Do our hands define us? Or do we define ourselves through our hands?
Issue #1 of Summer Art CONNECTS explores the creativity, contribution, and connection of our hands.
Self Discovery & Wellbeing
Arts, creativity, and imagination increase self-discovery. Self-discovery increases our wellbeing. The more we understand ourselves, the more we identify, respond, and manage our needs.
ART CONNECTS is an expressive art resource for children, young people, and adults.
Activities are starting points: platforms for individual creativity, exploration, journey and discovery...
"Our self is our bowl, imagination our spoon, but our art has no recipe" - CEAACC
"These Hand of Mine"
Getting started...
Our hands open and close approximately 125 million times in our lives...
Often, they are part of everything: beginnings... endings...
They feel, give, hold, and receive.
Our hands are key to communication and development...
They are exposed and expose...
They are narratives and stories to our lives.
Take a couple of minutes to look at your hands. What do you see? What do you feel? Acknowledge & listen to your senses... Write down your thoughts or use the points below to get started:
My hands look...
My hands feel...
My hands are important because...
My hands give me...
My hands are unique because...
If you are an adult working with a child, it may be helpful to use the prompts above, or adapt them to the child's developmental needs.
Here's some further suggestions:
Brainstorm all the images and words your hands make you think of.
Write/ draw words/ images on small cards and put them on a table/ surface. Ask the child to chose cards that connect with their hands.
Use sensory materials such as bubbles, feathers, sand, and water, and different sensations (e.g. cold/hot/ rough/ smooth) to explore feelings and responses connected with hands.
"Art of Hands & Hands of Art" Materials:
Paper (big enough to fit both of your hands on)
Canvas ((big enough to fit both of your hands on)
A flat surface such pavement/ sidewalk.
A flat natural surface such as the beach/ sand.
Charcoal/ pencil
Chalks/ coloured pencils/ pens/ pastels
Paintbrush/ paints
Fabric, mixed media
This materials list is only suggestions. You can do the activity using just chalk/ pencil... or a combination of the list above. Feel free to expand the list and use different ideas. Remember, art has no recipe!
(St)ART
On your surface, chose a material to draw/ mark around your hands.
Step back and reflect on the line(s) you've made.
Any new responses or thoughts?
Can you add colour, images, marks, media, patterns, textures, words to your art?
Think about some of the thoughts you had in "getting started"- how do these connect with your art process?
Have fun and explore the materials in your art!
How do your hands connect and move in the process?
Is there anything unplanned that becomes part of your art... perhaps a shadow, spill or texture?
When you think you have finished, step back again and reflect on what you see and feel. You can add or change your art.... the process is yours!
If possible, talk about the process and your artwork. It may be helpful to write or journal about the experience.
Hands. Brain. Mind. Wellbeing
Our hands and brain continuously use and make new connections.
From creating to tidying, our hands participate and witness all.
What have you learned about yourself through this art process and experience?
Have you learned anything about someone else?
Understanding Self = Understanding Wellbeing
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