After the Master

As an early childhood arts educator for a children's museum, I was always looking for ways to bring the work of artists I admired to life for my little artists-in-training. The more dramatic and hands-on the process, the better the possibility a project would result in an experience to remember, as well as a beautiful, unique work of art to take home. Some artists were easier to translate in this way than others: Jackson Pollock’s expressive drip and splatter paintings, Wassily Kandinsky’s mesmerizing concentric circles, Piet Mondrian’s electric geometry, the pinpoint dots of Georges Seurat, and the iconography of Andy Warhol's pop art. My favorite of all, Dale Chihuly, master of glass, presented a bit more of a challenge. Even if it weren't cost prohibitive for a small non-profit museum, I obviously couldn't bring in a furnace and fire it up to 2,400 degrees in the presence of small grabby hands. I needed a way to safely replicate the dynamic patterns and textures, the stunningly colorful translucence, and most of all, the whimsical beauty of Chihuly's glass towers, gardens, and chandeliers, at something significantly less super-heated. I tried a variety of different materials, which didn't work at all - plastic water bottles and opalescent paint; glass bottles, colored tissue, and glue - before finally hitting on the magic combination: shrink paper, scissors, permanent markers, a toaster oven, and a hot glue gun. Each child started out with five 8.5" x 11" sheets of shrink paper and several pairs of scissors, both regular shears, and a variety of craft scissors. Our little artists first cut out a variety of shapes in different sizes (shapes with rounded edges worked best). Some shapes had straight edges, courtesy of the shears, and some scalloped or jagged, courtesy of the craft scissors. The next step was to cut out an additional handful of shapes in spirals. Whatever scraps were left over would eventually be pressed into service as well. All of the elements now cut and ready, it was time to bring on the color. Big imaginations and a 48-pack of Sharpie permanent markers produced the most amazing combinations of colors and patterns. And also the inevitable child who was devoted to a totally monochromatic aesthetic. Color applied, it was time to head to the ovens. The toaster ovens, that is. As each piece heated up, it began to twist, and shrink, getting thicker and harder as it got smaller, the colors becoming brighter and more intense. When it was about midway through the shrinking process, and still pliable, it was time to pull it out, and give it a few more tweaks, twists, and pinches in the few seconds before it cooled and hardened into its final form. We repeated this with each shape. Then the spirals were pulled out partially straight, or the coils stretched out wider to create three-dimensional shapes. The scraps went in last, creating unique and funky bits and bobs to accessorize the sculpture with. The final step was to use the glue gun to attach the separate pieces into a cohesive whole. Watching little minds at work, the concentration evident in the furrowed brows, and a tongue sticking out here and there, was inspiring. Seeing the joy and delight building in them as they built their sculptures gave me so much joy and delight as well. When the glue cooled and the sculpture was finished, they held their sculptures up to the light, and were so enchanted to discover how it was transformed. The last step was to add a length of clear nylon wire and a paperclip and sent our little artists home with something beautiful to liven up their spaces, and, we hoped, a belief in themselves as creators.