Writing in Monet's Garden

by Joan Waites

Early summer has offically arrived, and flowers everywhere are in full bloom. When thinking about art and writing exercises for this time of year,  the life and work of Claude Monet is the perfect inspiration.

Start a lesson or project  by reading one of the many picture books based on the life of Claude Monet. Three books that I recommend are:

Once Upon a Lilly Pad-Froggy Love in Monet’s Garden  by Joan Sweeny, illustrated by Kathleen Fain

Charlotte in Giverny  by Joan MacPhail Knight, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

The Magical Garden of Claude Monet by Laurence Anholt

For an art exercise, ask children to pick out one specific item to draw or paint from a Monet painting. This can be a single flower or group of flowers, a tree, or even the bridge at Giverny. In the example picture shown here, students were asked to draw one large lily in a pond using light colored oil pastels, (white, yellow, green, pink and light blue) on watercolor paper. Next, students brushed various shades of blue and green watercolor over the oil pastel for a beautiful resist effect.

For a writing exercise, ask students to choose an animal that might live in Monet’s garden at Giverny--a bird, frog, butterfly, fish or even a lady bug. Have that animal or insect describe what they see in the garden, based on their unique perspective. Explain to the students that a bird would have a different observational point of view than a fish in the pond.  Also include the animal’s observations of the painter as he arrives each day to paint his surroundings.

Happy summer!

www.joanwaites.com

PAINTED POEMS

by Joan Waites

A fun springtime activity to do with students, which combines both a writing and art component, is to work on “Painted Poems.” Using an original or published seasonal poem, students combine type, paint, and collage to illustrate the written word.

For example, using a spring-themed poem by fellow Pencil Tips author Mary Quattlebaum, a collage was created by printing out the words to “Yellow Crocus.”

                                                                YELLOW CROCUS

                                                                (from Winter Friends)

                                                                                Spry

                                                                             sprocket

                                                                              up from

                                                                               earth's

                                                                           dark pocket

                                                                           you spring,

                                                                                 one

                                                                                 slim

                                                                                sprig

                                                                             wheeling

                                                                             summer-

                                                                               bright

                                                                                under

                                                                                 pale

                                                                                 sun.

Illustration by Joan Waites

To make a Painted Poem:

1.     Have students write an original seasonal poem, or use a published one.

2.     Print the poem out several times on a heavier paper that works well with watercolor paint.

3.    Have students use various colors to paint over the words. When dry, go over the flat colors again with additional colors making stripes, swirls, dots, etc. Crayons, colored pencils, or makers can also be used to make interesting textures.

4.    Once the paint is dry, cut out shapes and paste on another piece of paper to assemble the collage.

5.     If desired, use the actual poem as one of the collage elements, as in the example shown.

Happy Spring!

www.joanwaites.com