Advice on Opportunities to Nurture 12 Year Old's Artistic Abilities

Can you have her write and publish a book? Whether it's published now to 20 years from now, it will get her some juicy practice writing and sketching her own stories.

I found this web site that takes story submissions.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/arbormonth/index.html

Perhaps have her offer her talents to authors and other people who need sketches? Put up some of her work on ETSY? I have run my own business since I was 13-years-old and I still do (now I am 40). There is no age limit to running your own business and it is certainly never boring! I can give her some tips on how to set up an ETSY shop and how to market, etc...she could make a webpage so people can see samples of her work. I recently hired a class of 5th and 6th graders to illustrate a book for me at: www.herbstories.com (if that link does not work you can e-mail me at ____@____.com) - there are also websites like Zazzle where you can upload art and sell it on mugs and things. And don't let her think she is not good enough to start a business! I have seen some amazing adult artists say that. And needs in the market are varied. You do not have to be Van Gogh. It is your style and what you do that matters. Someone out there will want you.

Blessings & Health,
K.
www.TheDreamAngels.com
Mom to three - 10, 12 and 14

If you have a univeristy or even a community college nearby, see if you can set her up to sit in on some of the art and writing classes. She may even benefit from sitting in on high school classes. If she could get involved in set design in any level of school plays, or community plays, she might enjoy that as well. Put together a portfolio of her work to show when you ask about becoming involved in these things.

Another way to go is to find a mentor for her who is older than she is. It could be a student or a teacher in high school or college, or someone who teaches community classes. If you find nothing locally, you could inquire at any of the "5 colleges" in Massachutes- I think Hampshire or Mount Holyoke would be the two to start with. If you need help with who to contact there, please send me a private message and I will find out for you. I have a sister-in-law who went there. I am sure a student would be willing to correspond via the web or through mail. They do independent courses at Hampshire; it would be amazing to study under one of their talented artists.

If your daughter has sufficient talent/potential, many adults groups would likely welcome her into their fold. Just bring her portfolio along and show her work at a writers group or artist meeting. Look at community boards to find these groups. Local open mic nights would be a good jumping off place to get her started finding people who might like to mentor her.

One other idea is to contact Interlochen. They may have ideas about how to develop her potential. I think they may even accept students her age, or not that much older than her.

Above all, make sure your daughter is comfortable with whatever situation you decide to pursue.

P.S. As a young writer in high school a decade ago, I found that the contests and such lost their luster quickly. The ideas I've listed above are the things I wished I'd have pursued, and things I think would have helped my very talented artistic sister develop her potential.

I have seen art museums that offer classes/camps for kids. Not sure if any around here do, but they may at least be a source. From what I've seen they tend to be age/medium specific. Sometimes places like Half Price Books have events, which involve writing and reading - perhaps there may be some she would be interested in - maybe they would let you start one?

I would check with the art teacher at her school and also at the high school - they would have more information on programs that would target more advanced artistic abilities. Also, check into a local college - sometimes they have programs for young artists. And even if they don't - those art professors are artists and went to school for art - they will have a fountain of knowledge and ideas for your 12 year old. I wish you the best and your 12 year old. I think it is great that you are helping her with her talent and are so pro-active with your daughter. Good for you!!!

You can put his art up on a website http://www.artsonia.com/ and have family members go and view it and make comments. I think this is really nice for kids. Let me know what you think.
Thanks
T.

Have you thought about starting a portfolio of her work and taking it to local art galleries? There would at least be people there who can tell you if she is really talented and what other avenues to explore. Maybe evern have her do cards for your friends or as a friend of mine did for me, draw/paint on boxes and laquer them after. They make great gifts and are a good way to show off your daughters talents in a more interesting way! An artistic child is such a gift...

My daughter is the same way....draws her own characters and other things and has always written as well. Mine is 14. We did alot of local community college classes and art camps when she was younger, etc. Getting to places during the workday (summers) has always been an issue for us. She is very happy just spending hours drawing and writing. My daughter expanded her art alot when she started 9th grade this year..even middle school offered alot more options. She has tried some great things and has a fantastic art teacher this year in High School. My child plans to audition for the Perpich Center for the Arts (a public arts high school for MN residents and only for 11th and 12th graders...various art forms such as writing, music, dance visual arts, etc....google them if you want)...plus mine is considering NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/whatisnano)...check them out.....

But truly my dd loves just drawing for hours on her laptop Tablet (this was a Christmas gift a few years ago...costly for us, but she gets every penny's use out of it!) or in a sketch book..or she types away at a story......allow her the time to do these things! My daughter expanded to add photography as well..there is just an artistic eye there...I can't draw nice stick people so it amazes me!

Sign her up for writing classes at the Loft, in Minneapolis.

just let her do it on her own. dont do contests. they rip people off and rob you of your money. shes 12. first of all, the chances of her actually becoming a famous author are almost impossible.

what you can do is have her write stories for other children you know, it would make a good gift! just let her be herself, let her do what she wants to do with it, you and your whole social circle might think shes uber talented, but the hard nosed world out there might think shes not.... so let her journey into the world of writing as an adult whos more prepared and equipped for rejection - if she gets into it now all the rejection could set her up to fail and lose the love that she has for writing.

i would never get a child involved in something for more than just a hobby - not even competitive sports in high school or whatever - it may be a big deal for school teams and coaches and most parents, but if you let her know that its just for fun, winning or losing doesnt matter, and let her just take her own journey, shes going to love it more and perhaps have more success than if she was doing it like it were here job.

what i would do is let her take community education classes, make sure she gets english (which is required anyway) and art classes in school. if the newspaper in your area has a contest, great, if not, dont seek out too many of these kinds of opportunities, they are usually scams (my friend did and she lost some major $)

start researching now if you feel right about it different colleges that support art and have great art programs. as she gets older, she can do visits to art shows, start communicating with the art departments, even the art students. one college i know has an awesome art program (because i went there for a year) is the university of minneosta in morris, mn. they are FANTASTIC. if you live close to this area, contact the art department there, and ask about art shows or sales that they do. you will be amazed at the stuff they sell - its a great way to support college kids - and a great way to get her excited and perhaps focused on doing well, so she could get into a college like that.
:D

anyway, dont push anything. let her explore. perhaps form a group of kids who are interested in writing. see if your daughter would tutor kids who want to write or draw (im sorry if i keep forgetting that part) - your daughter could even hold her own community education class - i did one my self when i was 13 or so... or she could start a drawing group or something like that. dont schedule so tightly that she has no free time. that can squash her inspiration. let her be out in nature. bring her to beautiful sights such as waterfalls or etc. :D

just dont worry about getting her noticed or anything like that. the most sincere way of becoming noticed is having people come to her, not the other way around.

perhaps she has a future as an artist, art teacher, graphic design.... but worry more about her doing something she loves, and finding a way to get paid doing it when she grows up, than you do about getting her noticed. :D she will be more happy to be a starving artist than a pressured celebrity. :D

you might contact the community college near you and see if their art teachers have any suggestions for her. Maybe there are classes she can take there or other art groups that she can join to help perfect her talent.

I don't have any advice to give you on how to further her writing and artisic talents but I do know that before sending any stories, poems or art work in to online sites make sure you copyright and register them. It will protect her from some of those places that will take it and run. If you are publishing her story make sure she gets not only credit but paid for it. Places like poetry.com sells their books using peoples poems and then makes the writers pay for the book, so becareful of places like that.

Good luck to her :-)