A Gift of Inspired Art

The art that the children were creating for the treatment rooms in the cancer centre continued. 

This time, the children were offered canvases that had been prepared with softly coloured backgrounds. 

The children were given the opportunity to create their own idea or were able to choose 

from many photos of various artists works for inspiration.

They were invited to consider, discuss and sketch what they were thinking of painting.

Then the children would make a choice of which canvas they wanted to use. 

This gave the children the opportunity to be reflective.

The purpose of their art was...

What brushes might create certain details?

Would they need to mix colours to achieve their design?

Would they use light pencil markings on their canvas to stay true to their sketch or paint free hand?

Had they made changes to their painting from what they had sketched? Why?

How did they feel their finished piece might help a patient and their family?

Rose - Self Expression - "When there's rain, there's rainbows. And the rain helps the flowers. And there's a splashy puddle. Oh yeah...I forgot...I want to add a bird flying by the rainbow."

Lewam - Self Expression - "There's some rain coming out of the clouds. There's a house and some flowers in a garden. There's us playing by the tree. And the sun is in the sky."

Alivia - Inspired by Mosaic art: "Miss, how can I make the circle lines? (After a brief demonstration and discussion of the use of the ends of the brush handles to dip and dab) I'm making the circles then I can decorate."

     

Alivia continues her work over several days, leaving the paint to dry.

 Leaving and playing, coming back to the work to add and adjust when inspiration strikes.

 

Abigail - Abstract inspiration: "I just want to mix the colours how I feel and put them how I feel. There I am, on the top."

Savannah and Laila - Self Expression: "This is where the pool is. Everyone gets to go swimming and play outside all day. It's a happy picture."

Rose - Inspired by Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh: (Having sketched on canvas first) "I feel like fast and twirling and dancing. 

I'm trying a new dabbing way."

Miya - Inspired by Fantasy (Fairy): "Do you like it? I'm  done. Wait. I'm gonna put a sun and some flowers. I'm gonna put dibs and dabs too. It's pretty."

Inspired by Water (author/illustrator Frank Asch)

Mya - "I really like the snowflakes. The water comes out of the clouds and when it's cold it is snow. I'm mixing the colours."

 

Kate and Morgan - "There has to be some splashes. And we can make new colours. That's happy."

 

Danica: (Having sketched rainbow waves and splashes coming out of the sun) "I made a mistake so I'm going to make a big wave. That's what you can do. If you make a mistake it's okay. Just make something new."

Kate and Leah
Mrs. Brent: "Hmmm...there is so much happening in your painting! Tell me all about it."
Leah: "There's the rainbow and the splashes and dots from the end of or brushes."
Kate: "The waves are turning into rainbows. And there's the boat."
Mrs. Brent: "I'm thinking about how I feel when I look at this painting. 
How do you feel? What do you think the patient or their family might feel like?"
Kate and Leah: Quiet
Leah: "I'm going to put a sun."
Kate: "Another dot and then it's all done."

   
Mrs. Brent: "Things can get pretty stormy and swirly. It seems a sun and a rainbow makes things feel better."
Kate: "Rainbows are happy."
Leah: "And suns too!"
 

Danica works on her Abstract Inspired painting beside Kate and Morgan who are working on their painting inspired by the book Water.

Danica: "We can use the same colours. Mine is shapes all together. I just used paint paper 'cause I want to make more paintings to make people happy."

Morgan: "We're adding rainbow dots."

Miya: (As Danica replicates her rainbow splash painting on paint paper) That looks the same as the other one, but a little bit different. You're doing a good job. I like it."

Danica - Inspired by Maia's snowflake painting: "Oh yeah, I can't forget to add the smile."