After examining the influence of Shinto beliefs on Japanese art and tradition, we looked closely at Zen Buddhist beliefs and Zen influenced practices such as the tea ceremony, meditation in … Continue reading Enso and Zen Buddhism Beliefs
Plant Identification
In just a few days, some of us had grown confident in identifying certain plants and their benefits. On our walks, we found plenty of jewelweed, burdock, plantain, dandelion, beechnut, … Continue reading Plant Identification
Shinto beliefs, traditions and Torii gates
We travelled to Japan, where we encountered the rich traditions and beliefs of the Shinto religion. We learned about Shinto’s deep reverence for nature, and the belief in benevolent kami … Continue reading Shinto beliefs, traditions and Torii gates
“Bur’s Eye” Game
We found unexpected delight in our park’s many Burdock plants. Burdock burs stuck sweetly to our fingers and clothing, and we realized that they are also great for sticking together … Continue reading “Bur’s Eye” Game
The Scribes of Egypt and the Book of the Dead
We learned about ancient Egyptian scribes, their tools, and their important role in documenting what we now know of ancient Egypt. After investigating the step-by-step process by which the papyrus … Continue reading The Scribes of Egypt and the Book of the Dead
Haudenosaunee Pottery
We learned about the Haudenosaunee, a federation of five Indigenous tribes (the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora people) in what is now Upstate and Western New York. They … Continue reading Haudenosaunee Pottery
Creating natural inks and watercolor paints
Using mortars and pestles, we ground up rocks, lapis lazuli gemstones, shell, charcoal and other hard natural elements to create natural inks and watercolour paints. We used palette knives to … Continue reading Creating natural inks and watercolor paints
Spark 2019 Week 2
Spark Arts 2019 Week 2 – Myth and symbolism This week, we explored myth and symbolism and discussed how traditions across the world have used myths to help explain natural … Continue reading Spark 2019 Week 2
Spark 2019 Week 1
Land art On our first day together, we looked at aesthetically pleasing land art created by artists such as Nils Udo, Harvey Fite and Andy Goldsworthy. We noted that these … Continue reading Spark 2019 Week 1
Carnivals and Festivals Around the World: Spark 2018 Week 2
In our second week of Spark 2018, we've been exploring the traditions of festivals around the world. As our exploration took us around the globe, we found many commonalities between … Continue reading Carnivals and Festivals Around the World: Spark 2018 Week 2