31st January Inspire Your Heart With Art Day

Inspire Your Heart With Art Day encourages us to ponder how art affects our hearts. Art is valued and appreciated for all sorts of reasons. The pieces of art that move us to tears or cause us to burst out into joyous laughter remain with us for a lifetime. Whether we are touched by music or see into an artist's soul through their work, art has the power to change us, to inspire our hearts. On a website it suggested you do these things to celebrate the day. I have added a book to each idea so you can do it vicariously!

1. Visit an art gallery 

Seen Art?  by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

A little guy is supposed to meet his friend Art at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Fifty-third street in New York City. Art's not there. So our guy asks a lady walking by, "Have you seen Art?" She directs him to the newly redesigned Museum of Modern Art where everyone is more than happy to show him where they have seen Art. 

2. Attend a live theatre performance

The Story of Chicken Licken by Jan Ormerod

The story Chicken Licken is retold with illustrations of school children performing the story as a play on stage.

3. Read a good book 

A Story for Bear by Dennis Haseley and Jim LaMarche

A bear finds a piece of paper with tiny marks on it and takes it back to his cave.  Years later, he wanders farther than usual away from his cave and sees a cabin, with a woman sitting outside reading a book.  He comes back several times and watches her, fascinated by her reactions to the book she is reading.  One day, she is not there, so he comes closer and puts his head on one of her books, curious about it. 

4. Listen to music.

Ada's Violin  by Susan Hood and Sally Wern Comport

Ada Ríos grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option...until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash. It was a crazy idea, but one that would leave Ada—and her town—forever changed.

5. Start your masterpiece

Luke's Way of Looking  by Nadia Wheatley and Matt Ottley

All the boys in Luke's class see things the same way except for Luke, who has his own special way of looking. Luke feels as if he doesn t fit in. And then one day he discovers a place that feels like home. Suddenly, the whole world changes.

6. Attend a ballet performance

Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake by James Mayhew

One in a series of books which introduce famous ballets and Shakespeare to young children.

7. Teach someone how to play an instrument 

Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin by Chieri Uegaki and Qin Leng

Is about a little girl named Hana who heard the violin for the first time when her grandfather played it for her on a visit to him in Japan.  She fell in love with its sound and associated it with the love she had for her grandfather as well.  She is so inspired by her experience that she starts violin lessons right away when she gets home. 

8. See an inspirational film 

Shrek! by William Steig

Most students are surprised to find that one of their favourite movies was once a book.

9. Share your art with others

Let's Paint  by Gabriel Alborozo

Whether you drip, dot, daub - or carefully dab - there is a marvellous, messy world of art waiting to be explored. From exquisitely detailed paintings to crazy kaleidoscopes of colour, art is as essential as the air we breathe and much more fun. So open the book and see for yourself...and Let's Paint!