Garden Art

(Ginette Lapalme, via Collage Collage)

I saw this image a few weeks ago, and right away, I knew we had to do some natural-item painting at the garden with the campers.  One morning, a few raindrops were coming down, so paper-making wasn't going to fit the bill, and that activity was quickly replaced with stick and rock painting.

We offered a variety of objects for the kids to paint, and they also had the opportunity to look for their own items.  We ended up with pieces of scrap wood, bricks, cement blocks...you name it!

Most everyone painted multiple objects, and the next day, they found homes for their items in the garden.  They are hidden under squash leaves, peeking out of wood chip paths, and woven into the mesh on the chicken coop.

I love the bright, neon colors of Lapalme's sticks, and I'd love to offer different kinds of paint, brushes, and perhaps some ways to prompt the kids to add textures.