This month, I will touch on a topic that many of us have unfortunately had to endure. It is never easy to broach the topic of death with our little ones, but it is often necessary when the situation arises. This last week, I had to put our beloved family cat to rest. She was 15, and went peacefully at home with the help of our wonderful vet. I had to explain with tears in my eyes to our 2-year-old that our cat was sick and that she died.
Surprisingly, he tried to comfort me with hugs. When he went to look for her under the bed the next day, I reminded him that she died, and that now she is everywhere. After looking all around and not seeing her, this seemed to make sense to him. He comforted me again.
The Art of Healing: The death of a beloved pet or the love for an existing one
(If you are reading this and it doesn’t apply, and I do hope your family pet is alive and well, you can honor your family pet by doing the same art projects. The written piece can be a story or poem about your pet.)
Often times we have a hard time discussing death with our kids, especially the little ones who do not understand, or who we assume do not understand. I suspect they understand a lot more than we realize. Working through a difficult topic like death can be a trying experience to say the least, so here is what worked for us:
I started euphonizing death, which only seemed to confuse him, so I then went the brutally honest route. I explained that she got very sick and that she died. He got that. I then wrote a Eulogy; which older kids can also write in their journals. That helped me work through my grief immensely. Lastly, I memorialized my kitty through drawing, which helped me remember her best qualities. Together, my son and I made a pet rock kitty.
Remembering all of the best times of our 15+ years together, here is a tribute to her:
R.I.P. Miss Marlena! You have seen at least 9 lives in this world, and you passed on to the next at 4:30pm on Friday, August 5th, 2016 with dignity and grace.
Miss Marlena, on to your next adventure you gorgeous, regal, otherworldly creature. You taught me how to be the mother I am today. You were the best kitty, more all-knowing than most people. You threw the sort of vibe that no mouse or trespassing cat ever wanted to cross, a true protector and fighter to the last.
Born in Cincinnati in 2001 and living on the streets, you found me and hitched a ride to NYC. I smuggled you on the plane. Many times. You were always a great traveler. You judged men until I finally wised up and found the right one. You taught me that living well was, and still is, the best revenge. You loved people and resented all other animals. Except Sheza.
Marlena, you watched over Jack for the first weeks of his life, never leaving his side. You put up with a lot from him, more than from anyone else, yet taught him how to be gentle.
You gave us so many gifts and loved getting them. Miss Marlena, you will be unbelievably missed!
Everyday Art Lesson:
Concept Focus: Honoring Our Pets: Pet Rocks and Pet Portraits
Mess Factor: Moderate
Ages: Can be modified for ages 0-18 years
Objectives: Students eulogize a beloved pet who has passed, or honor an existing one through words, stories, poetry, and art. Students create a visual memorial or portrait of their pet to immortalize them through their memories.
Suggested Materials: Pet Rocks
Babies, toddlers, and younger kids:
• Rocks
• Play dough (for babies)
• Paint
• Glue
• (optional: felt, markers, googly eyes)
Older Kids: Pet Portrait
• Photograph of Pet
• Paper
• Ink
• Paints
• Pencils
• Rulers (for grid)
(TIP: Always check for the ASTM d-4236 standard and ACMI AP seal, which should be on all art materials given to children. Materials are like ingredients. Many things can be substituted for what you have on hand.)
Babies and Toddlers: Pet Rock
Babies and toddlers can create a pet rock with playdough, or paint an existing one. Toddlers will love to go outside and choose their own rock to paint. Look for rocks that remotely have the shape of the animal you are creating. September is a great time to collect rocks to paint over the winter, and decorate with leaves and twigs. Felt can also be used to form arms and legs, eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, or just use paint for the features. Markers can be used for older kids to add details, and googly eyes are always a hit!
**Please be aware that clay/playdough present a choking hazard for little ones, so always supervise very carefully.
Older Children and Teens: Pet Portraits
Find or take photographs of your pet and print it out. Create a 1”x1” grid over the printout, then grid a separate sheet of plain paper. Label the rows letters, and the columns numbers on both grids. Students can sketch their pet square by square until the pet portrait is in proportion. Students can then use paint or ink for color and value.
Feel free to email any questions or comments to info@creativespacearts.com, or visit my website at www.creativespacearts.com. I aim to create an open exchange of ideas and best practices.
References:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/no-bake-play-dough/
http://www.creativespacearts.com/
Feel free to email any questions or comments to info@creativespacearts.com, or visit my website at www.creativespacearts.com. I aim to create an open exchange of ideas and best practices.
Jennifer Barrett is the Arts Liaison and Performing Arts Coordinator at a public junior high school in Brooklyn, and has taught visual arts there since 2002. She founded Creative Space Arts in 2014 to offer a different kind of art studio, always changing and inspired by the immersive environment of galleries and other creative spaces. She has also guided countless students through the rigorous audition process of portfolio development, with many gaining acceptance and even scholarships into some of NYC’s most prestigious art schools. Jennifer’s paper creds include: B.F.A. in Drawing, M.Ed., S.B.L Certification.
About Creative Space Arts:
What do dragons, neighborhood-scapes, rainbow fish, and the moon have in common? They are all possible motifs at Creative Space Arts, a pop-up art studio set in galleries and other creative spaces. Our fun and immersive workshops are inspired by the work currently on view in gallery spaces, or by weekly theme. Through this approach, we aim to ignite curiosity and freedom of artistic expression.
