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Last quarter in our Art Academy classes, we focused on collecting as an act of remembrance, of study, of transformation and of joy. Put on your collector’s hat today and wander out to your backyard, or the closest open space, and gather nature’s remnants- seed pods, leaves, stems, and flowers. Arrange them, display them, photograph them. Identify and locate each plant or tree from which they came. Look at them through a magnifying glass if you have one. Draw them. Place them in small bottles and allow them to dry. Remember, transform, and study them. Find joy?

Take a walk today and notice all the lines and shapes painted beneath your feet. Street lines and markings are a great place to find inspiration for an abstract art work. Notice textures especially. Time, wear, and weather create interesting differences. Find something that sparks your creative mind, and take a picture to work from. Be curious about the role of these markings. What purpose do they serve? How can we transform them into something new? For more creative activities, check out our Creative Classroom.

Start simple with basic shapes that have varying color and texture. From there, build a bug friend! Add some wings, some legs, eyes, and antenna. Like most of our featured activities, the supplies are basic- magazines or newspaper, scissors, glue, and sharpie. You could take this same idea and make people, animals, or creatures from your imagination. Glue them on a card and send them to your best friend, your Grandma, maybe even your neighbor! For more inspiration, visit our Creative Classroom.

Sometimes the simplest forms of mark making are the most satisfying. Press print celery heart roses are a good example! All you need is a celery heart (or two or three), paper, and acrylic paint. Add creative flourishes with marker or paint. Cut your roses out and use them in a collage. Make a card or wrapping paper. Layer them on top of a pastel or watercolor background. Make a spring time banner. Use this simple technique to celebrate the season. For more activities and prompts, visit the Creative Classroom on our website.

Find a matchbox or another small box around the house and make it a sweet shrine for your dreams. Make it a place for treasure or for a miniature book. Use paint, magazine clippings, old maps, buttons, and discarded bling. In this time of containment, make it a wishing place for future adventures. Put it by your nightstand and write down a wish each night. For more creative ideas for kids and adults, visit our Creative Classroom.

Create unique, expressive masks with just three ingredients: an egg carton, scissors, and glue (acrylic paint optional)! Older kids will enjoy cutting the carton into interesting shapes while the younger set can put together faces from the pieces a parent or sibling has cut out for them. Consider not gluing the pieces down and keeping it as a set for play. Head on over to our website and check out the Creative Classroom for more ideas! Link in bio. #creativeclassroom #create #communityart #quarantinecrafts #artinthe #timeofcovid #artmatters #artactivitiesforkids #prairieartscenter #maskmaking #play #artandplay