MARCH 25: creative collaborations
It can be really hard to creatively collaborate with someone else.
I used to guide kids through activities learning to communicate through art where they didn’t own the final product but danced in edges where their creative vision met the line of others. Swapping papers, making one large canvas, brainstorming together, marking out areas, letting it allllll go.
Now I’m dancing in it with my daughter constantly.
Sometimes artworks are just for her or just for me.
Sometimes we try to work together.
It is hard but such a beautiful practice of letting go.
CANVAS
In March we began this artwork. My mother wanted a large painting for her living room of herself, my sister and myself. We compromised on allowing me to bring in some more abstraction and including my daughter in the process.
We started 3 colours at a time, not to overwhelm, but also to make sure she didn’t mix everything into brown. Each layer was a dance between us, sometimes ugly with control and sometimes beautiful with surrender. Once dry we drew shapes with charcoal, and I let her mark making go free here as I knew I could wipe most of it off later. We mixed up the final layer of paint together - adding sand from our local coast, pva glue and impasto. She got great joy in mixing this potion. But it was me who applied this layer following our sketch roughly, just to make sure my mother got her 3 figures dancing in there.
What art could you collaborate with someone?
BABY FRIENDLY
Baby friendly collaborations at this stage has mainly been water painting on the Cub and Fox water set.
Yes he barely uses the paint brush and almost always ends up pouring the cup of water on himself. Buttttttt I see him watch the way water makes a mark. It’s a great opportunity to play alongside him, get lost in the patterns yourself, and allow them to get messy without too bad a clean up. It has been a great gift! Thank auntie Ahdee.
What mark making activity would you do with babies?
BOOK COVERS
For this soft launch of my book which is mainly going to people who know me well, and perhaps even my daughter, we decided to hand paint a small batch of books. We decided colours together, then she just began knowingly and free whilst I made additions. Is it crazy to let you 4.5yr old daughter paint your business products? Don’t worry I’ve left some raw and untouched for those who want it. I won’t be offended. It was just a fun creative collaboration for us!
Would you prefer plain or painted?
You may buy my book here.
Thanks for being here.
With gratitude,
Clio
