Authentic or Product Art?

I never wondered what was the difference between authentic and product art.  In the district I taught in, we had an art teacher.  She would go around to all the school and do art projects, that the I (the classroom teacher), would pick out for the students to do.  I would often choose art that was relating to a topic we were learning about and for sure a seasonal piece.

The "art" would all look the same for the most part.  I would go around the room making sure the students were following the INSTRUCTIONS of how to do the "art".  Do you notice I keep putting the word ART in parentheses?  Is that art?

Later, when I was working at the child development center, one of the assistant directors said we needed more authentic art.  I had no idea what she was talking about.  The classrooms were doing a ton of art!  We had it posted all over the center.  So of course I asked her.  DUH!  Give the child the paint, paper, crayons, markers, glue, glitter, paint brushes...what ever tools and let them create!

Why am I bringing this up?  AB has been doing art since she was a baby.  She went to child development center I worked at and was in an outstanding classroom when it came to exploring.  I wanted her to have those experiences.  Now that I stay home with her, we've continued to do art.  I would sit her down in her chair.  I choose the paper color, paint color, painting tool.  I CHOOSE.

Recently, after setting up the new and improved classroom I set her art supplies out.  Not all of them, but the paper, markers, crayons, and paint.  Today she CHOOSE the color paper, paint color, and the painting tool.

She has already been doing this...but today it hit me!  Authentic art!  I don't tell her what to do or not to do.  I let her be free.

Did I also give her a picture of an apple for her to color today?  Yes, I did.  A is for apple!  But she colored it blue and I am fine with her choice.  I recall a time when I was subbing in a first grade class, that I would not have been fine with that.  Always learning, always evolving, and doing it all over again.  Here is an interesting article I found about the process of art.