G7 Inspired Mindfulness Art Challenge

Discussions around the Climate and Environment are key themes of the G7 Summit this June. We would like to give local children a voice and enable them to express their passion for nature and the environment through the medium of art and display their creations around Falmouth with the help of local artists for all to see.

Although in Cornwall we are surrounded by wildlife it is sometimes difficult to feel truly connected to the natural world, we are often too busy with friends, indoors playing computer games and watching TV that we forget to take time to appreciate the wonders of the physical world.

We invite you to immerse yourself in your natural environment, take some time out and sit outside on the grass, in the woods or on the beach.

Mindfulness Exercise

1. Sit outside, close your eyes, and listen to your natural surroundings for two minutes, when you open your eyes share with your friends how you felt and what you heard.
2. Look around you and make a note of all the colours surrounding you.
3. Take a few minutes to observe and sense your surrounding environment: take off your shoes and experience the grass between your toes, find a flower and stroke a petal, take time to lie down with you head on the earth and observe the shapes and movement of the clouds passing over head.
4. Search around for any plants, animals, birds, or insects and see if you can name them.

Now take your clipboard and paper and draw something that has captured your imagination, it can be something as simple as a blade of grass, an ant scurrying by or a cloud wisping overhead.

Back at home or in class:

• Try to remember all the things you experienced on your nature travels today, and use your imagination to draw, paint, or collage something colourful that made an impression on you- anything goes!
• Cut out your creation, write on the back something that has inspired you in nature today and send it to Falmouth Art Gallery, Municipal Buildings, The Moor, Falmouth, Cornwall. TR11 2RT by Friday 4 June.  Later entries can be added.

For the mindfulness exercise you will need:

• An outside space.
• A pencil
• A4 paper
• A clipboard or something to lean on

For the artwork you will need:

• An A3 sized piece of paper or a piece of recycled cardboard preferably bigger than A4
• Then choose any materials that will bring energy and vibrancy to your artwork, paint, pastels, collage materials, crayons etc.

Here are some examples:

Please get in touch with Sarah Scott for any further information by emailing Learning@falmouthartgallery.com