Nature In Art

This morning we were at Nature In Art for a special home education craft event. If you've not been, Nature in Art is a museum and art gallery at Wallsworth Hall inTwigworth, Gloucester. It is dedicated exclusively to art inspired by nature in all forms, styles and media.

This morning's activities included felting and making a Christmas bowl. Jenson loved it. First up was the felting. A demonstration was given first after which we all had a go at making our own. Jenson, as always, had picked a table that was set away from the other children, but we were still joined by one lovely little boy called Darren and his Mum.

Jenson decided he wanted to make a felt snake. After bending the pipe cleaners into shape, he next had to carefully wrap thin strands of wool around them, building up the layers slowly. Once he had incorporated all of the colours he wanted to use, he had to squirt small amounts of diluted washing up liquid over the felted object. He then had to spread the liquid out and work it into the felt. He did this by using a piece of lace and rolling his hands over it before laying a piece of bubble wrap over it and again, working the liquid into the felted object. The whole process took about forty five minutes. We took a fifteen minute break before coming again to make the Christmas bowl.

The Christmas bowl was a little more straightforward but a lot more sticky! Jenson was quite able to stick and paste thin layers of tissue paper that would eventually create a hard form once dry. Decoration was the fun part and he lovingly sprinkled glitter and other festive bits over the sides of the bowl before we took them home and left them by the fire to dry off. They are still drying, so pictures of finished pieces to follow!

Later that afternoon Jenson had a playdate with one of his school friends. I've had quite a few messages this last week from Mum's whose children have said they miss Jenson and want him to come round to play. It's very sweet and makes Jenson feel very popular!