Surprisingly, he tried to comfort me with hugs. When he went to look for her under the bed the next day, I reminded him that she died, and that now she is everywhere. After looking all around and not seeing her, this seemed to make sense to him. He comforted me again.
The Art of Healing: The death of a beloved pet or the love for an existing one
(If you are reading this and it doesn’t apply, and I do hope your family pet is alive and well, you can honor your family pet by doing the same art projects. The written piece can be a story or poem about your pet.)
Often times we have a hard time discussing death with our kids, especially the little ones who do not understand, or who we assume do not understand. I suspect they understand a lot more than we realize. Working through a difficult topic like death can be a trying experience to say the least, so here is what worked for us:
I started euphonizing death, which only seemed to confuse him, so I then went the brutally honest route. I explained that she got very sick and that she died. He got that. I then wrote a Eulogy; which older kids can also write in their journals. That helped me work through my grief immensely. Lastly, I memorialized my kitty through drawing, which helped me remember her best qualities. Together, my son and I made a pet rock kitty.
Remembering all of the best times of our 15+ years together, here is a tribute to her:
R.I.P. Miss Marlena! You have seen at least 9 lives in this world, and you passed on to the next at 4:30pm on Friday, August 5th, 2016 with dignity and grace.
Miss Marlena, on to your next adventure you gorgeous, regal, otherworldly creature. You taught me how to be the mother I am today. You were the best kitty, more all-knowing than most people. You threw the sort of vibe that no mouse or trespassing cat ever wanted to cross, a true protector and fighter to the last.
Born in Cincinnati in 2001 and living on the streets, you found me and hitched a ride to NYC. I smuggled you on the plane. Many times. You were always a great traveler. You judged men until I finally wised up and found the right one. You taught me that living well was, and still is, the best revenge. You loved people and resented all other animals. Except Sheza.
Marlena, you watched over Jack for the first weeks of his life, never leaving his side. You put up with a lot from him, more than from anyone else, yet taught him how to be gentle.
You gave us so many gifts and loved getting them. Miss Marlena, you will be unbelievably missed!
Everyday Art Lesson:
Concept Focus: Honoring Our Pets: Pet Rocks and Pet Portraits
Mess Factor: Moderate
Ages: Can be modified for ages 0-18 years
Objectives: Students eulogize a beloved pet who has passed, or honor an existing one through words, stories, poetry, and art. Students create a visual memorial or portrait of their pet to immortalize them through their memories.
Suggested Materials: Pet Rocks
Babies, toddlers, and younger kids:
• Rocks
• Play dough (for babies)
• Paint
• Glue
• (optional: felt, markers, googly eyes)
Older Kids: Pet Portrait
• Photograph of Pet
• Paper
• Ink
• Paints
• Pencils
• Rulers (for grid)
(TIP: Always check for the ASTM d-4236 standard and ACMI AP seal, which should be on all art materials given to children. Materials are like ingredients. Many things can be substituted for what you have on hand.)
Babies and Toddlers: Pet Rock
Babies and toddlers can create a pet rock with playdough, or paint an existing one. Toddlers will love to go outside and choose their own rock to paint. Look for rocks that remotely have the shape of the animal you are creating. September is a great time to collect rocks to paint over the winter, and decorate with leaves and twigs. Felt can also be used to form arms and legs, eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, or just use paint for the features. Markers can be used for older kids to add details, and googly eyes are always a hit!
**Please be aware that clay/playdough present a choking hazard for little ones, so always supervise very carefully.
Older Children and Teens: Pet Portraits
Find or take photographs of your pet and print it out. Create a 1”x1” grid over the printout, then grid a separate sheet of plain paper. Label the rows letters, and the columns numbers on both grids. Students can sketch their pet square by square until the pet portrait is in proportion. Students can then use paint or ink for color and value.
Feel free to email any questions or comments to info@creativespacearts.com, or visit my website at www.creativespacearts.com. I aim to create an open exchange of ideas and best practices.
References:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/no-bake-play-dough/
http://www.creativespacearts.com/
Feel free to email any questions or comments to info@creativespacearts.com, or visit my website at www.creativespacearts.com. I aim to create an open exchange of ideas and best practices.
Jennifer Barrett is the Arts Liaison and Performing Arts Coordinator at a public junior high school in Brooklyn, and has taught visual arts there since 2002. She founded Creative Space Arts in 2014 to offer a different kind of art studio, always changing and inspired by the immersive environment of galleries and other creative spaces. She has also guided countless students through the rigorous audition process of portfolio development, with many gaining acceptance and even scholarships into some of NYC’s most prestigious art schools. Jennifer’s paper creds include: B.F.A. in Drawing, M.Ed., S.B.L Certification.
About Creative Space Arts:
What do dragons, neighborhood-scapes, rainbow fish, and the moon have in common? They are all possible motifs at Creative Space Arts, a pop-up art studio set in galleries and other creative spaces. Our fun and immersive workshops are inspired by the work currently on view in gallery spaces, or by weekly theme. Through this approach, we aim to ignite curiosity and freedom of artistic expression.
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