My first official day as an intern was Saturday, June 5, 2010, when the Arts Center sponsored the “Rhub-ART” booth at Lanesboro’s annual Rhubarb Festival. During the festival, visitors painted rhubarb leaves and used them as extra large stamps, making beautiful prints on their own piece of mat board. The activity was a nice addition to the performances and games at the Rhubarb Festival (held every year the first Saturday in June) and notably popular because we had to make a run for supplies to keep up with the flow of kids (and some fearless adults)! The project served as an energetic beginning to a busy season for the organization and was also a very fitting activity to jumpstart my endeavors as an intern because who has a more sincere excitement for art and creativity than children?
Save for a few courageous kids, most children tiptoed up to the table entangled in their parents’ limbs, too timid to ask for their own board to paint on. However, after sitting down with a rhubarb leaf and paint in hand, the smiles leaked out all over the place. It was also quite refreshing to see so many parents encouraging their children and letting them get a little messy during their outing! I overheard some parents talk about other projects they could do with their children over the summer; of course this was especially exciting for me because with just a little bit of paint, we were able to stimulate a string of creativity that will continue with the participants all summer long.
Using rhubarb to make art was perfect for the Rhubarb Festival, but many different leaves, flowers, and produce could be used to create beautiful (and easy-to-clean-up) prints. Start by gathering up kid-friendly paint, some brushes, a piece of canvas (or other sturdy board), and an assortment of your favorite leaves and flowers:
Then, use the brushes to paint on the veins of the leaves and the tips of the flower petals.
Carefully press the freshly-painted plants onto the canvas.
Continue to use and re-use the plants until you get the look you want!
Here's Katrina and Madelyn's finished product:
Happy painting from the Lanesboro Arts Center!
