🎨 HOMESCHOOL ARTS: Introducing William Morris (1834–1896)

Calling all artistic homeschoolers! Here’s someone to study this week for creative inspiration.

William Morris (1834–1896) was one of the most gifted and prolific artists of nineteenth century. Today is his birthday, so on this happy occasion why not spend a few homeschool minutes learning about his beautiful designs.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has an extensive collection of Morris productions, and it’s a perfect place to visit with your artistically or historically inclined students:

• ➢ William Morris at the Victoria and Albert Museum (vam.ac.uk)

Morris was a polymath who wrote novels and poetry, designed textiles and stained glass windows, and established a press that produced some of the most beautiful books of the nineteenth century. His designs for fabrics, carpets, and wallpaper have continued to be popular for well over a hundred years.

One of the 19th century’s most famous names, William Morris is still renowned today as the designer of patterns such as “Willow Bough” and “Strawberry Thief.” But his wallpapers and textiles are only part of the story. Through developing many other products and working on interiors schemes (including one for the V&A’s own café), Morris also mastered many other areas of design – as well as finding time to be a social activist and celebrated author. (vam.ac.uk)

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful,” Morris wrote. That’s a worthy aspiration for us all. And if you want something in your house that is both educationally useful and beautiful, what could be better than a William Morris coloring book!

What artistic discoveries have you and your students been making in your homeschool this Leo Term? 😊

❡ Explore more: For a brief homeschool overview of the Victorian Period, to which William Morris belongs, turn to pages 348–349 in your River Houses history encyclopedia. 📚

❡ Here, said the year: This is one of our regular posts about Homeschool Holidays & History. Add your name to our weekly River Houses mailing list to get more great homeschool history lessons delivered right to your mailbox all through the year. 📫

❡ Creative lives: The “Noted Personalities” section of your recommended world almanac includes a long list of “Artists, Photographers, and Sculptors of the Past.” Why not pick out a name or two to research each month, either online or on your next visit to your local library. It would be a great way to give your students a little extra artistic inspiration. 🎨

❡ Homeschool calendars: We have a whole collection of free, printable, educational homeschool calendars and planners available on our main River Houses calendar page. They will help you create a light and easy structure for your homeschool year. Give them a try today! 🗓

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❡ Join us! The aim of the River Houses project is to create a network of friendly local homeschool support groups — local chapters that we call “Houses.” Our first at-large chapter, Headwaters House, is now forming and is open to homeschoolers everywhere. Find out how to become one of our founding members on the Headwaters House membership page. 🏡