Wild and Weedy

29 JUNE - 3 JULY 2020

ONLINE: CHILDREN'S ART WEEK

A weed is a wild plant growing where it is not valued. This series of three online activities are inspired by the artistic practice of Circus member Sadie Stoddart and incorporates the natural world into art. Sadie uses weeds as a metaphor to explore our relationship with the constructed narrative used by the media to discuss topics of a social, political and historical nature. The similarities in the language used to describe displaced plants and displaced people allow an exploration of issues such as control and belonging, to be examined through a different lens.

Through our 'Wild and Weedy' step-by-step guides below we will embrace nature’s weeds and celebrate their wild and unique qualities. These activity guides will be published on the Circus Instagram, Facebook and here on the website at 10am and we hope to share everyone’s work throughout the week.

Dandelion Roar - Monday 29 June

Join us for our first activity, as part of Children’s Art Week, to make paper plate faces, this activity is suitable for early years (age 3-6).

You will need:
Paper plates,
Yellow and black paint,
Paintbrushes,
Glue,
Dandelion heads.

Begin by painting your paper plate yellow.
Once you’ve covered your plate in yellow paint leave it until dry.
Once your plate is dry you can begin painting your lions face. Paint 2 eyes, a triangle nose and a mouth that meets in the middle. Don’t forget your whiskers!!
Around the edge of your paper plate paint on some glue.
When you have painted on your glue you can start sticking your dandelions all around your plate to make a mane.
And there you have your DandeLION!

Please tag us in your creations on Instagram with @circus_artspace so we can share your artwork and follow the hashtag #ChildrensArtWeek for more fab ideas.

Nature's Paintbrushes - Wednesday 1 July

On Wednesday it’s time to go wild with foraged plants and get creative, this activity is accessible for all ages.

You will need:
String or twine,

Scissors,
Paints,
Paper,
A selection on sticks and wild plants.

Begin by cutting a piece of string, then select a stick and plant.
Fasten the plant to the stick by wrapping the string around, you might need an adult to help tie the knot.
Dip your natural paintbrush into paint.
Try experimenting with different plants to create different textures and marks!

We'd love to see your artworks.

Please tag us in your creations on Instagram with @circus_artspace so we can share your artwork and follow the hashtag #ChildrensArtWeek for more fab ideas.

Join us on Friday for our next workshop ‘Paper Weeds’.

Paper Weeds - Friday 3 July

In our final activity we’ll making 3D paper plants using mono-printing, this activity is suitable for older children (age 8-14). You can either do this project with block printing ink or paint.

You will need:

If you use ink you may also need a roller and plexi glass,
With paint you’ll need a flat surface and a paint brush,
Plant of your choice,
Paper,
Tape,
Wire/pipe cleaners/card,
Scissors,
Tape,
Something to secure it once it has been made - plaster of Paris, clay, plasticine, blue tac.

Children's Art Week is run by Engage, the National Association for Gallery Education and supported in 2020 by Arts Council England, Creative Scotland, Arts Council of Wales, The D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust and Garfield Weston Foundation.

Lots more activities here:
www.engage.org/happenings/wild-weedy