Changes in Nature, Changes In Me
I invited my student, Elise to take part in the “mail a smile” - inviting her to create a mixed media smile as part of our investigation about autumn trees. Elise and her sister collected the fallen leaves prior to our online meeting. I really miss our one to one in person session, however I am thrilled to still get creative with the girls online post Covid.
When Covid struck, many of us started wearing masks which hide our SMILE - this makes me sad. One of the most beautiful things is a person's smile. I know we can smile with our eyes when we are wearing our masks, however I long to see everyone's smile. So I am asking you to join me on this delightful quest to POST A SMILE. Now I am not asking you to take a photograph of you smiling and post it via email or instagram - NO this doesn't involve technology....This involves drawing or painting a smile, putting it into an envelope and sealing it with love and posting it to a loved one by good old fashioned snail mail.
MAIL A SMILE - Watch the Video
As Autumn slowly comes to an end in order for Winter to begin, we notice the changes. More and more of the deciduous trees stand naked, fragments of rusty gold, burnt amber and withered ruby red tenderly cling to the bare arms. Soon, they too will fall and be covered in snow - Elise and Lilianne manage to collect a full rainbow spectrum of leaves this week.
The sisters delight in the hunting and gathering treasure from Mother Earth. Lilianne has been homeschooled since Covid and now joins Elise for the nature art therapy sessions.
The girls choose which mediums they want to explore and create with, pastels, chalks and water colours, adding their leaves and flowers once the paint has dried.
Experimenting with the leaves, which ones to use, where to place is all part of the jot filled process.
These portraits are truly a beautiful expression of who they are - I can feel their love and joy - their unique spirit and who ever receives these SMILING portraits will be smiling too, every time they look at them - so precious…..I think everyone should participate in this art activity and share the joy a smile brings to us all!
Older students can write a message if they so wish, on the SMILE portrait before popping it into an envelope and posting it to a loved one or friend.
Elise loved the process so much she wanted to make another smiling portrait.
Further investigations - Lilianne and Elise will investigate the history of mail, when was the first stamp produced and when did the first ever letter get posted, to whom and where. What year did the first post office arrive in BC. I will then invite them to design their very own stamp. (My older brother collected stamps, on monthly arrivals, we would all gather round to see what stamps had arrived in the post.) Do you know how a stamp is made? It’s a fascinating process! Don’t you just love learning!
Hope you are inspired to draw, sketch or paint a smile and mail it the old fashioned way.
Sending love and gratitude and oodles of smiles on this sacred new day, Marghanita x