Art has always been the common thread that connects us with one another in times of hardships while serving as a universal medium through which we express and spread hope, solidarity, and gratitude.

With the ongoing health crisis and physical distancing measures, many parents have found themselves spending more time than usual at home with their little ones until some sense of normality returns. It can be all too easy to overlook the importance of investing enough quality time with our kids since typically we are busy hustling and tending to life’s responsibilities.

Given the current situation, time has turned into a plentiful commodity that parents can leverage to engage in all types of home activities with their children. This could very well be partaking in arts and crafts projects that tap into every family member’s creative and artistic side.

VANCOUVER ART GALLERY’S “ART AT HOME” FAMILY PROGRAM

In an effort to bring people together, the Vancouver Art Gallery recently launched the Arts At Home Family Program – a series of digital, family-oriented programs designed to inspire families and communities to get creative at home. Every Sunday, the Gallery shares a different art-making activity, taking inspiration from their exhibitions or artwork from the permanent collection, on their website and across their social media channels. “Hearts in Windows” is the first activity of a series which we will be sharing here under the Art section of our publication.

HEARTS IN WINDOWS

Inspired by the “Hearts in Windows” movement, people all over the world have been creating hearts and displaying them in their windows for others to see to share a sense of hope, joy, and connection through creativity during these unprecedented times. This is a fun activity that allows you to paint with markers to create your own colourful hearts. Then, display them in your windows to share your hopes, creativity, and positive thinking with those who live nearby despite the distance between us.

What You’ll Need

• Coffee filters

• Washable, non-toxic paint

• Scissors

• Tape

• A spray bottle or (for little artists) a squeeze bottle

Note: Please use materials that are safe and appropriate for your family’s ages and abilities. These projects are intended to be done together, with adults not only supervising but joining in on the fun!

Step 1

Colour yout coffee filter however you like with your non-toxic, washable markers.

Draw shapes or designs from your imagination or just create blocks of colour without thinking too much about them, like we did.

Think about how your colour choices will blend. If you want your colours to be bold, take your time, and add layers of marker.

*Be sure to place cardboard, newspaper or construction paper underneath your project to protect your work surface.

Step 2

Using your spray or squeeze bottle, wet your drawing with water. You will see your colours start to blend on their own. Artists call this process ‘blooming’ or ‘bleeding.’

Options for Toddlers

If you and your little artist are using a squeeze bottle, make sure to experiment by adding little drops of water at a time so that your coffee filter doesn’t get too wet and wash all the colour away.

Instead, you can draw on the bottom of a plastic tub with markers.

Watch how the colours mix together and blend.

Step 3

Experiment with the amount of water you use until you like the way the colours are moving.

Place your wet coffee filter on top of a dry one as your work dries. Your colours will transfer to the second filter.

Don’t forget! The colours will continue to blend as they dry.

Step 4

Once your marker paintings are dry, cut them into all different heart shapes and sizes.

Save your scraps! You never know what other project you might be able to create with these amazing bits and pieces.

With the help of an adult, tape your hearts up in a window to share some colour and joy with your community!

The hearts also represented our overwhelming gratitude for all of the healthcare and essential workers during these difficult times.

At the end of the day, family is everything. The clarity of that truth has never been made clearer in the midst of this pandemic. If you have kids, take this situation as a blessing and put it to good use. Take on arts and crafts projects with them like this fun Hearts in Windows activity. Sometimes, it’s more about the family than you. Your kids will remember how important you made them feel while growing up.

ABOUT ART AT HOME

Art At Home, launched by the Vancouver Art Gallery, is a weekly series of digital family programs to inspire the whole family to get creative at home. Recommended for children aged 5-12, Art At Home can be adapted by families for various ages. Every Sunday until June 30th, the Gallery will share a different art-making activity on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, taking inspiration from the exhibitions or artwork from the Gallery’s permanent collection.

Twice a month on every other Wednesday at 1:30 PM PT, families are invited to attend a free Art At Home Live webinar session on the Gallery’s Zoom channel. Christina Jones, Family Programs Coordinator at the Vancouver Art Gallery, will share fun and animated stories about the incredible lives of artists and how they make art. Families will experience the power of storytelling through anecdotal stories about artists and artworks in the Gallery’s permanent collection.

Art At Home Live will also introduce a related art-making activity for families to use. Art At Home projects and supporting resources for caregivers will be available on the Gallery’s website to spark art-making inspiration at any time. To register, please visit here.

All Images Provided by the Vancouver Art Gallery