At MLK Montessori, we recently commissioned local artist Michael Eber, owner of Capricieux Interpretative Art, to paint a series of puzzles depicting the life cycles of various plants, insects, and animals.
One may wonder why we commissioned hand-painted puzzles versus simply buying premade puzzles from a store. As a Montessori school, we are committed to investing in beautiful, high-quality learning materials for several reasons:
1.) Well-made, beautifully crafted materials spark students’ imaginations. They beg to be touched, inviting children to learn and explore.
2.) Research shows that when a school’s physical environment shows a lack of care, it can communicate a message to the students who use it; it suggests that they are not valuable. Conversely, when a school contains high-quality items, it makes students feel treasured and projects high expectations.
3.) Because we fill our school with high-quality materials, our students are taught to treasure their classrooms and the items in them. They treat the world around them with care.
4.) At MLK, we encourage environment stewardship. We prioritize learning materials that are durable and made to last. They are ultimately kinder to the planet than cheap, “throw-away” learning materials.
Just as we suspected, Michael’s exquisite puzzles have been an excellent addition to our classrooms. Our students—especially our tactile learners—love handling them. And the puzzles have opened the door to some exciting conversations about life cycles and the world around us.
We knew that Michael was the perfect artist for this project, as he is known for his vibrant color palette and playful interpretations of everyday subjects. Michael said that he had our young learners in mind when he designed the puzzles. He ensured that his depictions of the natural world were very accurate. However, he also used bright, high-contrast colors to ensure that his images “popped.” If you look closely, you’ll notice that he also added a bit of whimsy to several of the puzzles. For example, in one puzzle, an ant appears to be escaping the puzzle itself with its leg entering the puzzle’s border. Michael told us, “One of the primary reasons I create art is to make others happy. The idea that a child can enjoy my work and have fun with it is really all I can ask for.” If Michael’s goal is to bring a smile to a child’s face, he has undoubtedly succeeded.
If you are interested in learning more about Michael’s art, you can find him on Facebook (@capricieuxinterpretativeart) or email him at michaeleberart@gmail.com.
