Unique birthday gift for my mom

The reasons children make art are complex, but the notion of children making art to give something of themselves to important causes and people in their lives is a powerful motive. Children are proud to make beautiful things that are appreciated by others. They learn to value the power of the handmade and, in turn, prize artworks made for them. An art class can be an invitation to become a gift-giving artist.

ART GIFTS FOR MOM AND DAD It wasn't Valentine's Day, but I proudly walked around the school with an immense red heart hanging from my neck. On it, sparkling glue sketches danced around family mementos under the headline, "Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad." The wearable greeting card was rooted in our family tradition of making gifts for special occasions. As children, we've felt the of giving our art as a gift. There is nothing like it! And, as an adult painter no art sale compares.

I never asked my children to make art gifts. It may have helped to see the cards and invitations I printed for family occasions. Making art gifts must have a long cultural history that artists young and old tap into. The red-painted heart was the largest art gift I received, but I saved even the smallest cards and other gifts my children made. I value each art present and frequently show them to my art classes for inspiration. The following items are part of this collection.

WEARABLE GIFTS My wife Laura likes to be adorned with jewels. Fortunately her jewelry box is constantly replenished by the "jewelry fairy." Shapely-cut playing-card corners, nail-polished slides and feather-decorated stamps are mounted to pin backs by our children for their trendsetting mom. The precious pin gifts led to other gifts such as earrings, bracelets, and even an old belt refurbished with hanging found-object charms. This mom's set of keys can never be mistaken, since no one has a key chain sculpted from genuine soda-can pull tabs.

Our children's wearable gift production was fueled by my wife's reports of her colleagues who could not wait to preview her daily walk-by gallery and wished they knew the jewelry fairy. Consequently, I never have a shortage of wearable gifts to parade before my art classes in recognition of a unique kid's art.

PERSONALIZED GIFTS Adults stuck in line enviously watch the free-floating post-office artists. Kids crisscross the line of people and find interesting postal forms under the pedestal tables. They ask for a pen to make me a bookmark. I happily add the new piece to my collection, which includes bookmarks made from movie tickets, business cards, and ticket stubs found at the airport. For each of these gifts I recall where the canvas was found, the art it inspired, and the circumstances of creation. Ana's bookmarks are signed and inscribed with a loving dedication.

Food always tastes better on personal place mats. I have eaten meals on puzzle pieces, and drawings over trip-tiks, or family photos framed by flower petals--all carefully laminated and presented as gifts. Children regularly contribute new styles to this table art. Home art production expanded when our children discovered the joys of making useful objects as gifts. Our children presented personalized nameplates for Mom, and for my desk at work, custom mouse pads and decorated mugs. Art for use in home or office demonstrates the ability of an art gift to beautify our lives and surroundings.

GIFT WRAPPING Receiving a child's gift is a ceremony of peeling away layers of art. Unwrapping begins with the painted bag, then moves to the hand-stamped gift wrap, decorated tags, handmade card, and finally the starring present. Each gift is a carefully crafted ensemble, with matching balloons, cards, bags and wrapping supplies. For children, it is not a gift if their art is not a part of it.

Invitations to a birthday party lead to decorating-artist fervor. Gift artists say, "I want to wrap it! I want to decorate the ribbons and the box!" The cover, the wrapping and the box become personal canvases for a child's free-flowing sticker-stamp-ribbon art. After an unwrapping ceremony, I painstakingly rewrap everything, so that the event can be authentically replayed in my art class. Students watch any gift opening with great interest. They appreciate the work of fellow gift artists and the tribute to their art form. All artwork heading home from our class is appropriately gift wrapped and tagged for someone special. A popular American shopping bag and wrapping-paper art display in our class is constantly open to new student finds.

ART GIFTS FOR MY STUDENTS No one leaves my class empty-handed. There are special gifts for everyone. Recently, students have left the class with such items as pressed leaves, beautiful postage stamps, their pick of countertop samples, miniature paintings I made to hang in playhouses, and my famous Sculpeyr action figures in custom grab-bags.

Kids know "good stuff," and art teachers have a feel for it, too. We know that exciting collections, fun forms and handmade presents will be appreciated and treasured by kids. The gift of art materials, an item to start a collection, and even art ideas and inspiration can be offered in simple forms. Sharing the art teacher's collections and art gifts, letting students choose the art gift and take it home, has the potential of reaching the instincts, hearts and pockets of young artists.

ART GIFTS STUDENTS SHARE We know how much kids enjoy taking home art work. We can also encourage the pleasures of sharing their art and giving it to each other in class. Pressing hard on the carbon paper, children make copies of their drawing for everyone at their table. Using imaginary personal messaging channels, art work, like flowers, are delivered worldwide. Well, at least throughout the art room....

A community chest holds art gifts such as handmade sketchbooks, printed doorknob signs, painted switch plates, decorated shoelaces, high-performance drinking straws, and customized pencils that students made and contribute to share with others. Playful channels of exchanging gifts promulgate the habit of making art as a gift for friends and classmates. Giving art work to classmates who appreciate it can feel as good as taking the work home.

OF LOVE AND ART Children can be encouraged to tailor an art project, to make things they know someone needs and would enjoy in class or at home. A third-grade boy lovingly painted a blanket for his sister's dolls. For an upcoming cruise, a child created hand-printed luggage tags for his parents.

The habit of giving personalized and handmade things with pride tends to create powerful motivation for young artists. Unlike the adult art world, with its sharp division between art and craft, children make art gifts to be both beautiful and useful. Giving art gifts to each other demonstrates art as communication and creates an awareness of an audience, and the importance of a recipient, for one's art.

Professor George Szekely is Area Head and Senior Professor of Art Education at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, and is on the Arts & Activities Editorial Advisory Board.