As a teaching artist, I aim to guide my students in the process of transferring metaphorical connections of imagery into a sensory experience for the viewer, with a specific focus on the exploration of liminal space through the medium of autumn leaves. The crafting practice I facilitate involves creating a mobile using beautiful yarn, a dowel, and hand-drawn leaves. Here are the important steps to the process:
🍁1. Observation of Leaf Forms: I encourage my students to start by slowing down and closely observing the beautiful contours of leaf forms from various deciduous trees. This step is crucial for fostering a deep connection to the subject matter. I may take them on a nature walk or provide photographs of different leaves for reference.
Throughout this creative process, I want to remind myself and my students that observation should be open to all sensations. We should not only focus on the visual aspects of the leaves but also be attuned to the scents, the quality of the air, the sounds in the environment, and the way the edges of the leaves might feel in our hands. This holistic sensory experience deepens our connection to the subject matter and allows for a more immersive and profound exploration of the art and the natural world.
🍁2. Understanding Veins and Cycles: I discuss the sinuous lines of leaf veins and relate them to the cyclical nature of our lives. We engage in discussions about the changing seasons and how the leaves' cycles mirror our own experiences of growth, change, and transformation.
🍁 3. Creating Hand-Drawn Leaves: I have my students draw and cut out leaves on various materials, like colored paper or cardboard. I encourage them to express their personal connection to the leaves by adding details or symbols that represent their own experiences. These leaves become the visual representations of their metaphorical connections.
An added bonus in the drawing process is encouraging students to use markers that are often considered "dried up" or "bad" to color in their leaf drawings. This practice serves to bring awareness to the concept that every stage of life, much like these markers, holds immense value. The transparent, textural quality of the dry markers naturally complements the crisp, tactile feel of autumn, adding an extra layer of metaphorical depth to the artistic journey. This hands-on experience allows students to visually and physically appreciate the beauty in imperfection and the unique character that emerges through the different stages of life, much like the changing leaves in the fall.
🍁4. Adding Depth with Marbelized Papers and Photocopied Foliage: To enrich the sensory experience, I guide my students in applying beautiful marbled papers and photocopied foliage to the back of their hand-drawn leaves. This layering creates a sense of depth and complexity, symbolizing the layers of meaning in their own lives and experiences.
🍁5. Crafting the Mobile: We assemble the mobile by attaching the leaves to the beautiful yarn. This is typically done by punching holes at the top of each leaf and threading the yarn through. I encourage my students to experiment with different arrangements and color combinations that can evoke specific emotions or themes. The act of winding the yarn around the dowel, either counterclockwise or clockwise, symbolizes the winding and unwinding of time, seasons, and experiences.
The act of winding the yarn around the dowel, either counterclockwise or clockwise, symbolizes the winding and unwinding of time, seasons, and experiences.
🍁6. Hanging the Mobile: Finally, I instruct my students to hold the mobile at arm's length above their heads and observe the double-sided leaves as they float and twist in the wind. This step brings the sensory experience full circle, allowing the students to connect with their creation in a tangible and immersive way. I encourage them to reflect on the metaphorical connections they've explored throughout the process and how those connections come to life as the mobile moves in the air.
By following these steps, I help my students transform the metaphorical connections of autumn leaves into a sensory and visually engaging experience. This bridges the gap between imagination and tangible art while delving into the concept of liminal space and the cyclical nature of life.
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