Pinch Pot Pumpkins!!!

I love fall and I love pumpkins.  Used to celebrate fall and harvest as well as Halloween this time of year is about pumpkin everything from decorations to pies to lattes.  A feast for the eyes as well as the palette!

This project is an easy introduction to clay.  Pinching a pot is a very basic shaping method used in clay building.  I used paper clay which becomes fairly hard when air dried.  

First, form a ball (for this project about the size of a tennis ball).

Next, push your thumb into the middle of the ball to create an opening.  

With your thumb inside the ball and your fingers on the outside, press them together.  Rotate the ball as you press in a repetitive motion.

Keep doing this as your opening becomes larger and the walls of the ball become thinner.  

For a pumpkin shape try to pinch in towards the centre of the ball at the top to keep the shape nice and round and the opening smaller than the middle.  

For the lid its simply a matter of pressing a smaller ball flat and shaping it again with pinching, or pressing it onto the table until it is the size you want.  

To add a stem roll a small bit of clay into a desired coil, add a little water and press it onto the lid.  

Take a pin tool or other carving tool and lightly draw a face and then cut it out.  This is when the pumpkin character comes out!

Add little bugs or leaves and vines or any other thing that you like.

Some of the fabulous creations from my Super Saturday group!!

These can be painted with acrylics once they are dry and are great with a tea light inside (keep the lid off if using a tea light) or a battery operated mini light.

Pine Cone Bird Feeders

This past Super Saturday we made bird feeders from pine cones, bird seed and honey.  A simple process and a wonderful fall activity. Did I mention that fall is my absolute favourite season? Finding pine cones was easy, they're just there, on the ground, all I had to do was pick some up whenever I went walking with the dog.  And there's nothing like a fall walk. If there is time for outdoor activities this sort of scavenger hunt adds a fun element to the process.   

Once you drizzle the pine cone with honey the birdseed will stick to it.  And sure it was a big sticky mess…. but it was worth it!  We added some flair to this project by incorporating sticks to act as perches and leaves to catch seeds, or just as visual elements. 

As always, the best part was tapping into the minds of children (and adults) and watching them develop ideas.  There was a lot of talk about birds regarding what they might like and how they would get at the food, then incorporating those details when making the feeders.  

The amazing results 

CLAY VIKING SHIPS

Occasionally I get called to do an “Artist in the Classroom” session.  Often times the teacher leaves it to me to come up with a project, other times there is this wonderful collaboration with the teacher, and other times the teacher will simply name the project and I will come up with an idea for it.  Such was the case with this project.  Earlier in the year, this grade 4 teacher simply asked if her class of 28 could make clay Viking ships, as they were discussing Medieval Times.  I said yes of course.  Then it was off to the drawing board.  

After plenty of research to determine what a Viking ship might have looked like (and it was an added bonus that we were watching the series "Vikings" at the time), I first tried pinching the viking ship shape but that was tricky and time consuming, with poor aesthetic results.  This method would be especially disappointing for smaller untrained hands. Then I tried putting slabs together for the bottom and sides of the boat, but that got complicated and awkward and didn't hold up so well in assembling (not to mention it just didn't look right).  Even if I can make it happen a certain way, its important for me to keep in mind that these little hands are likely not accomplished clay builders. First rule is to keep it simple.  Make it interesting but doable, and they will enjoy creating it.  If I follow my first rule, especially with children, there is a sense of accomplishment, and usually a sense of amazement at that accomplishment.  This in turn builds confidence to continue along in that creative vein and that’s is most important.  I witness (with great joy) this happening all the time. Children will embrace a challenge if its a reasonable one.  

Finally, from a ship that I pinched out and cut in half, I was able to form a pattern for the hull of the boat that was one piece.  After cutting out this basic pattern from a rolled slab, the ends are pinched together and the hull stands up just fine.  After that basic construction the really fun part begins and individual design elements are incorporated.  

Aside from a canvas mat and shared rolling pins, I give students one tool to work with - a bamboo skewer that is pointed at one end and is good for cutting, and a little wider and flat at the other end, good for smoothing and pressing.  Mostly I encourage using hands.   

This session was such a wonderful experience.  The students remained engaged with very little goofing off and I was amazed at the creative initiative each one took in adorning the ship and making it their own.  The focus was incredible and there was so much positive creative energy in the room to feed off of.  

 Some even had time to make a paper sail. 

And some vikings!