Dear Community,
Ten years ago, while working with young children as a studio teacher, I had the opportunity to work in a Reggio-inspired school. It was here that I became aware of the amazing capabilities of young children to express their questions, ideas and stories while working with materials. Witnessing this connected me with how much we all start out in life with a deep sense of wonder and equally strong desire to experiment with & express our ideas. And that the vehicle for this is play. During these years teaching, I also had the opportunity to visit the very special town in northern Italy, called Reggio Emilia, where this way of working alongside children originated. I was blown away with the incredible learning communities that had been established throughout the city, where the voices of young children are given such visibility, honor and respect. These experiences made me wonder why many adults lose these gifts of expression, joy and play later on. ArtPlay began with a wondering: would it be possible to create a space where people of all ages could gather & connect through play, joy and creativity? Where our stories and ideas could be given expression through playful and joyful encounters with materials?
Together, with the support of my husband, Charles, who has believed in this idea from the beginning, and whose business experience makes this venture possible, we have decided to dive head-first into this journey. We hope you will join us as we bring ArtPlay to life in the River Arts District of Asheville, together with local artists, children, teens and adults!
with much gratitude,
Kristen Edge
Creator of ArtPlay
Dear Community,
Ten years ago, while working with young children as a studio teacher, I had the opportunity to work in a Reggio-inspired school. It was here that I became aware of the amazing capabilities of young children to express their questions, ideas and stories while working with materials. Witnessing this connected me with how much we all start out in life with a deep sense of wonder and equally strong desire to experiment with & express our ideas. And that the vehicle for this is play. During these years teaching, I also had the opportunity to visit the very special town in northern Italy, called Reggio Emilia, where this way of working alongside children originated. I was blown away with the incredible learning communities that had been established throughout the city, where the voices of young children are given such visibility, honor and respect. These experiences made me wonder why many adults lose these gifts of expression, joy and play later on. ArtPlay began with a wondering: would it be possible to create a space where people of all ages could gather & connect through play, joy and creativity? Where our stories and ideas could be given expression through playful and joyful encounters with materials?
Together, with the support of my husband, Charles, who has believed in this idea from the beginning, and whose business experience makes this venture possible, we have decided to dive head-first into this journey. We hope you will join us as we bring ArtPlay to life in the River Arts District of Asheville, together with local artists, children, teens and adults!
with much gratitude,
Kristen Edge
Creator of ArtPlay