Celebrate the OG queen of recycling with these Louise Nevelson Art Projects for Kids! Learn how to create ‘found object art’ with things you have!

“When you put things together, things that other people have thrown out, you’re really bringing them to life” ~ Louise Nevelson

Over here at Artsy Craftsy Mom, we love making crafts out of recycled materials. We love taking random things around the house, like paper cups or buttons, and turning them into fun projects.

Many people share this sentiment, and while we enjoy the process and are proud of our creations, most of us wouldn’t consider them fine art.

Unless you’re Louise Nevelson, of course!

If you’ve never heard of this American artist before, here’s a sample of her work: a sculpture called Sky Cathedral.

Now, this is certainly not like the cathedrals other famous artists have painted or sculpted, but that’s Louise Nevelson for you!

Born in present-day Ukraine, Nevelson’s family migrated to the United States when she was quite young. When she joined school, she tried her best to fit in this new country. One day, nine-year-old Louise saw a plaster cast of Joan of Arc at the Rockland Public Library, and from that moment onward, she fell in love with art.

Louise went on to study art, learning about painting and making prints, before she realized that her heart lay in sculptures – particularly those made with ‘found objects’. These were regular items that were lying around or discarded; Louise saw them as more than trash, and she turned them into something beautiful.

This ‘trash to treasure‘ concept is something kids will love learning about, and these Louise Nevelson art projects for kids will help! With September being the artist’s birthday month, it’s the perfect time to try these out!

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15 Louise Nevelson Art Projects for Kids

1. Louise Nevelson-Inspired Sculpture Art Lesson

Ever wondered who the OG recycler was? Well, it was Louise Nevelson! Nothing was useless – furniture legs, wall mouldings, wood shards or anything her neighbors left out – they were all fodder for her art! Faber-Castell shows us how to do this ourselves by collecting any odds and ends we have around the house and putting them together in one piece of art.

2. Louise Nevelson Art Project

Louise Nevelson had decided to become an artist at a young age, and in her twenties, she moved to New York city to formally study art. She also travelled across the world – Germany, Italy, France and Latin America – studying and working with masters like Hans Hofmann and Diego Rivera. But you don’t have to travel so much – just check out this art project from Art with Jenny K!

3. Louise Nevelson Inspired Sculptures

Louise Nevelson’s sculptures consisted of random parts brought together and arranged in a specific format. Such sculptures are called assemblages, and they’re a great way to teach kids about composition and shape. It also encourages them to think outside the box when finding objects for the assemblage. Check out this tutorial from Maura Tully to learn more about how to make your own assemblage-style Louise Nevelson art projects for kids.

4. Louise Nevelson – Inspired Recycled Assemblage Sculptures

Remember the piece of art we showed at the beginning – Sky Cathedral? Notice how it is completely black? Well, Nevelson loved black – so much so that she even painted all her walls black! She believed that black meant ‘totality’; it encompassed all colors. Nevelson also considered black an ‘aristocratic’ color, using it in many of her works. You can try out an all black assemblage too, with this tutorial from Teach Kids Art.

5. The Art of Assemblage: Inspired by Louise Nevelson

While Nevelson loved black, she also liked including lots of white and gold in her work, especially in her later years. Nevelson visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was drawn in by the gold coin collections and embroidery on Japanese dance robes. She called this her ‘baroque phase’, where she began expressing herself more in golden tones. Check out this project from Hannah’s Art Club that uses shades of gold to bring the artwork together.

6. Louise Nevelson Sculpture Lesson

Louise Nevelson’s religious identity was an important aspect of her life. Her Jewish family’s migration was due to fear of persecution, and she created two artworks dedicated to Holocaust victims. She had absolutely no hesitation in designing the chapel of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, saying that art ‘transcended religious barriers’. Kids will be interested in learning about Nevelson’s personality as they make Louise Nevelson art projects for kids, like this sculpture from Mrs. Travis’ Art Class.

