Projects for a New Year
The new year brings new possibilities and opportunities. Try these three art projects, created by staff member Chloe Young, to explore what is to come.
Piecing the new year together
Supplies:
Scissors
Glue Stick
Magazines/Newspaper
Blank paper
Directions:
Before you start this activity take some time to brainstorm and dream about goals for the future.
Once you have thought of your goals you can start selecting images and words from the old magazines and newspapers that you’ve collected. As you pick out your images think about how you can fill the page with intentions for the future.
Next, grab a sheet of blank paper and glue the images you’ve chosen to the paper.
Discussion:
Discuss the reason you chose your images and words. Why are they significant to you?
If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Reflect on the past year, what moment made you the most proud? What behavior would you like to carry over into the new year?
Based on the work you’ve completed, what areas do you wish to grow more in?
Extra: To learn more about goal setting click the link for a read-aloud of the book Salt in His Shoes by Deloris and Rosalyn Jordan.
BUSY BREATHING
The goal of this project is to explore four square breathing through finger knitting. Four square breathing or box breathing is a breath work technique that can provide immense relief in times of stress.
Supplies:
A ball of yarn
Directions:
Watch the Square Breathing technique video. When you’re ready to begin, start by making a slipknot.
Place your thumb inside of the knot.
Weave the yarn under and over your fingers and breathe in for four counts. At the end you should have one row of yarn on your fingers.
Next, loop the yarn around your pinky finger and hold your breath for four counts.
Continue to wrap the yarn under and over your fingers and take a big breath out.
Once you’ve reached your pointer finger and each finger has two rows of yarn on it, pull the bottom row over your finger and to the back.
Lastly, hold your breath for four counts, and repeat! As you weave, do a body scan. Take notice of how you feel in the moment and be mindful of your breathing.
Discussion:
Talk together about a time in the last few months when you think using this breathing technique could have helped change a negative interaction into a more positive one. What happened? How could being able to calm yourself down have helped things go differently?
Come up with a secret code word that could help you remind yourself to use this calming technique when things are starting to get stressful. Maybe something silly, like “Potato soup!” that only you will know the meaning of.
Discuss a challenging moment? What made it challenging?
Extra: To learn more about intention setting and meditation this video.
Doors of possibilities
Karen Anderson Singer is an artist originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan and the founder of Tiny Doors ATL. All around different cities and neighborhoods in Atlanta you can find little doors in the most interesting places. Each door is designed to reflect the unique qualities of its location. The doors promote public art, encourage community exploration, and community development.
Supplies:
Markers, Crayons, or Colored Pencils
Number 2 pencil
2 pieces of paper
Glue stick
Optional: Printable template of doors
Directions:
Take one sheet of paper and draw rectangles along the edge of the paper. You will cut three sides of the rectangle to make a door.
Next, take the paper with your doors on it and glue the left and the right edges of the paper.
Place the paper with your doors on top of the second sheet of paper. As you create your unique doors think about what you value and want to achieve in the future.
Discussion:
What were some of the most interesting discoveries that you made while creating your doors? Were your discoveries about yourself? About others? Why are doors significant?
We set goals for ourselves because it gives us something to look forward to. Was it difficult to come up with different goals? Are your goals something that you believe you can achieve?
How would you teach someone else how to create goals and intention setting?