“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” Michelangelo
Plaster of Paris makes it easy to create small blocks of “stone” that little sculptors can carve. It’s also a wonderful way to have children imagine a three dimensional shape inside a block, and bring it to life. As they carve and scratch away at the plaster, they’ll see their idea slowly emerge and evolve.
Filed under sculpture
“If people did not sometimes do silly things, nothing intelligent would ever get done.” Ludwig Wittgenstein.
He’s got a point, and that’s what this project is all about. Making a silly creature means letting your imagination go wild and the sillier, the better. Think wings, multiple eyeballs, crooked and disjointed parts, anything goes. Then we can move onto something more intelligent.
Earlier this summer, I suggested spending some time hunting and gathering outdoors to collect items for future arts and crafts projects. This is one of those projects where you’ll be able to make use of your treasures. Many of your gathered items are typically found on the ground, only to be stepped on or tossed in the compost pile, so you may be surprised to see how this blending of nature and imagination can create some really interesting garden art.
Filed under Art and Nature, recycling, sculpture
Ganesh in Mumbai by Nick Gray. Image:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ganesh_Idol_in_Mumbai.jpg
Ganesh is the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom, success, and good fortune. He is one of the most popular Hindu deities whose birthday is celebrated during the Ganesha Chaturthi Festival falling between August 20th and September 15th. This god is hugely popular, and is prayed to before starting important things such a new job or even before writing school exams!
Ganesh has a long trunk, big ears, and a large pot-bellied body of a human being. His four hands each hold a symbolic object. In his upper right hand he holds an elephant goad (rod) which helps remove obstacles and be steered in the right direction. The noose in Ganesh’s upper left hand helps to capture all difficulties. His lower right hand is used to bless his devotees. Finally, a modak (sweet rice ball) or a lotus flower is held in his lower left hand, as a symbol of human evolution and joy.
Several months before the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration, beautifully decorated clay and plaster models of Ganesh are made by artisans. They are used to decorate homes and local communities throughout the festivities. We will be making a clay model of Ganesh. Now that you’ve learned a bit about this god, why not see if there’s a celebration in your community, so you can experience the festivities first hand.
Filed under clay, India, Multicultural Art, sculpture
It’s officially summer today, and whether you’re staying local or traveling abroad, it’s a great time to explore the arts and get inspired by what others have created. While this typically involves visits to museums and various festivals, there are also some highly unusual places to explore which are off the beaten path, with fascinating stories of dreams and perseverance. They all have kid appeal and are definitely worth putting on your travel wish list, or at the very least, your virtual trip list:
Italy: The Tarot Garden
The Tarot Garden. Photo: http://www.nikidesaintphalle.com
The Tarot Garden is located in the southern region of Tuscany, and is filled with sculptures of Tarot cards interpreted by the artist Niki de Saint Phalle and her collaborators. This magical looking sculpture park took almost 20 years to complete, and was a place the artist hoped would bring joy to children and adults alike. For more information visit: http://www.nikidesaintphalle.com
Poland: Wieliczka Salt Mines
The Wieliczka Salt Mine. Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wieliczka_Salt_Mine
The Wieliczka Salt Mine in southern Poland produced table salt from the 13th century until 2007. Today, a visit to the mine takes you on an historical journey through the various mining techniques and tools used from the Middle Ages to modern times. But what really sounds amazing are the galleries and corridors filled with works of art sculpted in salt like in the photo above. For more information visit: www.kolpalnia.pl
France: Le Palais Idéal
Le Palais Idéal. Photo:www.naturepixel.com
This is an amazing story about Ferdinand Cheval, a postman living in Hauterives, who one day tripped over a stone and was inspired to build the palace of his dreams out of this material. He continued to collect stones while on his mail route, and worked on the building whenever he could. It took him 33 years to complete this incredible space, filled with inspirations from different civilizations, religions, and philosophies. It received recognition and admiration from the likes of Ernst and Picasso, and has been declared a cultural landmark by the French Minister of Culture. For more information visit: www.facteurcheval.com
India: The Rock Garden of Chandigarh
The Rock Garden in Chandigarh. Photo: http://www.nekchand.org
Here’s a similar story about a man with a dream. Nek Chand was a roads inspector, working for the Department of Public Works in Chandigarh. He had a dream of creating a magical place and when he had time, began building a rock garden filled with sculptures of animals, musicians, and dancing women, all made of recycled materials and stones. This secret place began in the middle of the jungle, and for 18 years remained undiscovered. Eventually, with the government’s full support, Chand’s garden was completed and is one of the most visited folk art sites in the world. For more information visit: www.nekchand.com and www.nekchand.org
Japan: The Hakone Open-Air Museum
Hakone Open-Air Museum. Photo: http://www.traveljapanblog.com/ wordpress/tag/museums/page/4/
This impressive looking museum is home to over 100 sculptures by modern and contemporary artists like Rodin and Moore, scattered throughout the exquisite grounds that only the Japanese could create. It also has 5 exhibition halls including a Picasso Pavilion, restaurants and shops and, get this, a foot bath spa nestled in the beautiful gardens. Who wouldn’t dream of that after a day of sightseeing. As their website says, it allows you to enjoy “the splendor of art in nature”. And for children, enjoying art while being able to run around freely in the gardens makes it more pleasant for all concerned. For more information visit: http://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/english
Filed under travel
Charlotte Gainsbourg’s song Greenwich Mean Time planted the seed for wanting to make a crooked house. If you listen to the lyrics, you’ll find the song’s inspired by this old English nursery rhyme:
There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile.
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse.
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
This had me wandering about the internet for examples of unusual and crooked architecture, of which there is plenty. You can view some amazing images here: UNUSUAL ARCHITECTURE .
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