It has been a pleasure to have welcomed both children and parents to the Art Studio at Hudson this school year! Though Stina Puotinen works with every child at Hudson Street and has met many parents over the last two years, she hopes to share a bit about herself and give a glimpse into the experience and enthusiasm she brings to the Art Studio.
Stina has been a practicing artist, studio art & museum educator since 2005, and a credentialed Early Childhood Montessorian, all of which she brings to each child’s experience in the Art Studio. Her approach to teaching and art focuses on materials exploration, and process over product, and combines the experiential focus of Reggio with elements of Montessori curriculum - all guided by the wonderful learners at The Washington Market School!
The children at Hudson Street visit the Art Studio once a week, where Stina shares a different material exploration or “provocation” inspired by the children’s interests, skills and abilities, building on the previous week’s focus. When possible, she tries to connect the children’s studio work with the work of an artist who uses similar materials and processes. Stina adds images of that artist and their work to the easel in the studio during her classes for young learners to ask questions about as they take interest.
Currently, in the Hudson Art studio, Stina and the children are preparing for the annual Art Show at WMS, Small Works 33. This is a special opportunity for each classroom to present their emergent curriculum which varies class by class. Stina has been collaborating with teaching teams since the fall, tracking each class’s emergent curriculum and sharing notes and observations around children’s interests, skills, and needs. The presentation of work and documentation that will be shared at this year’s Art Show reflects many weeks of exploration, experimentation, record-keeping and discoveries! We can’t wait for our community to experience Small Works 33 when it opens on March 6.