Art in action

Hundertwasser said "T paint is to dream. When I paint, I dream. When the dream is over, I cannot remember what it is about. But the picture remains. That is the harvest of my dreams."

This quote reminds us that when children paint it is their interpretation that is important - not what adults think art should look like.

Michaela said "It's a scared lemon who did not want to be eaten up by people"

It's a plane!!

Today Cameron constructed this beautiful and thoughtfully put together aeroplane. Then he chose the colours to go on it just as carefully - great work Cameron.

Fantastic dinosaurs From Cameron

Wow Cameron we love this stegasurus, it is a fantastically creative drawing. And your two other  dinosaurs are just as carefully drawn. Well done. Hi to Cam's nana - we got your postcard and we had a great chat about it and about where you are. Thought you might like to see the dinosaurs too.

He has grass on his roof eh?

We have a range of pictures of New Zealand artists work on display in the art room for children to look at and to provoke discussion. Recently we decided to add some of the work by Hundertwasser, an artist who spent half the year in New Zealand and half in Germany. He is famous in New Zealand also for his design of the Kawakawa toilet block. His work links to sustainability and provokes us and the children to look at composition using circles and lines - both universal forms in art.

While Carol was at a research conference a couple of years ago she had the opportunity to visit the Hundertwasser kindergarten in Frankfurt. It was fascinating, not a flat surface anywhere and full of mosaic work and colour. Most memorable was the experience of playing in the grass on the roof. The children are also fascinated by his choice of growing grass on the roof of his house and we have that photo displayed as well.

The children have worked alongside the images and used the techniques in their art, with very spectacular results.
Learning to write requires control over circles and lines and this art focus has had the added spin off of children beginning circles and going round and finishing where they began - just like making letters.

When asked how she made such intricate artwork Naomi answered "Because I knowed how to do it and I know how to learn" Fabulous !