Family Circle Paintings- Collaborative Mandalas, February 12, 2011

On this particular Saturday, our Family Studio class spent the morning creating family circle paintings.  Each family had a large circular piece of paper to work with.  Before beginning to paint, everyone took some time creating geometric lines and shapes within their circles by using a chalk line and/or tracing large shapes onto the paper.  Starting out this way, gave each family an opportunity to create boundaries that, when they began painting, they could choose to use as a way of designating personal space for each family member.  When they were ready to paint, ice trays filled with pre-mixed colors were passed out among the families. 

All of the families seemed eager and excited to paint.  There was a lot of focused energy in the room.  As I walked around, observing each group, I noticed how each family worked together in unique ways.  In one family of two, the mother seemed really into her painting, while her son really enjoyed mixing the colors in the paint trays.

Some started out being more careful to stay within their respected boundaries that were created with the chalk line and geometric shapes.  

One young boy decided to paint even beyond the boundary created by the edge of the paper.  His masterpiece continues on, onto the surface of the table.

One family had an interesting way of respecting the personal space of each family member while also making sure to work together creating a cohesive work of art.  They designated the middle of the circle as a space where everyone could contribute and the sides of the circle as a space where everyone could add their own individual painting. 






It was also interesting to see the differences in painting style between parents and their children.  In this particular family, the mother uses the geometric boundaries as shapes to paint in.  Her brush marks are smooth and less visible.  However, her son uses the boundaries only as a guideline, and his mark-making is very energetic.

As the families became more comfortable with painting, they also seemed to become more energized and creative.  One mother invites her daughter to use her hands and paint on her side of the circle.  A father helps his daughter onto the table so she can get into a better position to paint.



 Towards the end of the class, the perceived boundaries became more and more blurred and each painting seemed to gain cohesiveness and unity.  The final product was a balanced combination of the individual and of the whole.