Established in 2008, Big Fat Smile’s innovative Artist-in-Residence and Artspace Studio Programs bring children to a world of imagination, learning and discovery. Reggio-inspired, Big Fat Smile’s approach is to support each child to become a confident, curious artist and lifelong creative thinker. The children work alongside practicing, exhibiting, qualified artists, in a process of conception, construction and the celebration of making and creating art.
This exhibition celebrates the creative process, and the learning, fun and satisfaction of ‘making’. The selected works showcase children’s art from 2014 at four of Big Fat Smile’s Community Preschools and the Artspace Studio (preschool strand).
Exhibiting the children’s work in our professional gallery shows the world that we value children’s artistic achievements and we encourage them to feel deep satisfaction and pride in their accomplishments.
Artist, Jill Talbot spent six weeks in each of the four Community Preschools, working collaboratively and individually with 120 children and Big Fat Smile educators. The Artist-in-Residence Program is both a creative extension for the children and a professional development initiative for local educators.
Artist, Tamara Gulic’s digital photographic work was created in one session during a nine-week children’s term program at the Artspace Studio. The works were chosen because of each child’s positive response to the theme. Digitally manipulated by Tamara, the final photos produced much excitement and wonder when revealed to the young artists.
