This March break was a super week of fun & self-expression for the kids and I;
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| Alexia and I loved opening the door to these cheery faces every morning! |
Art Gallery of Ontario provided a huge playground of fun and adventure
- An exhibition of Michael Snow's sculptures provided lots of play and sketching opportunities. His sculptures are designed to be interacted with ..He says, " sculpture is static, but the spectator moves" ...and we sure took advantage of that!
The children all fit in the Seated Sculpture
..designed to be touched and sat on.
Experiencing this HUGE sculpture made of 3 pieces of bent iron.
My turn! 
OK..now me!..it sounds so hollow.
Hmm, it's...a peaceful place to sit.
This piece is called
"Blind": 4 screens of different metal planes of cross-hatches.like a big drawing of cross hatches; and the visual effects of that on the spectors ( kids) as they walk through it.
This was the perfect place to spread out for some sketching!
For more information and detail...please have a look at this site; it includes a video of Michael Snow discussing his sculpture exhibition: Objects of Vision.
http://torontofilmreview.blogspot.ca/2012/11/michael-snow-objects-of-vision.html
- This year the gallery had laid out sticky vinyl sheets that kids-BIG and small cut out for decorating the big windows on the 2nd floor.
Yeah ~ let's all climb to the balcony
A sculpture by Canadian Kim Adams really engaged the kids
A train went in and out of this structure called
Travels Through the Belly of the Whale'
From the AGO description:
Using commonplace objects ranging from farm machinery and automobile parts to household objects, toys and model train parts, Adams creates sculptures in large and small scale that resemble fictional worlds and imaginary landscapes – a type of collage in three dimensions.
d the Kids AGO store in the basement had a new toy for kids made out of edible corn
On the top floor are the Contemporary works:
The Seven Sisters Mountains creatively presented by an artist via video on 7 television sets.
We had an adventure in a little side Gallery with a work by Francis Alyss:
There was a record player with Boogie Woogie music playing...so the kids did what came naturally ~DANCED!
Until...
The Gallery Attendant came by and annouced~ "NO DANCING -THIS IS A GALLERY!"
Ok...so we tried it this way...
Well...we moved on to the next room ...and look what was before us:: A Roller Coaster Bed!
Everyone had their own ideas of where they would sleep on the bed...
"Can we sketch this?!"
Oliver was done with sketching!
Time to make our way down the 6 story wooden staircase ...
Here is a link to a description about it and who made it!
Henry Moore never disappoints!...now if we could only climb on the ones inside....
And then we got on the TTC to go home for a well deserved rest.
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| So sweet to see the play continue..on the streetcar ~ not a moment wasted :-) |
The day after we finally removed the balloons from our "String Eggs" which we filled with chocolates.
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| Look at the cool drawing of the roller coaster bed. |
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| The kids also made a special card for a sick teacher. |
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| Hot apple cider on a cold day. |
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| Cheers! |
Since we were close to Easter we blew out eggs to decorate them...that was half the fun :-)
Time for a hike in the woods...
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| The ducks were happy to see us! |
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| Group Shot!..on "our" tree. |
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| Still lots of snow and ice to contend with |
And then on to our painting... which sometimes did not just land on the canvas
We studied the work of Jasper Johns and the kids went from there...
OK...so you don't like your painting; let's create something new with it....
Look closely below was he did with it: scored cross hatching marks into the wet gesso:
Don't they look great with the sides of the canvases finished off with paint?
Time for a yoga break!
We had yoga every day- and if it looked like it was going to scratched off the agenda - i was reminded!
We managed to find a spot for all and do relaxing stretches in front of the fireplace.
..I am thankful for the fun cozy days creating together with these children
... and the parents that sent them!
