a peek inside the fishbowl

I’d like to take a moment to welcome the latest Fishbowl patron: 4Cats Arts Studio. I am really thrilled that 4Cats has come on board.

4Cats is an art studio for kids located in the neighbourhood of Hintonburg – just slightly east of where I am in Westboro. They’re all about (1) fun art instruction and (2) really awesome birthday parties.

Here is a peek at some of the student art inside:

I’ve been to 4Cats before. I wrote a piece about them for SavvyMom some time ago, and I was able to sit down with the owner, Emaly, for a good while and learn about her philosophy on kids and art and the joy of creating things of our very own.

Regular readers will already know how excited about I am about this kind of thing. Art is important. Getting kids creating things is good for their brains and their development in so many ways… and we don’t even know the half of it.

To summarize: Art is good.

I was invited to attend a special momblogger night at 4Cats on Friday night, the goal of which was to introduce a bunch of us to the studio and the beauty that is Splattering Things With Paint.

Oh my. It is fun. There’s a special room that is set aside just for splatter painting. You mix your paints, grab some brushes, and let loose. Scrap paper hangs on the wall, and once you feel like you have a good handle on things you proceed to decorating your canvas.

There’s even a safety zone, so parents can watch their kids go at it – and not get splashed – :

I haven’t even mentioned the balloon splattering part, or the syringe-full-of-paint part. It is super. You will have to take my word for it.

Can you imagine doing this for a birthday party? The birthday boy or girl get a huge canvas that everyone works on co-operatively à la Jackson Pollock (hopefully without the alcohol and cigarettes) and the attendees get smaller ones to bring home. WOW.

One of the most interesting things on Friday was seeing what the other ladies created. What colours did they choose? Did they use a lot of paint or just a little? Was their fear in their hearts or did they just give ‘er?

I’m sure Emaly has seen it all and has drawn her own conclusions about our various foibles.

I’ve thought about it a lot since Friday, and you know what, never before have I had the opportunity to splatter paint around like that, so so so, MESSILY. It felt great to be able to let go of what is “right,” of what is “pretty,” of what is “tidy,” of what is “art.”

Emaly is a real find. It’s clear she’s passionate about kids and art. She’s extremely knowledgeable and smiles a twinkly smile when describing her many different classes, workshops, and teaching art to kids as young as two. TWO! Somehow the 4Cats concept makes art – which can be so snobby and stuffy and unapproachable – into something that is totally accessible, delightful, and confidence-building… for people of all ages. And that’s not an easy task.

I recommend looking into the upcoming December workshops. They’re priced just right, and perfect for dropping your kids off to do something creative (or make something for grandma and grandpa!) while you skip away for a quiet coffee and a shop in the ‘hood.

Thanks again to Emaly and 4Cats, for bringing colour into our lives!

ETA: 4Cats has a great coupon on LivingSocial today. I bought a voucher for a 90-minute art class for $9. It’s a 55% savings. This offer is only available TODAY. Not only is it a great deal (!) but if three of my friends buy today’s deal by clicking this link, I get mine for free.