How can we be present and pay attention? How can we become more mindful of beauty in everyday moments?
Learners in a Grade 10 Visual Arts class were led through a creative writing exercise to help them see the world through an artist’s eyes. To demonstrate the difference between didactic explanation and writing poetry, Ms. K first asked learners to observe her actions and write down what they saw. She dropped a tiny drop of black food colouring gel into a large, clear container of water. Learners took about a minute or so to respond by writing what they saw in their sketchbooks. Most learners wrote “black colour dropped in the clear water and then the water turned grey” or something similar (description without artistry).
Then the class spent some time speaking about descriptive language (e.g., “What other words could be used for dropped?” Answers could include plunged, plummeted, crashed, or dove.). The exercise was repeated, and this time Ms. K invited learners to look at the colour dropping into the water “through an artist’s eyes.” Learners were asked to put their pencils down and watch up close, in silence, while focusing on their breathing. Then, a volunteer classmate dropped a bit of black into a clear water container for each table group. They were asked not to move or write until the colour in the water was no longer moving. Learners then had the choice of cutting out and collecting words from magazines and old encyclopedias or writing their own creative thought sequence or poem in response to what they saw. Learners’ writing was significantly different this time, with lines like “the cloak of darkness covers the pool,” “tentacles of death reach and disappear into fog,” and “she dives / big eyes / deep under / sheltered.” Those who were comfortable sharing read their pieces with the class, which resulted in supportive applause.
Ms. K challenged learners to figure out the difference: “Why was the noticing different when we were still, paid attention, and were mindful of what was happening?” One student shared that they were able to see beauty in something that “typically” wouldn’t be seen as beautiful. Another shared that paying attention allowed her to experience it more fully and “read into it.” Another explained that they were so focused that they felt mesmerized by the “sweeping branches of colour, spreading through the glass.”
Ms. K explained that the challenge to find inspiration for the upcoming project was to begin to pay attention and allow themselves to “stop in a moment” multiple times a day. They were to be mindful and non-judgmental, to observe carefully with curiosity (like an alien visiting from another planet who doesn’t know what anything is but just observes it), rather than moving to analysis or judgment or trying to change how things are. Learners were given the weekend at-home task to record (in whatever way suited them best) at least five moments of focused attention before the next class.
The next school day, learner volunteers shared the bits of prose, sketches, found poetry (cut out of magazines), and jot notes they recorded about their “attentive moments.” Many learners were surprised at their own capacity for writing and found incredible descriptive words to share their experiences with their peers. From snuggling with a pet cat and feeling its purring through a fuzzy blanket, to noticing shadows along the ground while waiting for the bus, to noticing a rapidly beating heart while playing a pickup game of basketball—learners were able to notice and capture their observations through sketching, collaging, or writing.
Ms. K introduced the creative challenge: “How can we capture an everyday moment—something banal and uneventful—and communicate about its specialness through art?” “How can we create artworks that feel more like poetry and less like a straightforward description of real life?” She shared the works of some visual artists and illustrators who capture everyday life in beautiful and expressive ways, such as Leslie Barlow, David Hockney, Seline Burn, Sarah van Dongen, and Monica Rohan. Learners noticed that some of the artists represented life quite accurately and some artists created imaginative or altered versions of real life to highlight the beauty or wonder of a moment in time. Learners were invited again to notice and keep a record of their mindful observations.
Learners were asked to either select from the moments they recorded or choose another moment in time when they felt especially present and in tune with observation, or felt a sense of wonder or joy, to inspire a full-page artwork in their sketchbooks in a two-dimensional coloured media (e.g., watercolour, acrylic, ink, coloured pencil, mixed media). The class also discussed how these mindfulness practices could support self-regulation and managing anxiety outside the classroom.
Learners were asked to experiment and play with the inks in their sketchbooks with brushes and nib pens, noting how the inks were similar or different than the other kinds of paints they have used. Learners practised building up colour, drying it between layers, to create multidimensional effects and tonal changes.
Learners were introduced to five compositional strategies, which facilitated the design of their projects. These created a dynamic and engaging composition for their viewers. Learners used laminated artworks on their desks to determine which of the five strategies (i.e., Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines, Zooming In, Filling the Frame, and Establishing an Area of Emphasis) was used by the artist, and shared their ideas in groups.
Then learners moved into the design stage of their own projects. Using the compositional tips they learned, they created thumbnail sketches to play around with potential compositional designs for their own pieces. Learners were encouraged to take photographs to draw from (or have their friends or families take photos of them) if they wanted a more realistic-looking result, and some learners found creative and innovative ways to change their real-life everyday moments into surreal versions of their personal experiences. Once they were happy with their plans, learners began laying down initial sketches, and spent many classes rendering their work carefully in their chosen coloured media. During this process, Ms. K circulated to assist learners with technical rendering challenges as they arose and provided a number of opportunities for feedback between the learners, which supported improvement.
To finalize and share their work, learners were taught photographic documentation techniques to capture their artworks to share in an online portfolio. Learners completed a Reflection Sheet, which provided space for them to reinforce their understanding of the strategies and techniques being demonstrated in their final projects, reflect on any hurdles and successes along the way, and determine a title for their work.
This process of description, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation provided learners with the space to take risks and to develop their artistic vernacular, both in language and in creative practice, while supplementing their own “tool box” for artmaking. Learners become more aware of their own decision-making and agency in designing meaningful and original artworks that communicate effectively and with purpose, and applying these skills with intention.
*This dimension descriptor was added by the teacher.
