND aerospace school.

She prefers using acrylic paint to produce "mostly landscapes," she said, and is a staunch advocate of getting kids involved in art.

"It's a good way to get out and do something else. It's relaxing for kids to color, paint, cut and paste."

In her experience as a kids' art teacher, parents don't ask her about how to save their art, "but I think it's a really good idea," she said.

Olson recommends choosing and saving five to 10 pieces each year that your child likes the most, she said. "It's worth it just keeping a few things, to see how they progress. It's always fun to look back on.

"For myself, I have a decent amount of stuff from when I was young but not so much from (an early age)."

Click here to read the full article for ideas.