Art Basket Ideas

Are you thinking things that would go it the "basket" that pertain to Art right?

I am not an artists, but I would think brushes, paints, charcoal Pencils stuff like that.

Or you can put in a gift cert from and art store in the area?

Good luck.

We did an art themed basket for my son's school last year. We included a certificate for a year's membership at the local art museum and a certificate for one of those wine/painting places and a gift card for Michael's. Museums are really, really good about donating memberships for school events. They want kids to learn to go to museums! You could also do other classes- something to a local glass blowing studio, ceramics studio, photography class, something like that. We included some art supplies and one of those little wooden figures that you pose for sketching. It looked great! Another art basket that I saw had an easel and some blank canvases, which was cool.

I have done baskets like this for fundraiser auctions and I second what Elena B. posts below. If possible do a "younger kid' basket and an "older kid" one. If you only do one basket, I'd advise making it a younger-kid art supply collection only.

I think that parents bidding on baskets at these events are not really thinking in terms of "I want to do art too" especially if they have younger kids; they might see things like real oil pastels or expensive, serious paintbrushes as seeming out of place in a basket that also contains crayons, fingerpaints, etc. -- hence the idea of baskets geared either toward younger or older artists but not trying to cover both at once.

The adults bidding on kids' baskets are really focusing on what's in there for their kids, and won't give that much attention to whether there are art items in there that interest them. If you put in nice quality brushes, for instance, that a teen or adult would use, you would also need to put in paints of the quality to go with those brushes--expensive! And not useable by younger kids, really. (Yes, of course they can use the good stuff too, but it is pricey and not the same as art supplies that will wash out!)

Getting a local art museum to donate a membership, or a special tour if a membership is too pricey for them to donate, is a great idea for ANY age but be sure the donation covers a family membership (so parents and chiild are all covered) and/or a tour donation covers both parent and child.

Is your fundraiser doing any baskets geared directly at adults only? We had huge success with baskets on themes such as "parents' night in" (DVDs, fancy foodstuffs that kids wouldn't care for, a gift certificate to a wine store because in many places you cannot legally put wine into an auction like this one) or a basket with a gift or discount certificate for a spa plus spa items for adults, etc. See if a local photo studio will donate a gift certificate for one professional family photo -- that also got a TON of bids the year we had it. Get a local performing arts place to donate tickets and put them into a basket including whatever is related --picnic gear if it's an outdoor performance venue, for instance.

But mixing up things grown-ups like and can use with kids' items might not be the best use of the money you're spending to fill the baskets.

I would just fill it with art supplies for all ages, paints, watercolors, quality colored pencils, charcoal, paper, polymer clay, beading supplies, etc. Go to Aaron Brothers or some other art supply store for the best selection.

I'd make 2 baskets. One would be for families with younger kids, where the parents would have to help the little kids explore art. It could include paper, safety scissors, chunky brushes, a tub of wet wipes for cleaning messy fingers, maybe some simple stencils, paints, and things that little artists would like.

In the 2nd basket, I'd put things that a parent and older child could enjoy together such as 2 sketch books, charcoal pencils and those specialty erasers and blenders, a book about drawing, maybe one of those posable wooden figures, nice colored pencils or pastels.

You could even customize the baskets. The first one could go into a plastic storage tub that can be stored away when art time is done, and the 2nd could go into a picnic basket or tote than could be taken to a park or to the beach or on a walk. Kind of an "first art at home" and "adventures in sketching" theme, if you know what I mean.

Check the dollar section at Target or a craft store like Michaels. I often buy little craft kits for $1. I've gotten scrapbook supplies, wooden car/boat kits to build and paint, jewelry kits, seasonal craft supplies, and all kinds of things. For kids, pipe cleaners, pompoms, glue sticks, craft sticks, foam stickers, etc. are all good things.

Do you have a Wine and Canvas type of business or a Color Me Mine ceramics type of place in your community? A gift certificate to a place like that would be fun to tuck in for adults. A gift card to a craft store, quilt shop, scrapbook shop would be good too.