Word art in a nutshell
The concept of word art seems to be a foreign and difficult one for many. I only came across it a few years ago, even though I have enjoyed the work of word artists and have been doing word art myself - reading and writing - since I was a child.
What on earth is such word art, then? And what exactly does a word art instructor do? And what does art mean in this context? Is word art only for the most talented writers? What are the benefits of being a word artist? Who needs word art? What happens in a word art workshop? What do I need to know?
In this post, I answer the questions below about the word art. If, after reading, you still want more information, please contact, and we'll talk.
What is word art?
As a concept, word art is a bit of a fuzzy, tricky concept. But once you break it down, you start to get to the bottom of it.
It starts with the word: in word art, you are dealing with words. Word art is about playing with words and language, creating, reading, writing, telling and listening - and as such, it's an all-ages pastime. Language allows us to describe things that do not exist in the here and now. We can talk safely about our fears, our hopes and dreams, about hidden possibilities, about a world that could be real. Imagination makes the world a bigger place, and fairy tales and stories are the breeding ground for imagination.
Then there's art: my own view of (word) art education is summed up in a quote from the brain researcher, Professor Emeritus Matti Bergström:
Lifelong play should be placed alongside lifelong learning.
For me, word art - and art in general - is not something fancy and sublime, separate from everyday life, but creativity and play. The practice of art is an education in humanity and ethically responsible membership of society, and develops active thinking, emotional intelligence, will, imagination, perception, expression, empathy, tolerance and creativity. Art also helps people to make their values more concrete and to build a life that reflects their own values. Every one of us - from babies to grandchildren - should have the opportunity to practice art, to encounter art every day.
In practice, word art can be baby-talk, word adventures for primary school children, creative writing, life story telling, empowering poetry for the elderly with memory problems - and everything in between and much more. Word arts can also be combined with other art forms. For example, images and words, or music, movement and language are fruitful, multi-artistic combinations.
What are the benefits of practising word art?
Perhaps the deepest meaning of the word art hobby lies in the role of language as the basis of human learning and identity. Language is the building block of self-image, and art helps us to understand our own lives and to relate to other people. It helps us to answer questions that are central to our own identity: who am I? Where do I come from? What do I want or need from life? What is important in my life? What is my life story? So we are right at the heart of growing as a human being.
Art also helps you to make your values more concrete and to build a life that looks like you. When you know yourself, your roots and your values better, you can more easily respect the differences of others and draw boundaries for what cannot be tolerated. It is also important to recognise and articulate feelings. Without words to describe joy, anxiety or depression, people are trapped in an unnameable feeling of evil. Literature offers vicarious experiences that broaden and deepen the reader's own world of experience and emotion.
Above all, however, the art of words is a matter of joy and play. It opens locks, relaxes and helps you to cope, frees you from everyday life, gets your thoughts flowing, offers experiences and enjoyment and meaning to life, involves you, encourages you to try something new, creates a sense of community and generates new ideas.
How is word art different from creative writing?
This is a tricky question. Many people use word art and creative writing as synonyms. And creative writing, at least in Finland, usually refers to writing fiction. Some, on the other hand, see word art as an umbrella term that includes not only writing but also multi-artistic applications that have some connection with writing and literature. Then there are those for whom wordsmithing is specifically related to experimental and playful activities for children and young people, while creative writing is a goal-oriented activity for adults.
Personally, I prefer to talk about word art - partly because I want to promote the concept of word art, and partly because I want to lower thresholds, break boundaries and create opportunities for people of all ages to play with language and words.
The focus of the word artist groups and workshops is not on polishing texts or writing for publication, but on the process itself and the ideas, experiences and insights it generates. Sometimes this can mean oral expression, combining movement and language, or visual exercises, for example, rather than writing.
A glimpse into the history of the teaching of language arts and creative writing in Finland
Perhaps the first writing school in Finland was Elisabeth Järnefelt's circle in the 19th century, which was aimed at young people in Helsinki. The circle provided writing exercises and Finnish composition work. Among its members was Juhani Aho. Minna Canth also led a writers' circle, which aimed to support writers.
Face-to-face teaching started in the 1960s. One of the pioneers was Oriveden Opisto, which expanded in the 1980s into a full writing course. The teaching of writing in universities slowly became more widespread from the 1970s onwards.
