What inspires children to create art? To put it simply, the same reason that inspires anyone of any age to create: to express a thought or feeling in artistic form. To make a work of art is to marry elements of memory, real life and the limitless world of the imagination into one single, tangible project. It is an opportunity for children to safely explore their memories, more smoothly navigate the terrain of their home lives and tap into their dreams of the future.
Art provides children a chance to express their innermost thoughts, fears, feelings and emotions in a safe environment. Each work of art a child produces tells a story, capturing a particular moment (or moments) in that child's physical, emotional or psychological life. Therapists often use artwork as a way into a child's world. By discussing with the child the story taking place in a work of art, problems and issues can be externalized and discussed.
An outside influence that can have a profound affect on the creation of children's art is the environment in which the child creates it. Those studying the psychology of children's art should take into consideration where it was painted, drawn or sculpted. Much of the emotional life of a work of art can be rooted in where the child is located when he or she makes it. While a quiet, well-stocked art room might produce a dynamic, creatively inspired piece, a painting made at home while Mom and Dad are arguing might be full of dark colors and elusive figures.
For a child in psychological distress, frightening emotions can be daunting to confront. Art allows children to explore this scary landscape and has the potential to provide a cathartic experience for the child. Letting out untapped emotions though the pencil or brush, a child can take the first steps to confronting any number of psychological issues, including trauma, abuse and depression.
Art therapy is a quickly growing field in the study of psychology, and art therapists are a great source of guidance for those wanting to explore the psychology of children's art. Therapists without a specialized art therapy concentration who have education and experience working with children also have the know-how to read the psychology of young people's artwork. The role of the therapist and the relationship between the therapist and the child are vital elements to unlocking the hidden meanings within a child's work of art.