As the snow falls and temperatures dip well below freezing in my neck of the woods, how about a gift of the garden to make you smile. Don’t get me wrong, winter is ok, but I treasure the beauty of a garden scene. Here is some lovely student work from my adult Secret Garden class I taught last fall, virtually at Bemis…enjoy!
We worked with acrylic paints and our inspiration came from Frances Burnett’s classic book, the Secret Garden. The techniques we explored included abstract expression, collage, silhouette, under painting, Marimekko design (stamping with veggies from around the kitchen), and a garden path.
Painted papers, including brown paper bags
One of my favorites…Graffiti Garden
Inspired by Marimeko Design
Acrylic paints and stamping
The classics will always be near and dear to my heart, especially The Secret Garden written many years ago. I have read the book to my children when they were little, seen the play at The Denver Center for Performing Arts and now have been celebrating the beautiful themes of the book by making art with adults and children. It is a heartwarming story about friendship and discovery…on many levels. The characters are ones you will remember for a long time and it is no wonder this book continues to be enjoyed by people of all ages today. If you have not read it, do yourself a favor and find it at the library, or perhaps a used copy at your favorite thrift shop or second hand bookstore. Losing yourself in the magic of this book with a hot cup of tea will be a delight…I promise!
