Title quoted by artist, Marc Chagall, (1887-1985)
After a series of chilly days, it seemed like Spring was holding out on us. When the forecast predicted a 60° sunny afternoon, I wanted to take advantage of the warmer weather with my art classes. There's something special that comes alive in my students when they are taking a mask break outside. The fresh air, sun's warmth, and interacting in an open space just seems to invigorate us!
The best forms of creativity can often come in bursts of energy. The middle school art classes were in the middle of extended projects that could pause for a one-day mini art lesson to reenergize their spirits in the great outdoors. Inspired by the work of environmental artist, Andy Goldsworthy, my 6th and 7th graders took part in a collaborative process using items from nature to create artwork together.
The artist, Andy Goldsworthy, is a British sculptor (1965-Present), who creates art from the environment. He creates to tell a story about looking at his surroundings in nature with new eyes using whatever materials he can find ranging from stone, to wood, water, leaves, or even ice. "I enjoy the freedom of just using my hands and "found" tools. I take the opportunities each day offers: if it is snowing, I work with snow, at fall, it will be with leaves; a blown-over tree becomes a source of twigs and branches... I feel that there is always something to be discovered. Here is where I can learn." -Andy Goldsworthy
Goldsworthy builds his artwork in nature using forms that could only be created by hand but placed back in their natural context; such as collecting colorful leaves and arranging them side by side around the base of a tree, or interlacing twigs into a web of delicate lines as a hanging installation in the middle of a forest. The artwork only lasts temporarily, but his photographs of the final work share his story with the world.
After an introduction of the artist, the class split into groups of 4-5 people and started brainstorming ideas. The students were given the design challenge to develop an idea with their group members, collect natural resources, and build an artwork using whatever they could find from nature. During the nature walk, students picked up pine cones, twigs, stones, and reeds from the edge of the bike path that wraps around the school next to Oselka Park.
Each group picked a location on the lawn to stack their items and analyze what was gathered for their artwork. With only one day to create a group piece, they had to work together discussing how they could use what they found and begin taking action steps on the final product.
It was exciting to hear the group chatter as students made suggestions like, "What if we tried...", "Can we add this to it...?", or "We might need more of these twigs for the details!" All hands were actively involved as students ran to grab more items while the others were assembling them.
(Below: "Mr. Leaf")
This group created a portrait of a fictional character named "Mr. Leaf." They wanted to let me know that it was intentional that his mouth displayed teeth and that the wispy, strands of light tan were used not only for an impressive hairstyle but also a fluffy unibrow.
(Below: "The Hut")
As this artwork was being built, I wasn't sure what the overall concept was as rocks were being stacked and twigs stuffed into the crevices. When the group was ready for their final photo, they told me I had to photograph it from a specific viewpoint to show that it was an entrance to a miniature dwelling known as "the Hut."
(Below: "Baseball Player")
While collecting items on the nature walk, some students were excited to find a baseball that had been hit out of the park. This inspired them to change their idea and include the baseball as a prop in the final artwork. The profile of a player up at bat began to conceptualize as reeds were broken down into sections for legs, arms, and a bat. They were quite proud of the final product, and even gave the baseball player a spare mask.
(Below: "Miniature Garden")
As other students were stacking rocks and snapping reeds, this group seemed to be working in a zen-like state placing specific stones in a circular pattern one by one with neutral flowers and twigs carefully pressed into the background of a garden landscape. Moss was used to create contrast from the surrounding grass and a water feature was added by balancing a flat, grey stone across an open patch in the middle of the moss.
They worked right up to the last minute of their time outside and begged me to email each of them photos from their group project. Their garden landscape reminded me of a bonsai scene dwarfing the twigs as miniature trees. Careful decisions were made in the revision process as to which stones and flowers would be selected for the final work of art.
The students loved being outside and making artwork in teams. Great ideas often surface when working together and collaborating through the creative process. They may have walked along this bike path countless times but were able to redefine their landscape as artists with fine-tuned eyes discovering items to use in their artwork. The power of art lies in making us question things in everyday life. Creating artwork in nature can help us to reignite our sense of wonder by looking at the world in new ways.
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