Product Reviews

• 
  Rated 5 out of 5

  Winter Video Art Lessons ($22.00)
  reviewed by mandysandifer

  ---

  Just some encouragement from our Sunday morning yesterday. We were on our way to church and our 4 year old daughter looked out her window at a mostly cloudy sky. "Mom, we could paint this." Then she told me all the chalk pastel colors she would need as she studied the bare trees and gray clouds. That wasn't the first time my kids have looked at nature and pondered how to paint it. We never would have wondered at the beauty of a gray winter day had it not been for Nana. Nana has truly given us "lessons in looking" (borrowing a phrase from Susan Jeffers). Thank you all at Chalk Pastel Art for using your gifts to show us what wonderful creator we serve and how we can better worship Him! I know this set of winter art lessons will grow that attitude in us even more!

  View this product →
• 
  Rated 5 out of 5

  You ARE an Artist! Clubhouse Annual Membership ($200.00 / year)
  reviewed by oryxcrane

  ---

  I didn't purchase the Annual Clubhouse Membership on a whim! We had already tried out Nana's free samplers as well as purchased the wonderful Shark Unit already and I asked my little one (4.5 years then) if he wanted more. "Absolutely, I Love painting with Nana" was his answer and I didn't hesitate to get the Clubhouse, and then it was on a heavy, sweet seasonal discount too!
  The Clubhouse membership gives access to so many beautiful courses that you could include into your (homeschool or otherwise) study. It also includes the season's special courses as well as Pond study, Birds, Backyard animals, History, Geography and more. Recently while doing a month's study of Impressionism we used the Art Techniques Course(don't miss that one) and Nana's introduction and demonstration of Impressionism made a real "impression" on the child even though he has never seen a real painting before! We used her techniques and tips to make a Monet's garden display.
  After starting with these classes, we have been paying more attention to our beautiful illustrated books, and making us confident in even trying out our favorite ones in pastel. This is just the confidence and attention to detail that I wanted in my child as an artist.
  Adding on to the above, I must not leave out this particular feature of Nana's video lessons and why they appeal to us. Nana has an unhurried, soft, homely way of demonstrating to the child. There is no fast motion video, no jarring musical background, nothing that would make you feel you are miles away from her home.
  I also love this intergenerational bond that Lessons with Nana brings.

  View this product →
• 
  Rated 5 out of 5

  Sharks Video Art Lessons ($45.00)
  reviewed by oryxcrane

  ---

  We had a one month long shark study unit and this Shark Pastel Art Course by Nana and Team was the highlight of our study. Nana covered different types of sharks already familiar to us as well as those we had to look up. What's more, Nana made sure to add some trivia about the shark and painted it with its particular shark feature as well as its habitat accurately. The paintings we made still adorn our classroom and bring back wonderful memories of our Shark unit! Do not miss this one!

  View this product →
• 
  Rated 5 out of 5

  You ARE an Artist Clubhouse Monthly Membership ($20.00 / month)
  reviewed by maeghanmacdougall

  ---

  We simply needed more Nana, so we had to subscribe. It is supposed to be art lessons, but for us it has been peace and order and, at last, simple joy.

  Sixteen years as a homeschooler with nine children I have had my share of crazy. This year was going to be different. I found Pam Barnhill, I had license to buy mountains of marvelous books, we were going to do art---finally---and drown ourselves in the Middle Ages. Bliss.

  So, of course, my husband gets the dream job offer, we pick up and leave 11 years of an amazing support network, parents, and three of our children to move eight hours away. Time from acceptance letter to new house in new state? 23 days.

  The week after Thankgiving, I finally sat the children down for the first lesson....and it starts: our 12-year-old is our second artist, (they don't get from me) and he knows ALL about pastels...nobody does them....they are messy....they are boring...they are stuuuupid....Oy vey.

  Ignoring him, I start with the introduction by accident. And there is Nana and I just watch. Watch as this woman, with her lovely, soft, Southern drawl, sucks this kid in like an undertow. First he stops complaining, a miracle in itself. Then he starts meandering over to the table. Then he leans on his chair. When she finishes he announces that he will do this lesson if he can show his siblings how HE draws dragons, which he does, with great patience. !

  Totally unexpectedly, these lessons have become an anchor. I have something they can all do that is brief but focused, fun but productive. They get a complete, tangible proof of effort. I put their drawings in sheet protectors and we will watch as they progress through the year.

  A little breakfast, a little prayer, a little Nana. Priceless.

  View this product →