Today we have the pleasure and privilege of sharing with you a workshop inspired by the guru of process art, Barbara Rucci, and her stunning new book ‘Art Workshops for Children’.
We couldn’t wait to get our hands on this book and as we pored over the pages we ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’ over the brilliance and simplicity of the ideas. We loved that the materials for each of the workshops were items that most households or classrooms would have already in their cupboards, all the more reason to get started straight away.
Now the dilemma – which of the 27 workshops to choose first?! All of the ideas had relevance to our teaching program and we immediately drew links to current units of learning on emotions, celebrations, mathematics and so on. Each of the workshops were so cleverly open ended that they could be undertaken with any age group and easily adapted to suit the materials or topic at hand.
So with excitement levels high and creativity flowing we settled on the bright and colourful Workshop 25- Paper Roll Tree. With our trusty four year old sidekick we spent a wonderfully colourful, creative and collaborative afternoon decorating these rolls and ‘growing’ our tree.
“I’m making a rainbow!”
“They keep rolling off the table!”
“Look it’s balancing on the little branch.”
Evie – age four
The process involved cutting, sticking, wrapping, colouring, threading and gluing – all the favourite activities of a four year old! We chatted away happily as we created our masterpiece, confident in the fact that there was no right or wrong, no careful steps to follow. It was the process that mattered.
Sadly we came to the last paper roll in the basket and, once lovingly decorated, we ceremoniously placed it on our tree and stood back to admire our work.
Our treasured copy of ‘Art Workshops for Children’ is now filled with bookmarks and sticky notes ready for our next process art session. And we’re busting to get started. We’re already restocking our collection of paper rolls for another take on this gorgeous tree…stay tuned for a Christmas tree variation!
Do yourselves and your children a favour and get your hands on a copy of this book – it is a must for any studio, classroom and home. Thank you Bar Rucci, you’re an absolute inspiration.
teach make create 