Seeing beauty in ourselves and others

“Why do you have white skin?” 

asked a child to her friend.

“Cause I do, everyone is different. 

You don't kick anyone out of the game because they are different. If they are your friend, they are still your friend even if they are different. 

Like the chicken book, Mrs Chicken having a cow. She had a different kind of chicken, it was black and white" 

replied Alessia.

What the world can learn from a child is just incredible isn't it?!

This innocent question to a friend, 

provided the perfect opportunity to explore diversity 

and grow appreciation for each other.

This week was a celebration uniqueness, and the beauty we see in ourselves and others. 

Our journey began with 

During the process of this work, we invited children to notice the details of their face...

Is the shape of your face a round shape or oval shape?

What about your eyes, what shape are your eyes.  Do you notice the black circle that sits inside the coloured circle of your eye?

Notice your eyelashes...

Some people have short and spikey eyelashes, some have long and thick lashes...What kind of lashes do you have?

Look at the shape of your nose, what do you see?  Is your nose long and narrow, short or wide?  Do notice how your nose opens into your nostrils?

What about your lips...how do they fit together?  Do you notice the shape of your lips or the indentation that sits below your nose?

"These questions - and time to linger with them - are a way to honor each child; with our questions, we say: "Look at yourself, you beautiful, marvelous person.  Look at your unique and precious eyes, nose, mouth, ears.  In all the world, only you look like this.  You are a gift to us.  You are worthy of close and careful study." (Ann Pelo, 2007).

“Observational drawing invites children to look closely at things and to notice all the details. In turn it encourages children to make more intricate drawing than they do from memory alone, often leading to joyful discoveries. It is part of the process of ‘learning to see’.” (Kolbe, 2009).

 

Checking to see if he'd captured a 'likeness'...spot on buddy!

Friends sitting to have their portraits drawn offered moments of pure magic.  Intimate moments of trust between friends, through the observation and drawing process. 

Conversations supported the creative process, where participants shared their ideas and views on a multitude of subjects.

Friendships were deepened through this sharing process.

 The arts “allow individuals to place themselves in the skin of another; to experience others’ reality and culture; to sit in another space; to transport themselves across time, space, era in history, and context; and to see the world from a different vantage point.” (Gadsden, 2008).

Our last words are from Brody (4 years, 3 months old)  

  who wisely says... 

"Everyone looks different.  We all have different hair.  We all have different skin.  We all have different eyes.  Some people have different houses and different toys.  Everybody is special.  We should all stay close together and we won't get lost.  Stay close together and be kind to each other.  Use kind words, say quiet words and say kindly stuff.  If we all say kind words, people will be happy." 

Mauri ora

Tania, Lauren, Sandy and Rowan