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Can all of these materials be used in some way with one another?

After experimenting with all of these materials over the past four weeks, I discovered that they can all be used with each other in some way. Whether it be using paper as part of your recycled/junk experience, or clay as part of your light experience, when creating sculptures and shadows. These materials are all extremely versatile, and all very different at the same time, however can be used and entwined with each other.

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Week One - Virtual NGV Exhibition 'Marking Time'

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Week One - Virtual NGV Exhibition 'Marking Time'

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I experienced the virtual exhibition at the NGV on 'Marking Time: Indigenous Art' and absolutely loved it. It made me want to understand the meaning behind each of the art work and made me really appreciate the work that was involved in creating the different pieces. It was also really nice to read about the different art mediums used when creating the art, as well as the different surfaces used, e.g rock surfaces, ground and body.

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- Clay
- Charcoal
- Chalk
- Ink
- Crayons
- Paint
Natural Materials
- Rocks
- Sticks
- Shells
- Stones
- Flowers
- Seeds
- Twigs

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- Placing 'Junk' into categories, such as colour, texture, size etc.

- Unfortunately some work places (child care centres, kindergartens, primary schools), may find recycled materials a mess when it comes to an aesthetically pleasing environment (when they're actually amazing and allow so much creativity).

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A collection of recycled materials found around the house.

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A good way to 'sort' junk in play, is allowing children to create their own colour wheel, and allowing them to categorise their findings by colour.

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I created a musical instrument using recycled materials found around the house. I used the mail tubes, covered them in tissue paper (which could allow children to decorate), and then filled the tube with the smaller recycled materials.

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- Children need the risk and learn to be able to manage that
- Adequate supervision
- Open ended experiences
- 'Remove the hazards and allow them to take risks'

I thoroughly enjoyed this video, I would have said five years ago that this type of environment would have scared me a little, however after my experience in various centres, I've been able to see the enjoyment by the children when using these resources.

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Junk Playgrounds

Whilst reading this article, I came across this quote from Joey, who is an 11 year old boy a part of creating his own junk playground. “Playgrounds have everything already built,” Joey explained, “but it’s funner to build whatever you want.” I loved reading that quote, because it is so true, even for adults. DIY experiences for me create a lot of enjoyment.
1. How do you see Junk/loose parts supporting children in their play?
Junk/loose parts allows children to investigate and create, there are no rules or instructions to build, it is all up to them and they can show case and be proud of what they have made in the end result.
2. Do you think that the materials are as important as what the children do with them? Why or why not
I don't believe what the children's end result and what they have created is important, I think it is more important their discovery through-out and just investigating all of the materials to see what they can create.

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Mala Jukurrpa (Hare Wallaby Dreaming)

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An example of a simple piece of paper, using a range of natural materials that have been used to create a dreamtime story.

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I used the clay from Week 3 to create my dreamtime story for assessment two. I found the clay really lovely to work with once rolling it through my hands, it became softer and a lot easier to mould.

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This is an example of my Pinterest page, from when I was a Kindergarten assistant in a Reggio Emilia centre. I transformed our storage room into a studio using the inspiration I found on Pinterest. The 'Nature Stampers' were such a wonderful experience for children, we began by looking at a range of natural materials that we could imprint, it then transformed into bigger things, we went on excursions to collect natural materials, we used different surfaces such as mud and sand to imprint. We then furthered our discovery and began looking at fossils. This experience turned into a year long project and the children absolutely loved it.

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How does the Clay react when you pick it up?
When held, the clay feels like it is melting through my fingers. As I roll it around in my hands to create a ball, there are tiny bits that stick in the creases of my fingers and palms.
What stories does it hold? Does it bring up any memories for you?
The clay reminds me of my time working as a kindergarten assistant in a Reggio Emilia centre. Clay was used a lot in our planned table experiences, along with a lot of natural materials, which were used to imprint patterns.
How does the material feel different to our past inquiries?
Clay is very sensory, the smell and texture of clay can vary, when water is added, when it dries, when you first open the packet. I also find clay very therapeutic.
Clay is a very different material to work with, unlike paper or junk/loose parts. What properties draw to you to the clay? Repel you from the clay?
Although messy, clay is very therapeutic.  The possibilities are endless when it comes to using clay to create. If you add water, it changes the texture altogether, as well as adding materials to the clay, such as glitter, natural materials etc.

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Inspiration
- Indigenous Art NGV

Richard Bell’s allusion to colour blindness imagines a world without racism.

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Found most surprising in your material inquires?
I thought it was quite disappointing that some centres won't give 'Junk' a go, when it comes to using recycled materials in the classroom, due to it not being 'aesthetically pleasing', especially when children's imagination and creativity is so important.
Which material has resonated with you the most and why?
I found clay very nostalgic, from when I was younger playing with clay and play dough and remembering the smell, to when I worked in a Reggio Emilia centre and clay was a large focus in our planned/spontaneous experiences.
How have these investigations changed the way you think, look and respond to materials? And how does this translate into your future practices?
It was quite amazing to read about the 'Beautiful Stuff' project, which allowed children to play and create with recycled materials.  It was also lovely to see them involving the families, by allowing them to bring in donated items, which the children can use to play with. When children are creating with their own materials from home, it creates a sense of achievement.

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Clay Stories: Contemporary Indigenous Ceramics from Remote Australia

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Clay Stories: Contemporary Indigenous Ceramics from Remote Australia

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https://artguide.com.au/clay-stories-contemporary-indigenous-ceramics-from-remote-australia

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- Create a mobile using a range of resources of all shapes and sizes, as the sun shines through it creates patterns on the ground of all sorts of colours.
- Allow the children to create their own group project light box and suggest they find items around the house to bring in to experiment with.

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What does it mean to 'listen with light?
How does light give us opportunity to think with shadow?
What do shadow/transparency teach us about light?
How might we 'think with light'?
Where does light come from? What makes light?
How does light offer us a different way of 'seeing' or a different perspective?
How does light call us to attention?
What can we see with light?
How might we generate questions with light?

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Hang CD-ROMs in an area of the room where the sun catches them, so as the sun shines in, it reflects off the CD's creating a rainbow effect on the ground.

(Smith, 2020)

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How is light different from our other inquires?

It's not so much a 'solid object', compared to paper, junk and clay. It's more of an experience.

What is light capable of? Incapable of?

When children are working with light, it enables them to work in real time, as they use a range of resources to create a light experience.

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Light:

A natural energy that makes us see things and makes things visible

Translucent:

When light passes through something but it does not make a clear image

Shadow:

A dark area or shape made by a body or object that is between a light source and a surface

Form:

The shape of something

Colour-Mixing:

Mixing two or more colours together to make a new colour

Opaque:

Cannot be seen through

Reflect:

To bounce back light without absorbing it

Transparent:

Allows light to pass through so that you can see directly through something (see through)

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By using a projector, it enables
"children to see themselves at work in the learning environment in real time" (Smith, R. 2020)

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I found this image on a blog post online about the 'Light Play!' exhibit, and loved how materials used were affordable and recycled items, meaning it's easy enough to create the experience the children are after, even if they bring resources in from home.