7. Louise Nevelson Art Installation

Louise Nevelson’s work is featured in famous museums across the world, like the Smithsonian, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim and the Tate. There is also a large outdoor sculpture garden in New York that features some of Nevelson’s larger pieces, becoming New York’s first public space named after an artist. Learn how to create your own large-scale piece with these tips from 2 Soul Sisters Art Ed.

8. Louise Nevelson Style Cardboard Assemblage Sculpture

Louise Nevelson’s work is considered a significant contribution to the feminist art movement, although the artist herself didn’t identify as a feminist. Contrary to what most people expected from female artists, Nevelson’s work was seen as dark and ‘masculine’. Some rude critics even stated that learning the artist was a woman dampened their enthusiasm about the art. Let kids learn about smashing outdated norms through art – while making this piece from Art Campla!

9. Cardboard Sculptures a la Louise Nevelson

We can’t leave out wood when speaking of Louise Nevelson art projects for kids! Louise Nevelson’s father, Isaac, worked as a woodcutter first and later as a lumberyard owner, which meant that wood was always around the family’s home. When Nevelson was a struggling artist, she walked the streets looking for firewood to burn, leading to an accumulation of wood in her home. If you can’t find wood, it’s okay – try this cardboard sculpture tutorial from Tatjana Knudsen!

10. Louise Nevelson-Inspired Framed Art Sculptures

While wood was a constant in Nevelson’s life, she also tried other materials, like plastic, metal, aluminium, Formica, plexiglass and steel. Scribble Doodle and Draw gives us an example of how to combine different materials into a single cohesive project. We love that you can frame the complete piece when done!

11. Louise Nevelson Assemblage Tutorial

Many of Nevelson’s initial works were small, and she moved on to large-scale sculptures much later, in her seventies. Her first outdoor sculptural piece was for Princeton University. She enjoyed the freedom of creating outdoors and without the restrictions of size. Later, she also created a wood sculpture for the Philadelphia courthouse. Check out this project from Art is Basic and see if you can put together a gigantic assemblage piece too!

12. Louise Nevelson-Inspired Found Object Assemblages

During her art studies, Nevelson delved into Cubism and Surrealism, the styles chosen by Picasso and Dali, respectively. She experimented with several techniques and art styles, implementing them in her own work to create some truly unique masterpieces out of found objects. Check out this project by Studio Rock Paper Scissors so you can create your own piece, in any style of your choice.

13. The Art of Assemblage with Louise Nevelson

Nevelson’s most famous works had some common features – they were bound by a single frame, like a box or compartment, which she called the ‘environment’. Once the objects were arranged inside the frame, they were spray-painted a single color so that all the disparate pieces blended together to become a whole. We love how Anita Sagastegui combines multiple elements in a single frame and turns it into a monochromatic work of art.

14. Louise Nevelson Inspired Box Frames

Although Nevelson loved art from a young age, it wasn’t easy for her to pursue it. Little Louise didn’t get a lot of encouragement growing up, and when she was married, her parents-in-law disapproved of her art career. Her husband didn’t support her either, and she finally ended up separating from him. Her struggles of being a woman in art are depicted in some of her works, such as Bride of the Black Moon. Encourage kids to learn more about the artist’s life as they try out this assemblage from JOACMOF.

15. Louise Nevelson Art-Making Activity

Louise Nevelson’s artistic skills weren’t limited to her sculptures – she also dressed the part! Much like Frida Kahlo, Nevelson loved dressing up, opting for dramatic silhouettes, colorful scarves, lots of jewelry, and heavy makeup. In this video, the Blanton Museum of Art celebrates the artist’s work with a fun project.

These Louise Nevelson art projects for kids are a great way for kids to think of new ways of using regular objects. Now, a matchbox isn’t simply an empty box; it opens up a world of possibilities! They also learn that art can be of any size – they can be tiny miniatures or monumental structures. Hand your kids a bunch of items and encourage them to think like the artist and find a way to turn them into Louise Nevelson art projects for kids. You may just end up with a masterpiece!

If you’d like to learn more about other famous female artists, check these out: