Becoming Naturalists

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” ~ GEORGE ELIOT

Dear Families and Friends,

Our children are naturally drawn to living things around them. Checking out what’s on the South School campus, they’re reveling in the detail of tiny things. Kids are on a path to discovery. Several have spotted signs of new life, and one child took time to plant a seed he’d found.

Though autumn hues are striking, trying to match their tones using watercolors has challenged every child. Twirling their brush in a pool of color, they added new hues to the palette until they were satisfied. Finding the intersections between art and science brought rich rewards, teaching kids to cross the creative line.

Tools are essential for everyone who likes to dabble in art, and we’ve filled Leaps’ satchels with the “right stuff” for student artists. As “experts” who comfortably cross the boundaries between art and science, they have something to teach family members when they bring their satchels home.

We began week two of our program testing out acorn ink. Some children crushed acorns and boiled them up with rusty nails to make a brown broth. It took constant pounding to reduce them in size. Everyone applied the concoction, using leaves, to make a decorative background for their printmaking project.

…………………

The art making process is demanding. At Leaps of Imagination we have high standards for kids. In this program, which links direct observation with an imaginative mindset, complexity abounds. Kids acquire new techniques every day, weaving the fabric of color and design into emerging works of art.

In awe of our children, Nancy, Susan, Alexis, and Dee November 13, 2020