Picture This Podcast: Joyce Wan - Teaching BIG Feelings with Minimalist Art

How do you convey huge emotions like love, comfort, and identity using the fewest words and simplest images?

Adam Lehrhaupt sits down with best-selling author and illustrator Joyce Wan (I Am a Cupcake, The Very Brave Bear) to explore the power of minimalism in engaging young readers and inspiring creative confidence in the classroom.

Joyce reveals her process for distilling universal feelings into powerful books and shares actionable tips for educators on how to turn simple shapes into profound assignments.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The powerful link between simple art and focus for toddlers.
• The "Shape & Feeling" exercise—a low-prep visual art prompt for K-3 students.
• Why creative constraints (like board book page limits) lead to better storytelling.
• The genius of open-ended assignments and the value of authentic student responses.
• Creative sparks: Why Studio Ghibli films and junk mail are great inspiration for writing and art.
• A fun writing exercise: Blackout Poetry to find new meaning in old text.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & CLASSROOM ACTIVITY IDEAS

Timestamps for quick learning:

• 00:03:55 | Start with Feeling: The creative process of distilling universal emotions (Love, Comfort) into simple stories.
• 00:06:42 | NEW Activity: The "Shape & Expression" visual art prompt for K-3 students.
• 00:07:48 | Creativity Hack: Why limiting tools and adding constraints expands imagination.
• 00:11:04 | Teacher Tip: The power of open-ended assignments for authentic student responses.
• 00:14:53 | Writing Prompt: How to use Blackout Poetry to spark writing and critical thinking.
• 00:17:01 | Book Bag Pick: Why The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the perfect sensory board book.
• 00:19:50 | Creative Spark: Finding inspiration outside kidlit (like Studio Ghibli films!).
• 00:24:46 | Resource Bucket: Creating a Classroom Inspiration Box of patterns and objects.
• 00:29:32 | Freebies: Where to find Joyce Wan's FREE Educator Guides!

🔗 RESOURCES & GUEST LINKS

Connect with Joyce Wan and access amazing free resources:

• Joyce Wan's Official Website (FREE Educator Guides!): WanArt.com
• Follow Joyce on Social Media: @JoyceWanBooks
• Adam Lehrhaupt's Website (All Links & Activities): AdamL.Rocks

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