A Fun Creative Original Art Idea!

A Story by Essie W

Connecting across deep time

How to make organic, natural, chemical free energetic outdoor handprint art

My kids loooooove making things and painting things and showing off their special little creative souls. However soooo many of these paints have chemicals that aren’t good for littles’ sensitive development. Do yourselves a favor and get some wholesome REAL vitamin D and engage your precious tiny bugs in one of my favorite new art activities. You’ll be the first mommy on the block to try this one.

You need:

Ochre - this is a fancy name for colored clay. If you don’t have any on your property, be sure to check out my Amazon Affiliates page!

Straw - to be ALL natural, look for a hollow plant for a reed

Bowl - to hold everything

Water - try to get some directly from a stream or river, none of that yucky (-_-) tap water

A rock wall -this is important, all your friend’s kids are making art on UNnatural *chemical* canvas and paper. You’ll be eXtra happy if you are an eXtra momma like me and find a whole rock wall to display all that art that you’ll be making

Steps:

Mix the ochre and the water until it is thin and runny. You might need to pound and mix the ochre some.

As you pound the clay you feel something in deep down, some connection to something, some ancestral memory of pounding pestles and preparing pigments you gathered from the earth

Get your rock wall ready, make sure it is nice and clean and dry. Plan where you are going to put your (child’s) first piece of art!

You had been preparing for this ceremony for a long time, but this doesn’t mean you are not excited and frightened as you descend into the dark cave. Your torch flickers and you are afraid that you will be stuck in complete darkness. You follow your elders’ torches ahead of you and hear the drums echo from deep in the cave. You look up to see the hands of your ancestors lining the walls of the cave. After tonight you will be one of them, forever. You brush the dust off the cave wall and see the blank space that is yours.

Have your child get some pigment into the straw - if they are small enough to try to swallow it, you may want to do this for them.

The shaman blesses the cave and your bowl and the pigment and most of all you. Smoke of the torches fills the air and begins to work its way into your lungs. Herbs are being burnt and chants are being sung. Suddenly everything goes quiet and everyone looks to you. The shaman gives you a peaceful nod and in a practiced movement you suck the pigment into the straw until you feel the cold early taste on the edge of your lips.

Have your child place their hand on the wall, let them be creative and decide how they want to put it, but I think it looks best with fingers up and spread apart.

You solemnly place your hand on the rock. You feel connection to everything: the earth, your ancestors, your people, yourself. You feel like you are stepping into your role in the universe.

Blow! Be sure to cover the entire hand and get the area around the hand too!

You purse your lips together and quickly exhale the contents of your lungs. The pigment sprays out of the straw, over your hand, and onto the rock. One of the spectators cries out in joy.

Wash up and Admire your masterpiece!

You pull your hand off the wall and there is a rush of sound. The chanting begins again. The shaman’s assistant approaches you with a bowl of fragrant water. You wash the back of your hand and your family rushes to embrace you.

Be sure to share and tag @liveluvruffles_mommy!

Before you exit the cave you take one last look at your handprint on the wall. You look in one direction and see the wall covered with thousands of handprints all leading up to your handprint. You look in the other direction and see the blank wall where the thousands to come after you will place their handprints forever and ever until time ends.

You’ll look soooo original for trying this idea 1st! If you feel like sharing where you get all your Great Ideas, tell your friends to check out Live Luv Ruffles Mommy Blog! But I understand if you want to keep some secrets to yourself. Be sure to come back every Wednesday for new ideas, spoiler alert for next week: my call on what will be next year's hottest trend - togas!