At l’Atelier des Lutins, each child illustrates and creates books, puppets, paintings, stories and anything they imagine. Sandra Albukrek’s unique and playful pedagogy delicately blends imagination, creativity and technical mastery.
Creativity is a gift which must be cultivated. It is innate in young children, but tends to fade away with the pressures of society which try to force us into a mold.
Sandra invites children for a journey of discovery through the magical world of the fine arts, visiting all of its materials and creating all sorts of objects (books, puppets, sculptures and whatever children may dream of) during which they explore of the richness of their inner landscapes.
The goal is not just to create an object, but rather to experience the whole creative process that leads to it.
Sandra Albukrek-Sebban's philosophy stems from her inexhaustible desire to sustain and stimulate the imagination and creativity of every child.
Her capacity to listen, her joyful presence, her playfulness and her generous transmission of her technical skills are precious and essential tools for cultivating children's creativity and allowing them to blossom and to feel confident exploring their imagination.
Respecting each child’s individual pace, with care and plenty of humor, she invites them to venture into the world of their imaginations. The creative experience they gain helps them to be happy and imaginative in whatever situations they encounter.
How can we discover and free the imagination?
Sandra's studio, founded in 2001, is a unique place, a cocoon sheltered from the hectic pace, competition and productivity of today’s world.
It is only by moving far away from predefined models, stereotypes and the judgments of others that the fragile imagination dares to show itself, to expand and to shine with all of its brilliance.
In this privileged environment, free from time limits and the constraints of our society, children discover their capacity to create. They gain confidence in their personal resources and feel free to use their imaginations.
Sandra is an author and illustrator, a graduate of ENSAD (Paris Institute of Decorative Arts), and a multi-disciplinary artist who accompanies each child individually within the group, with the assistance of various guest artists.
By playing with words, lines and shapes, Sandra awakens and opens up the imagination, dreaming, poetry and creative exchanges among the children.
Her fascination with the complexity of creativity led her to undertake expressive art therapy studies. Her research and practices in this field have given her precious tools to accompany budding young artists: understanding creativity, its moments of explosive fireworks, its calming strength and the times when things feel stuck.
Sandra Albukrek’s approach is unique: the art of combining technical mastery with the pleasure of the process – the freedom to imagine with the concentration needed to achieve – the joy of letting go and the patience to see things through to the end – the wonder of broad, free gestures and the attention to detail needed to put the finishing touches on each work.
A book presenting her unique method of creating books was published in 2007
Here are some excerpts from it
