Early Years Art was created after 15 years of teaching and identifying a need for high-quality art offerings and programming for young children. Our work emphasizes choice-based opportunities and focuses on open-ended exploration, experimentation, questioning, discovery, and reflection to guide curriculum and projects. Backed by research, we highlight and celebrate the importance of the process in quality art experiences for children and classrooms of all ages. 

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Jessica Barksdale is the creator and owner of Early Years Art and is a specialist in creativity, art materials, and student-led inquiry in early childhood education. Her journey into art education stemmed from her work as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher and the exposure to the artistic practices of the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Her focus on developing innovative curriculum based on student interest has left long lasting impressions on hundreds of children and families.

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Jessica holds a mater's degree in Educational Leadership in the Visual Arts from a collaborative program with Bank Street College of Education and Parsons School of Design in New York City. This degree complements her work in the field and her love of working creatively with schools, teachers, and young children. 

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"Jess belongs to the rare breed of folk, where her word is her bond and all that she does is presented with grace and integrity. She is a committed, strong and disciplined member to have on your team, who strives to maintain a level of high quality in everything she executes. She is graceful, soulful and sensitive to all around her."

- A.M.L, Former Colleague

 

 

For more information on setting up an arts media/materials workshop or for programmatic consulting, please email Jess.