Gratitude garlands and more
After battling Covid for what feels like one too many times, I am back posting. I am grateful for my health, and as we enter this season of gratitude, I will share a gratitude craft I recently did with some seniors in New Britain. We made Gratitude Garlands, which can take many forms. I created one out of paper leaves and strung them on twine. I wrote or drew something I am grateful for on many of the leaves of one strand, and on the other strand, I wrote out the word “gratitude.” It was so much fun doing this craft with the seniors in New Britain. They enjoyed arranging the leaves, attaching them to the twine with pretty ribbon, and writing what they were grateful for. What a nice way to spend an hour together! I am grateful for that time, and for the community we created, and for the community of seniors that already exists in New Britain. It was fun to see how they shared ideas and different innovative ways of constructing the garlands!
In my other classes, I have been doing a lot of watercolor because there is so much interest in it. In Art Journey class a few weeks ago, my students were very inspired by the Tree of Life painting by Gustav Klimt that I have mentioned previously in my blog. Continuing in the fall vein, we explored fall colors, leaves, and yes, more trees! I introduced some ideas about “negative painting,” a technique that utilizes leaving some spaces unpainted (the white of the paper, or whatever color of paper you might be using). The white of the paper then takes on its own shape. How fascinating that something can be defined by the space around it! Suddenly tree trunks, ponds, houses, or birds’ feathers begin leaping off of the page. This technique also introduces a lot of luminosity. One of the beauties of watercolor is that it is translucent. So while other areas may be painted, areas that are white but then covered will allow that white of the paper to shine through, giving you a warm and luminous effect. Think dappled sunshine reflecting off of birch tree leaves!
We have also been doing some fun collage projects with gesso and tissue paper and acrylics. I like how these are very organic and how the tissue can lead the work, suggesting shapes and forms. Mine ended up being very mountainous. Funny, the mountains came out of me, as I am a very mountain oriented person. If we get out of the way, our work will show us who we are. This is a continuous project that takes concentration, dedication, and perseverance!
What I’m reading
Beautiful poems and discussion of wonder, landscape, and balance, to name a few of the sections. Wonderful inspiration as one sits down to draw or contemplate.
What I’m watching
Stan Lee: Why You Should Listen to Your Gut
Interesting that Spiderman was kind of a throw away when the comic book Stan was working at was about to fold. It was a story he really loved and wanted to tell. And what do you know, everyone else loved it too! Follow the love, follow your gut!
What I’m listening to
All One Having just seen Krishna Das live, I’ve got to put him back here. To chant joyfully in a group is truly a wonderful experience.
