Inspired by her stunning Zinnias paintings this Clementine Hunter art project is exactly what you need! This activity uses washable paint, white cardstock, and a simple paintbrush—making it perfect for kids of all ages. The best part? I go step by step showing your how to create your very own Zinnias master piece just like Clementine Hunter! This project is all about celebrating everyday beauty. With bold colors and simple brushstrokes, kids can create their own vibrant floral artwork while learning about an amazing self-taught artist who turned the ordinary into something truly extraordinary.
Who Was Clementine Hunter?
Clementine Hunter (1886–1988) was a self-taught folk artist from Louisiana who began painting in her 50s. She worked as a cotton picker and cook on a plantation, and in her free time, she painted scenes from her life—picking cotton, washing clothes, and celebrating family events.
What makes Hunter so special is that she painted what she knew, using bright colors and simple, expressive forms. She didn’t let a lack of formal training stop her; instead, she used discarded paints and brushes to tell her story. One of her favorite subjects was the zinnia flower, which she painted over and over in bold, joyful colors.
Hunter’s work gives us a window into everyday life in the American South and reminds us that art is for everyone—you don’t need fancy supplies or training, just a story to tell and a willingness to create.
Why You’ll Love This Clementine Hunter Zinnia Art Project
- Easy for all ages – Simple brush techniques and bold colors mean everyone can join in.
- Teaches creativity and self-expression – Kids learn to express themselves through color and shape.
- Minimal materials needed – Just paint, paper, and a brush!
- Perfect for Black History Month – A chance to learn about an important Black artist while having fun.
Materials You’ll Need
- White cardstock or thick paper
- Pencil
- Washable paint (bright colors like red, orange, yellow, pink, and green)
- Paintbrushes (different sizes if available)
- Paint palette or paper plate for mixing
- Apron or old clothes (because messy art is the best art!)
Watch How to Make this Clementine Hunter Zinnia Art Project Here:
How to Create a Clementine Hunter Inspired Zinnia Painting
- Using a pencil lightly trace the outline of a flower pot starting from the middle of the page to the bottom. Above it trace the outline of 6 or 7 circles. These will be the bases for your zinnias.
- Start with the lightest color first. Using small brush strokes, paint in the circles. Think of each stroke as a petal. Continue from the outer edge of the circle all the way to the center for each circle.
- Add a white dot the center of each flower. Using similar brush strokes, spread the white out blending it in the center of the flower.
- Next, add green dots around the middle part of the flower.
- Start to paint around the flowers in the green paint to add the greenery. Add leaves in between the flowers. Use a pencil to draft them if necessary. Don’t forget to add some leaves coming down over the top of the flower pot.
- Paint the flower pot blue (or any color your child chooses). Paint the outside of the pot in blue. Then add some white in the middle of the flower pot and blend it with the blue paint.
- Add white paint on the leaves and greenery and blend it. Add another final dot in the center of the flowers. Leave it unblended.
- Finally, paint the entire background and all white spaces in between the leaves and flowers black. This will help the color to really pop off the pages.
Incorporating This Project into Black History Month Learning
This project is more than just art—it’s a chance to talk about how Black history is American history. Clementine Hunter’s paintings tell stories of everyday life, culture, and resilience.
Ways to Connect the Project to Learning:
- Storytelling through art – Ask kids: What story are your flowers telling?
- Celebrate everyday beauty – Discuss how simple things, like flowers, can be powerful art subjects.
- Talk about Hunter’s life – Share how Hunter created art with limited resources, proving that art is for everyone.
- Discuss color and emotion – How do the colors make you feel?
- Learn more about here her:
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
