Materials
Scissors
Glue
Poster board
Paint

Optional
Papier mache, old hat, tissue paper, fabric, pipe cleaners, feathers, markers, beads, and anything else needed to achieve the desired effect

There is nothing more satisfying and enjoyable than imagining an idea and then figuring out how to make it come to life visually so someone else can respond to it. Art education makes learning an investigation and promotes creative problem solving—a useful life skill.

Begun in 1961 by the Council for Art Education, Youth Art Month (YAM) is an annual observance in March to emphasize the value of art education and to encourage support for quality school art programs. The theme of this year’s YAM observance in Oklahoma is Hats Off to Arts Education. In the name of fun and creativity, I challenge your family to create hats that keep the objectives of YAM: they should have a theme and be able to be worn on your head and sit on a table as a sculptural piece of art.

Process
Begin with a basic idea of your theme. Your hat can evolve from there. Will you use an element or principle of art, such as an overall color or pattern as your theme? Maybe an artist like Picasso or an art movement like Op Art or Surrealism will inspire you. The best ideas often come from your interests and imagination. Think outside the normal boundaries of a hat and make it something the viewer can interact with.

Is there a door that can be opened or a window to look through? Maybe you can hang items that will spin with the movement of your head. The only limits of this project are your imagination and the principle of balance. Decide if you will use an actual hat as your base or if you want to form a hat from poster board or papier mache. Construct the hat remembering that once it is removed from your head it must sit as a sculptural art piece. Try putting your hat on the table as you assemble it to make sure it will work
both ways.

Don’t rush in the excitement of your creation. Instead, step back and look at it as it evolves. Do you need to add something? Remove something? Could your project benefit by another (more carefully applied) coat of paint? Quality control is an important part of any project because when it’s not checked, it can destroy a great idea. Sit back and admire the fruit of your imagination, but don’t let the creativity stop there. Put your hat out for the public  to enjoy during Youth Art Month.

Your local library, school, bank, or church might love to showcase your Hats Off to Art creation this month—just ask. Send your hat photos to info@MetroFamilyMagazine.com to be posted online for all to see. The sky is the limit when art is the start.

Note: If you do this project please contact me at rwpi17@wispinx.com and I will award you a Youth Arts Month certificate for your observance of YAM.

Pictured above: Kolton Brown, Bailey Burgess, and Ashley Almond are 7th-grade art students at the
Middle School of Piedmont. Kolton and Bailey are holding Able Nieto’s hat.