Collaborative Art in Lavender

The Lavender children explored line and colour this week through a collaborative loose parts artwork. With their keen interest in loose parts play, we embarked on an inquiry based on their curiosities.

Using black markers, the children created a meandering continuous line on a large sheet of brown paper. Each child took turns, ensuring a seamless flow from where the previous child concluded. When the line overlapped, organic shapes emerged, which we discussed filling with different colours.

To give the line height for pouring loose parts, the children used black stones. Some sorted multicoloured beads and stones into separate hues. Once sorted, the children filled the spaces with the coloured beads and stones.

Considering the temporary nature of the artwork, we explored sand mandalas created by Tibetan Buddhists. The children watched a time-lapse video and created their own coloured sands by mixing powder paint into sand containers, enhancing their understanding of colour theory.

Using spoons, the children took turns filling the remaining spaces with the mixed sand colours, being mindful of each hue's boundary. They appreciated their work, knowing it would eventually be dismantled. The children embraced the joy of creation and the experience, rather than focusing solely on the final product. Through this process, they learned about line, colour, loose parts art, and the concepts of impermanence and change.