Writers' training for all has been provided in particular by the folk high schools and the workers' and citizens' colleges, which started in the 1980s. The same decade also marks the beginning of the history of literary education for children and young people, when the Hämeenlinna City Library and the Kanta-Häme Writers' Association Vana -66 started to run writing groups for children and young people. The law on basic literary education entered into force in 1992. The Finnish Society for Literary Education was founded in 2003. The Society aims to promote basic education in the word arts and the practice of writing.
Who is a good word art hobby for?
Word art is for everyone! The youngest word art enthusiasts are newborn baby-sitters, the oldest are elderly people with memory problems.
The Word Keeper groups and workshops are suitable for all literate people who want to explore themselves and awaken the dormant creative writer within. The Word Keeper will lead you into the world of words, poems and stories, or to yourself and your life, depending on where you need to go. Small groups and cosy spaces create a relaxed and confidential atmosphere where there is no pressure to perform.
The focus of the Word Keeper's word art groups and workshops is on word art and creative writing. These groups give a boost to the inner critic, unlock the locks of creativity and discover the joy and relaxation of writing.
According to his philosophy, creativity is not just for writers or other artists - it is a natural, innate quality that belongs to all of us. For some reason, many people lose their creativity in their school years or, at the latest, in adulthood, even though it is increasingly in demand in the world of work, whatever the job. The joy of creativity can be experienced throughout life, in all situations and in all tasks. Creativity and self-expression develop us as human beings and bring new joy, relaxation and meaning to life. Creativity and (word) art is everyone's right.
The Wordmaker groups and workshops do not require any prior knowledge or experience of creative writing, wordsmithing, literary therapy or literature.
What does a word art workshop do?
Whatever and everything in between! In the word art workshop, you will adventure in the world of texts, writing, words and languages, do easy exercises, improvise, collect material for longer texts, let loose and play.
Some workshops and groups will focus on unlocking creativity, while others may focus on things like memories and autobiographical writing. Sometimes word art may be combined with images, movement, crafts or music, for example.
The Wordmaker Groups are primarily for beginner or stuck writers who want to find their way to the source of their creativity. The groups will give a kick to the inner critic, unlock the locks of creativity and discover the joy and relaxation of writing.
As a literary arts and literacy therapist, I am first and foremost an encourager, an enabler and an opener of windows and doors to new worlds. In groups, we focus not so much on the end result but on the creative process itself and the ideas, experiences and insights it generates.
Where can you study to become a literary arts teacher?
Word art is one of the nine arts in basic art education, but there is no higher education in Finland that qualifies you as a word art teacher. However, training courses for teachers of vocabulary are organised in different parts of the country.
I myself have attended a training course in word art teacher training at Snellman Summer University in Kuopio, focusing on children's and young people's word art. I apply the lessons I learnt there to my work with adults. The Lumo training at the Valvee School of Word Art in Oulu also focuses on children's and young people's word art. The training atthe Häme Summer University of Häme focuses specifically on guiding adults. Training has also been provided at leastat the Workers' Academy in Kauniainen andat the Book House in Turku.
Finally
Language and literature, reading and writing are powerful tools for developing self-esteem, supporting mental well-being and nurturing creative thinking. The primary aim of word arts is not to produce new writers, but to nurture people who enjoy words, stories, language and literature, and to help them open their own creative locks and find their way to their own stories. The Word Keeper wants to introduce people of all ages to the world of books and reading, to help them nourish themselves through words, stories and language play, and to grow into whole, whole people, equipped to cope with whatever life throws at them.
Sources
Bergström, Matti: Black and white play: play, chaos and order in the brain. WSOY 1997.
Haanpää, Päivi: A guide for word art instructors. Avain 2015.
Karppinen, Seija & Puurula, Arja & Ruokonen, Inkeri: The magic of art and play: art and art education for children aged 4-8. Finn Lectura 2001.
Karppinen, Seija & Ruokonen, Inkeri & Uusikylä, Kari: Young people and art - with joy and enthusiasm, defiance and defiance: writings on art and art education for adolescents. Finn Lectura 2008.
Mäkelä, Marja-Leena (ed.): Verbal Art. BTJ Library Service 2005.
Sava, Inkeri & Vesanen-Laukkanen, Virpi (ed.): The story of your own life told as art. PS-publishing 2004.