Who knew fallen twigs, sticks, leaves and rocks could make great art? In this multi-disciplinary project students learned that art is more than painting and sculpture, and the raw materials for artistic expression can be found all around them. Students gathered natural materials they found on the playground and made them into temporary ephemeral works of art. They also reinterpreted their school grounds with dramatic narratives and songs, which they performed at the public unveiling of the school’s new peace garden. The project challenged the children to think of art, nature and their local environment in new ways.

Much of what the project was about was beauty and the rediscovery of the immediate natural beauty found in the urban environment that we often take for granted. Creating awareness and mindfulness in students is something that helps them negotiate space on a public bus, on a sidewalk, at school and in the privacy of their own home. I believe that this way of creating ephemeral art is a great tool for teaching mindfulness to students, and to help them to become more compassionate and socially responsible human beings. ~ Lori Weidenhammer, artist

Themes: Biology, Community, Dance, Drama, Environment, Fine Arts, Geography, Music, Social Responsiblity, Sustainability, Visual Arts