New Ideas Through Play
As a choice-based high school art educator, my approach aligns with the Teaching for Artistic Behaviors philosophy that the child is the artist, the classroom is their studio, and the teacher acts as a facilitator of learning. Engaging my students in the creation of unique artworks leads to the exploration of new ideas, allows them to develop their voice and vision, and empowers them as artists. My students are in charge of their artistic decisions and choices, and I help them navigate the creative process through stages of inspiration, development, creation, and reflection. In the art classroom, I begin units with mini-lessons to learn techniques and methods using a wide range of media, and students are encouraged to play with and explore new materials to gain familiarity. Then, students build and expand on that knowledge to develop their ideas for more elaborate artworks based on personal preferences and interests.
Shaelin Shields teaching in her classroom, 2025.
Idea generation for artists happens in a multitude of ways, but in my high school classroom, that playful engagement of materials and processes is crucial. When students are given time to explore and experiment with new media without the external pressure of creating something meaningful or “good,” they have the freedom to take creative risks. While it can be unnerving for many, becoming comfortable in this practice of letting go of outcomes and expectations can lead to new ways of thinking and increased creative problem-solving abilities.
Brady Tibbetts, Blue Purple, watercolor, 11 x 14 in., 2025 (photo: Shaelin Shields).
Last year, I had an 11th-grade student who was new to painting and was becoming increasingly discouraged when trying to create a series of abstract watercolors using a pan palette. He was unsatisfied with the results after several weeks of working and frequently started over. I could see him struggling to figure out a way forward. As part of a classroom mini-lesson, I introduced this student to liquid watercolors and provided the time and space to experiment freely without a goal in mind. He became immediately immersed in dropping the intense pigments into very wet paper, creating elaborate organic shapes and patterns as the colors overlapped and merged. As a result of these experimental works, he shifted his way of thinking about painting and began to see his work in an entirely new light. The vibrant wet-on-wet paintings reminded him of aerial photography of land formations, and rekindled a forgotten love of geography and maps. The transformation in how this young artist approached his work with new energy and ideas led him to incorporate drawing into his paintings, developing contour lines from the positive and negative spaces. When the school year ended, he had a large-scale watercolor map underway, which included pages of immersive lore he had written for this new imaginary world.
Brady Tibbetts, Untitled, watercolor, 9 x 12 in., 2025 (photo: Shaelin Shields)
Brady Tibbetts, Map in Progress, watercolor and ink, 11 x 14 in., 2025 (photo: Shaelin Shields).
It was clear that the time this student spent in playful exploration of new materials resulted in the development of rich ideas and increased his self-confidence. The deep thinking that follows taking creative risks breathes room for self-discovery and authenticity as artists. There is heavy emphasis on reflection as a key part of the creative process in a choice-based art classroom, and I encourage my students to examine their work often and at every stage of development, even when what they are doing seems trivial or unrelated. I want them to understand that sometimes, the best ideas, connections, and innovations come from simply letting go of preconceived plans and taking creative risks, honoring the space and time to play and explore.
Image at top: Brady Tibbetts, Pink Blue, watercolor, 9 x 12 in., 2025 (photo: Shaelin Shields).