As part of a conference I presented at in the fall (All Hands in the Dirt, at Evergreen Brick Works) I was asked to present on how to keep students making art outside when the weather turns cold. That day we did some outdoor stenciling, but it reminded me of the power of taking art learners of all ages outside year-round to learn from the natural world. A colleague in the States, Heather Anderson, has written a new book on just this topic that’s worth a look: Art Education & Eco-Awareness: A Teacher’s Guide to Art and the Natural Environment. This resource is a compilation of art lessons on land, water, sky, plants and wildlife, all accompanied by colour illustrations of professional artists’ work on these themes and exemplars of children’s work. For those looking for new ideas to get your students outside to make art all year long, this is a great start. It’s available from Davis Publications:  Â
I just received this book from the author and it is wonderful! I have an EcoArt Club and am always looking for great ideas to work on with my students. I can’t wait to try some of the lessons out with the students!