Clothsline Art Show
by Molly Hewitt

Materials needed:

• Paper, crayons, colored pencils, stickers, etc.
• A clothesline or rope
• Clothespins
• Kid-made art; paintings, drawings, photos, collages, any lightweight works of art
• Snacks

Want to air out your kids' creativity? What better way than to host a neighborhood art show? This is a good activity for an afternoon. You want to have enough time for the art to be seen and enjoyed.

The Invitations

Pick a day and time for the show at least a week ahead, so everyone has time to make some art. The invitation should include the names of the hosts, the address, the date, the time, and what it's all about. You can use the same invitation for artists and parents. Just explain that artists are to show up a half hour early to hang their art. Since you are inviting people to an art show, get creative right from the start. Glue ransom note style cut-out letters on a paper plate, finger paint on a grocery bag, or circle letters on a page of the newspaper.

When the invitations are ready, deliver them. Then get started on your art!

The Show

This is the easy part. Just hang the clothesline between two trees or porch posts (have a backup place indoors in case of rain). Get the snacks ready. Hang your art work with the clothespins. As the other artists show up, have them hang theirs. When the guests arrive, serve the snacks, and bask in the talent of the neighborhood artists!

Optional Art Sale

Decide ahead of time whether the art is for sale and if so, what price you will charge per piece and where the money will go. Should it be divided among the artists? Should it go to a local charity? Or how about a neighborhood collection of art supplies, now that every house has an artist?