Artistic Pursuits is an award-winning homeschool art curriculum for PreK-12 that combines visual art instruction, art history, and hands-on creative projects in an open-and-go format requiring no prior art experience from parents.
What are Artistic Pursuits?
Artistic Pursuits is a comprehensive art curriculum developed by Brenda Ellis, an honors graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute with over 25 years of K-12 art teaching experience. The program integrates four pillars of art education: elements of art, composition, media techniques, and art history. Rather than asking children to copy adult artwork, the curriculum teaches concepts that students then apply to their own subjects from their environment. Each book contains 36 lessons designed for approximately one lesson per week, with short reading portions and projects completed at the child's own pace.
Key Takeaways
- Open-and-go format requires no prior art knowledge from parents or students
- Covers PreK through 12th grade with 8 volumes for K-3 and sequential books for upper grades
- Each book costs $54-59 and provides 36 lessons for unlimited students in your family
- Includes video demonstrations, lay-flat coil binding, and lifetime streaming access
- Winner of multiple Excellence in Education Awards and featured in Cathy Duffy's Top Picks
How the Curriculum Works
The program follows developmental stages based on the Latin Trivium. Students in K-3rd grade work alongside parents, while those in 4th grade and up can work independently without parental instruction. Each level explores art through a conversational tone suited to the age group, with nine video lessons modeling techniques and 27 textbook lessons per book. The curriculum emphasizes original creation over imitation, teaching children that artistic expression varies by individual. Projects encourage meaningful art without requiring rigorous practice first.
What Sets It Apart
Artistic Pursuits was the first homeschool art program to formally introduce elements of art and composition while integrating the creative process into its teaching methodology. The approach values children being children rather than asking young students to draw like adults. For families with multiple children, one book serves unlimited students, making the per-child cost significantly lower than art classes. The curriculum also includes dialogue prompts for parent-child discussions about masterworks, building art appreciation alongside technical skills.
Planning Your Art Supply Budget
While the curriculum books are reasonably priced, art supplies are purchased separately and can exceed the cost of the curriculum itself. Artistic Pursuits offers pre-packaged supply kits in drawstring backpacks that correlate directly with each book level. Basic supplies include sketchpads, tempera paints, watercolors, markers, chalk, crayons, brushes, and drawing pencils. Many families find it helpful to budget for supplies before starting a new level and look for sales at craft stores to keep costs manageable.
The Bottom Line
Artistic Pursuits delivers a complete art education that builds real skills while fostering creativity and appreciation for visual art. The curriculum works particularly well for non-artistic parents who want to provide quality instruction without extensive preparation. For families seeking a structured yet flexible approach to art education that grows with their children from preschool through high school, Artistic Pursuits offers an established, award-winning option worth considering.
