artlab: collaborative alphabets

M J Bronstein-collaborative alphabet-artlab

Yesterday began the new season of ArtLab Studio, “a class in the spirit of a real working art studio, where playfulness and experimentation are key.” The focus for this season will be names, alphabets, and design (2 and 3 dimensional). And while we’ll look carefully at individual names and their symbolic, historic meaning, we’ll continue to work collaboratively, as a group, in true ArtLab style. Which is what we did to produce the works above, with ten kids (ages 7-9) and two adults, at tables-in-the-round.

M J Bronstein-collaborative alphabet-artlab 1

We each began with a large sheet of paper and a pile of markers. We drew “A, B, and C,” in any style, shape, color, or size, and then we passed our sheets to the person on the right.

M J Bronstein-collaborative alphabet-artlab 2

Then “D, E, and F,” and another pass.

M J Bronstein-collaborative alphabet-artlab 3

On and on through the alphabet until we reached the last letters. At which point it was decided that each person would also add “one awesome thing.”

M J Bronstein-collaborative alphabet-artlab 4

After we hung the work as a collection and stood back to admire it,

M J Bronstein-collaborative alphabet-artlab

a few kids turned toward the blank canvas nearby…and filled it up pretty quickly.

artlab studio- m j bronstein- drawing