Fork Flower Fields

Nature’s palette, with its diversity and vibrancy of colors and textures, is a boundless source of inspiration for artistic expression. It could be the velvety texture of moss covered stones, the roughness of earthy brown tree bark, or maybe how a puddle sparkles in the sunlight that catches our attention one day, and then something entirely different the next. We each notice something different when we venture outside and I love how art allows us to have a glimpse through someone else’s lens to the world.

One artist whose interpretations of nature I find especially compelling is David Guhl. An award winning artist with Down Syndrome, Mr. Guhl is known for painting vibrant Australian landscapes with deep purples, blues, and oranges. His abstraction of trees and the sun really pulls me in and reminds me of working with my students, each with a different perspective to share.

David Guhl

Some children like to embrace the neutrals around them, using a color palette of greens and browns. While others lean toward the magical, painting with bright magentas, purples, and blues, and may even add a mythical character in to their piece. Nature’s beauty lies in its unpredictability, so let’s encourage the children to tap into their creativity and be unpredictable too. Will they make pink and purple flowers with heart-shaped petals? Who knows! In this project, the artist can show us what their imagination does with nature.

Supplies

To make a Fork Flower Field, you will need:

• Forks

• Pipe cleaners 

• Washable paint

• Paper plate

• Glue

• Thick paper (cardstock or watercolor paper)

Instructions

1. Cover your work surface with an art cloth or newspaper (this project can get messy). Pour the paint on a paper plate. The more colors you offer, the more creativity you will see!

2. Dip the head of a fork in paint and press on the paper. When stamped with the prongs up, a tulip-like shape will be revealed. Repeat as many times as desired to create a flower field.

3. Once the tulips are painted, move on to creating the stems. Your artist has options here. The pipe cleaners can be dipped in glue and attached to the paper as stems, or alternatively, can be dipped in paint and used as a paint brush. Just dip the top of the pipe cleaner in the paint, and drag along the paper

4. Voila! Now your artist has created their field of flowers. Paint or markers can be used to add more details.  Perhaps grass, a sun, some rain or clouds, or maybe a river? They may surprise you and add a unique detail they noticed in nature!

If I were to describe this project in one word I would call it grounding. Sometimes we need reminders to break from routine and notice the details around us. So take a walk with your artist and ask them what they notice!