Throwing all caution to the winds...

I finally decided to give Michael free access to a wide variety of art materials. Scissors, tape dispenser, glue, paper, a wide variety of collage materials, and permission to raid the recycling bin at will. He'll also request random items at the grocery store for art projects. Most recently, he needed to choose a very specific box of pasta that has featured prominently in several recent projects.

The results have been prolific and remarkable. And, for once, that is not code for disastrous. He has been having a blast. So far, I have not discovered puddles of glue on the floor, scraps of items that shouldn't be cut, or piles of collage materials and raw pasta strewn about. Instead, I keep discovering random projects laying about or proudly taped on the walls.

This graces my front door:

I found these on his art desk: (his ability to create 3D objects with paper/cardboard and tape is impressive)

Exploration of the human figure:

I'm told this is the sun coming out after a tornado.

After incorrectly guessing train, fire truck, and spaceship I was informed that this was a car.

I watched Michael cut a piece of white cardstock into approximately 50 tiny pieces and then painstakingly tape them back together into this:

It wasn't until he taped it to his chin and called it a mustache that I realized he was going for a beard.

The boy is happily doing self-directed art projects from the moment he wakes up until he falls back asleep at night. Why didn't I give him all the materials months ago?