Dear You Art Project

Mail Art + Pen Friends = Dear You Art Project

Päivi Huhtinen

Experimenting with marmor colours

2017, 6th Grade, Dear You Art Workshops, Finland, CanadaArlene TuckerComment

We tried marmoring colours. Pupils did different experiments with other colours as well. They added for instance dishwashing liquids on colors and/or used wet papers & salt.

That really made a mess, but it was worth it and they helped with cleaning. The group enjoyed last lesson of this school year a lot.

I saved all mini paintings for the next year, when we can somehow continue the work and draw on them.

I feel very grateful for our collaboration. Thank You both!

Enjoy the summer!

Päivi Huhtinen

The 6th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland are making and sharing art with the 6th graders at Ryerson P.S. in Cambridge, ON, Canada.

Making art by listening to our surroundings

2017, 6th Grade, Canada, Dear You Art Workshops, Finland, JanuaryArlene TuckerComment

We listened to the silence and very loud noise and made notes.  In the third section, I asked pupils to think about the sound of a place where they feel happy and relaxed.

They all liked the task and concentrated really well.

Päivi

The 6th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland are making and sharing art with the 6th graders at Ryerson P.S. in Cambridge, ON, Canada.

Looking around and what do we see?

2016, 6th Grade, Canada, FinlandArlene TuckerComment

Here are the photos of the spiral artworks for Look Around project. The index cards are their explanations of their artworks. Some of them painted outside, some painted inside because it had gotten too cold the one day to paint outside of the portable! :)

These works are all on their way to Päivi and her students. They were posted earlier this week, so hopefully they arrive before the holiday break! 

Teacher Kaarina Losey

The 6th graders at Ryerson P.S. in Cambridge, ON, Canada are making and sharing art with the 6th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland.

Enjoying Layers of Love in Canada

2016, 6th Grade, Dear You Art Workshops, Finland, CanadaArlene TuckerComment

Greetings from Canada! 

They really enjoyed the artwork as they got going with it. A few students used too much paint in an attempt to cover it completely and then had the paint flake off instead of allowing them to etch it off.

Some were very hesitant about painting over their artworks. :) Others enjoyed it so much they asked to do a second artwork jn the same manner!

Kaarina

The 6th graders at Ryerson P.S. in Cambridge, ON, Canada are making and sharing art with the 6th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland.

The English School in Helsinki show their love for their Canadian friends

2016, 6th Grade, Canada, Dear You Art Workshops, FinlandArlene TuckerComment

I asked the group to think about what makes them feel home.  They wrote some thoughts on the back of the work. We used a ready made black & silver scrap-card board.

Last lesson we looked through the images made in Canada. They loved the works and had lots of comments. 

We packed the Layers of Love scratch drawings, their comments, and the school posted it today.

Br,
Päivi

The 6th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland are making and sharing art with the 6th graders at Ryerson P.S. in Cambridge, ON, Canada.

Life is like a movie at The English School in Helsinki!

2016, 6th Grade, Dear You Art Workshops, Finland, CanadaArlene TuckerComment

As the first art task of this school year,  the group was asked to imagine what if an animation film was made based on their own life. They planned and drew sketches of the recent experiences they have had. This task just happened to be very similar to Arlene´s first Dear You task. Many combined these two tasks together.

Children seemed to be a bit shy when writing to their new Canadians friends. They had time to write only short notes. However it was nice to see how their motivation grew as they their work progressed.

As a medium they used waterproof markers, transparent copy sheets, class paints + some colourful plastic sheets. Most of the photos were taken against our classroom window.

Many of the pupils have been playing Pokemon Go and that shows! Many images are based on hobbies and other interests of life. Most images are very personal.

Päivi Huhtinen

The 6th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland are making and sharing art with the 6th graders at Ryerson P.S. in Cambridge, ON, Canada.

The English School find creativity everywhere!

2016, 5 years old, Dear You Art Workshops, Finland, CanadaArlene TuckerComment

The first impression pupils had on this task was "creepy". Observing their own skin was not so interesting for them. Finally they choose to take this project with eager minds :) They are very curious about their new Canadian friends. I let them to see and read the letters we have received this far. 

A few did masks using different materials. Many borrowed faces or part of somebody else´s face using the magazine photos. They enjoyed playing with the Mac photobooth.

Br,
Päivi Huhtinen

Päivi Huhtinen and her group of 5th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland are making and sharing art with Kaarina Losey and her 6th graders at Pioneer Park P.S. in Ontario, Canada.

Wondering about wonders

2015, 6th Grade, FinlandArlene TuckerComment

Dear Arlene,

Thank you for the collaboration this autumn!

The images below are taken last Wed when the group opened their last letter from Canada.

Our group has enjoyed all letters they have received. They wondered how the others write mistakes and only simple sentences :). They have been acting as teachers. it seems that we demand a lot of learning results from our pupil. 

I wish you all the best for the holiday season!

Br,
Päivi Huhtinen

Päivi Huhtinen and her group of 5th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland are making and sharing art with Kaarina Losey and her 6th graders at Pioneer Park P.S. in Ontario, Canada.

From Finland to Canada, our atmospheres come together

2015, 5th Grade, Dear You Art Workshops, Finland, CanadaArlene TuckerComment

Here comes a few of the latest artworks. We first practiced with portrait drawings. The landscapes were done in small groups.

This time my pupils were more eager to write letters rather than concentrate on their drawings.

Br,
Päivi Huhtinen

Päivi Huhtinen and her group of 5th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland are making and sharing art with Kaarina Losey and her 6th graders at Pioneer Park P.S. in Ontario, Canada.

All That Talent for Christmas!

2014, 5th Grade, Czech Republic, Dear You Art Workshops, FinlandArlene TuckerComment

Do you know how to play the guitar, do the baby freeze or do you just know really much about ice hockey? I surely don't but the talented fifth graders in Helsinki English School know!

This time at The English School we looked at our gifts. We pondered about how can we give them as presents to our friends. The word present has two meanings: one is something you give away and the other one is something you receive right at every moment, at the present. So a gift in it's most heartfelt way is you being present to the people around you. That means everyone of us can give a special gifts this Christmas by just being present and using the talents we have.

Some of us had a hard time seeing our own talent. But we needn't worry too much! Help was always near when friends cheered on at how good someone was at so many things. Sometimes we can't see our own talents because to us they're just everyday things while to others they might be a wonder. If you know how to do something really well, you might just need a reminder now and again from your friends on how good you actually are! We drew our talents in the stars that we sent to Prague and hope that they'll bring at least as much cheer there as we experienced when making them.

This gift giving doesn't have to stop at Christmas. We can all use our gifts and talents, no matter how small we think they are, every day and bring cheer and ease to others around us.

Let's have a gift filled Christmas and a talented new year!

- Nooralotta Ikonen
http://laiskia.blogspot.fi

Sweet Times at Helsinki's English School

4th Grade, 2014, Czech Republic, Dear You Art Workshops, FinlandArlene TuckerComment

Have you ever eaten a small black square that tastes like salt and medicine? Well, it's called Salmiakki and it's considered quite a treat here in Finland.

This time in our Dear You workshop we shared delicious tastes and sweet sights as we made candy arc pop-up cards for our friends in Prague.

We drew some candy and glued our art on our pop up card arcs. Then we described in writing what our pictured candy tastes like. Some of our candies were real while others were make believe. They all looked pretty delicious to me!

Everyone can enjoy these sweets, even the ones who are missing a sweet tooth. I hope they munch these sweets up with their eyes back in Prague!

- Nooralotta Ikonen
http://laiskia.blogspot.fi