A kids' art workshop · Sundays 11am · South Yarra

Painting with Scissors

An unhurried Sunday where your child steps into the world of Henri Matisse, the artist who reinvented himself with nothing but paper and a pair of scissors. They cut bold, joyful shapes just like he did, then turn their own artwork into a real vase, wrapped around a glass jar and filled with fresh flowers to carry home. Everything is set up and ready, so all they need to bring is a love of colour.

Small group of 8 · All materials included · Led in person · Ages 8 to 12

Sun 9 Aug11:00am start
La Vita Nova51a Grosvenor St, South Yarra
Ages 8 to 12Mixed ages welcome
90 minDrop off or stay nearby
$45 / childEverything supplied
Take-homeFlower-filled vase + sketchbook
What they'll make

A Matisse vase, made from their own bold art.

Just like Matisse, children cut curvy, colourful shapes straight out of paper and build two bold collages of their own. Then, in the clever twist, those two panels become the front and back of a real vase, wrapped around a glass jar and finished with fresh flowers to carry home.

  • Every child leaves with a real flower-filled vase they made themselves
  • Plus a little sketchbook and a wallet of coloured paper to keep creating at home
  • All materials, tools, the jar, the flowers and a smock supplied, nothing to bring
  • A few jar sizes to choose from, so each child picks the vase that is theirs
More than a craft afternoon

What your child actually gets out of it.

It looks like colour and glue and fun, and it is. Underneath, it is doing real work that parents care about.

Confidence

There is no wrong way to do it, so every child finishes something they are genuinely proud to show you.

Real creativity

Open-ended making, not colour-by-numbers. They make their own choices and watch their own ideas come to life.

Focus, screen-free

Ninety absorbed minutes of cutting, arranging and deciding. No screens, just a quiet, busy kind of happy.

Hand skills

Cutting, tearing and placing build the fine-motor strength and control that also help with writing.

A real keepsake

They leave with a real vase of fresh flowers and a sketchbook to keep going, not a craft that is binned by Tuesday.

A love of art

They meet a genuine master and learn how he worked, so it sticks long after the glue has dried.

How the session runs

Story, then making, then flowers to take home.

01

Meet Matisse

A short, warm story about the artist who painted with scissors when he could no longer stand at an easel.

02

Paint with scissors

Cut bold shapes and build two colourful collages, the real Matisse learning at the heart of the day.

03

Wrap the vase & add flowers

Turn those two panels into a vase around a glass jar, pop in fresh flowers, and carry it home.

The practical bits

What's included, and what to bring.

We bring everything

  • A ready-to-go materials box for each child: quality coloured paper, child-safe scissors and glue
  • A glass jar and fresh flowers, so every child goes home with a real flower-filled vase
  • A take-home sketchbook and a wallet of coloured paper to keep creating
  • A smock for each child, and all the mess stays with us
  • A warm, experienced facilitator guiding every step

You bring almost nothing

  • Clothes that can handle a little glue (a smock goes on top anyway)
  • A named water bottle
  • A nut-free snack, if you would like one
  • Your child, ready to make something bold. That is it.
You're in good hands

Small, supervised, and set up for every child to shine.

8

A small group

Places are capped, so every child gets real attention and help when they need it.

WWCC

Safe hands

Run in person by a friendly facilitator with a current Working with Children's Check.

8–12

Every age supported

The make is differentiated by hand, so younger and older children both finish something they love.

100%

Supplied & allergy-aware

All materials included and low-mess, and we work around anything you flag on the form.

Why this exists
"I wanted the opposite of the craft that falls apart in the car on the way home. One real artist, one bold thing made properly, and an afternoon where kids can just create while everything is already set up for them. I cannot wait to make with your little ones."

Jen, Masters in the Making, at La Vita Nova

Book

Save your child a spot.

Small group, so places are limited. Send the details below and we'll confirm by return with payment and everything you need to know.

Small group, so places are limited. Pick your date, pay in a couple of minutes, and we'll email you everything you need to know before the day.

Questions? Email info@lavitanova.com.au

Book online

Choose your Sunday and pay securely with Square. Card or Apple Pay, and the spot is yours straight away.

Book and pay →

$45 per child. Ages 8 to 12. Square will show you what is still available.

Rather ask a question first? Send this and we will come back to you.

No payment now. Send this and we'll email you to confirm your child's place and payment.

Good to know

Questions, answered.

My child has never really done art. Is that okay?

More than okay, it is exactly who this is for. No experience needed. Cutting shapes from colour is forgiving and joyful, and first-timers often make the boldest work in the room.

Is it suitable for mixed ages?

Yes, it is built for it. Younger children make bold, simple shapes; older ones build fuller, more layered compositions. The same technique stretches across the whole age range, so everyone leaves proud.

Will it be messy? What should they wear?

It is low-mess by design, mostly paper, scissors and glue, and every child wears a smock. Pop them in clothes you would not mind a smudge on, just in case.

How big is the group?

Small and capped at eight children, so there is always a hand nearby and no one gets lost in the crowd.

Do parents stay?

Whatever suits you. You are welcome to settle your child and come back for the little gallery at the end, or stay close by. We will confirm the details when you book.

What does it cost, and how do I pay?

$45 per child, covering all materials, the glass jar and fresh flowers, the finished vase and the take-home sketchbook. There is no payment on the form. We will confirm your spot by email and send simple payment details then.

What if my child has allergies or extra needs?

Just note it on the booking form. Materials are age-appropriate and low-mess, and we will happily work around anything you flag so your child is comfortable.

What if we can't make it on the day?

Let us know as soon as you can and we will move you to the next session or sort out a refund. Life with kids happens.