Family Art and Story Sessions, inspired by Great Artists
- Dec 23, 2025
- 2 min read
Small Stories, Shared Creativity: Family Art Sessions Inspired by Great Artists
I’m delighted to be planning a new series of family art sessions.
These sessions are designed for children and the important adults in their lives – parents, grandparents, carers – to come together and be creative side by side. Rather than children working alone, the emphasis is on shared experience, conversation, imagination, and making together.
How the sessions will work
Each session will begin with a story from Small Stories of Great Artists by Lawrence Anholt. These warm, engaging stories introduce well-known artists through the eyes of a child who meets them, offering a gentle and human way into the artist’s life, personality, and creative world.
After the story, we will:
Look together at examples of the artist’s work
Talk about colours, shapes, materials, and ideas
Create our own artist-inspired artworks, responding freely and playfully
The focus is not on copying, but on exploring, experimenting, and enjoying the creative process together.
Artists and stories we’ll explore
Across the series, we’ll be inspired by the following stories and artists:
Van Gogh and the Sunflowers
Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World
The Magical Garden of Claude Monet
Tell Us a Story, Papa Chagall
Cézanne and the Apple Boy
Picasso and the Girl with the Ponytail
Degas and the Little Dancer
Leonardo and the Flying Boy
Matisse, King of Colour
Each story offers a different way of seeing the world, and together they allow us to explore a wide range of artistic styles, ideas, and materials.
Materials and making
We’ll explore a variety of art and craft materials across the sessions, encouraging curiosity and hands-on discovery.All materials are provided.
Please wear clothes that paint or glue won’t spoil – creativity can get joyfully messy.
Group size and booking
To keep the sessions relaxed and supportive, each session is limited to a maximum of 8 people (adults and children combined).Booking is essential.
The sessions are once a month on a Sunday, and there are 3 time slots, 11am, 1pm and 3pm. The sessions last about 90 minutes. If the dates and times don't work for your family, please let me know when would work for you and I will try and make that happen. It might be possible to do the session as an after-school class too.
I have not set an age range - you know your children, and if this sounds like something they will enjoy. I am a qualified Primary School Teacher, and envisage the sessions appealing to families with primary aged children who enjoy creative activities, but as you work as a family, nursery age children and older siblings could also enjoy the sessions.
Cost: Pay As You Feel
The sessions run on a pay-as-you-feel basis. Material costs will be deducted, and any additional contributions will be donated to Zarach, helping to support local children and families.
Really enjoyed reading about how Family Art and Story Sessions bring creativity to life through inspiration from great artists! It made me think about the many ways artistic expression can translate into books especially memoirs or children’s stories that blend personal experience with creative imagination. For authors who have powerful ideas but struggle to shape them into narrative form, working with a ghost writing agency can help bring those stories into a compelling and cohesive book. Thanks for sharing this inspiring piece!
I just loved reading about these family art and story sessions inspired by great artists what a wonderful way to make creativity and storytelling a shared experience. It reminded me how much visual art can influence narrative thinking, which has been so helpful in my own journey toward writing. Thinking about creativity this way helped me better understand what I’m looking for in book publishing services, because it’s really about shaping your story so others can connect with it. Sessions like this show that inspiration can come from everywhere, not just the page. Thanks for sharing such a joyful approach to art and story!
I love how these family art and story sessions bring together imagination and shared creativity it’s such a beautiful reminder that stories can be seen and felt, not just read. Using Small Stories of Great Artists to spark conversations before creating art highlights how narrative and visuals work hand-in-hand in storytelling. It really got me thinking about how important artistic inspiration is when you’re trying to get your book published from the way you visualize characters to how you imagine settings that will live in readers’ minds. Activities like this show that both art and writing start with curiosity and play, which is something every author can relate to!
I love the idea of blending art and storytelling in a way that inspires creativity across ages what a wonderful way to get families thinking visually and narratively! It reminded me of how much visual elements matter in storytelling, especially when it comes to books. A compelling cover can act like the first brushstroke of a story, setting the tone and sparking curiosity. For many indie writers, custom book cover design services for self-published authors help translate their vision into something readers stop and explore. Creative sessions like these are great reminders of how visuals and words work together.