Collaboration with Nature

Exhibition: Between-ness 

Artist: Hannah Petkau

Overview

While creating her work, Hannah Petkau spends a lot of time learning about the materials she uses by exploring and manipulating them with her hands.  This lesson asks participants to spend time learning about various natural materials by exploring their use as a mark-making tool.


Objectives

  • Engage with found/natural materials

  • Focus on the process aspect of art making

  • Explore and observe various mark-making techniques



Materials

Sticks (1 for each tool)

Small pruning snips

Pieces of nature collected from outside and varying in texture  

Elastic bands or string 

Paper of any kind

Acrylic paint

Between-ness Lesson A_1.jpg


Instructions:


Step One

Head outside to collect sticks and a variety of natural materials.  Carefully observe the texture and patterns of each material and make sure you are gathering a variety.  Consider the quantity of material being gathered as well, whether you will need a bundle of the material or just a single piece.

If time is limited, collect sticks beforehand for participants and pre-trim to manageable lengths so time outside can focus on searching for mark-making materials.

While outside ensure participants are collecting natural items that are no longer living or that they have permission to collect.

Between-ness Lesson A_2.jpg

Step Two

Making your tools: 

Take one stick and gather one selection of your natural materials.  Simply attach the natural materials to the end of the stick using an elastic or string.  String can be used by wrapping several times around the materials and stick and then securing with a knot.  If your natural material is quite delicate you may want to consider using string, or, put the elastic on the stick first. Make sure its not too tight and then slide your natural materials in. 

Continue the same process to make each tool.

Between-ness Lesson A_3.jpg
Between-ness Lesson A_4.jpg

Step Three

Prepare your painting surface. This project is really about the process of mark making and exploring materials so the focus is not on a finished piece.  Therefore, you can use any available type of paper to explore with.

Between-ness Lesson A_5.jpg

Variations

For younger participants - you can skip the stick part of the project and they can hold the natural material directly in their hand or you can assemble the tools for them.  

Turn this in to a large group collaborative project by having all participants make marks together on a single-piece of large mural paper. 










Jennifer Demke-Lange