Small Works 35: WMS Art Show

Thank you to everyone who joined us this month for Small Works 35! Each year, our learners, alongside our incredible teachers, create a new and exciting exhibit that celebrates the curiosity and creativity of early childhood.

This year, at Small Works 35, students, families, faculty, and educators gathered to experience the wonder of our children's mark-making. Inspired by Reggio Emilia, the children at both Duane and Hudson Street worked with Kate Mangold, Duane Street Art Teacher, and Stina Puotinen, Hudson Street Art Teacher, for several months, exploring the language of mark-making. In early childhood, mark-making refers to the various scribbles, patterns, and lines that children instinctively create with drawing utensils or their hands. These simple, unstructured actions are more than just messy play; they represent the first steps toward writing and drawing. Though these marks may not mean much to an adult, a simple line could represent a rocketship landing on the moon for a 2-year-old. 

The various stages of learning and discovery of each age group at WMS were on display throughout the art show. Each exhibit honored the idea that children’s early “scribbles” are not random, but part of a thoughtful investigation. Children make marks for many reasons: to explore sensorially, to write, to tell stories, to record observations, to solve problems, to imagine and connect with their interests, and to represent space and relationships. When children realize that marks can carry meaning, like spoken words, they begin to use drawing as a tool to make thinking visible, supporting emerging ideas in language, mathematics, and play.

One of the most important aspects of this work was the role of the teachers throughout the mark-making process. At WMS, our teachers approach children’s early marks with genuine curiosity. Rather than redirecting toward a more finished result, our teachers watch, listen, and document. They offer new tools and invitations without interrupting the thinking behind each child’s work. When a child realizes that marks can carry meaning the way words do, drawing becomes a powerful way to foster confidence and independence. 

The artwork on display at Small Works 35 reflected the process, exploration, and learning that happens each day and serves as a window into the exceptional process of teaching and learning at The Washington Market School. Thank you to our talented art teachers for guiding this work and to every family and educator who came to celebrate and admire the work of our children!