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Field-Trip to the Richmond Art Gallery 
Four-Year-Old Class and M/W/F Three/Four-Year Old Class 


We recently enjoyed a visit and a workshop at the Richmond Art Gallery. 




The workshop was influenced by the gallery's latest exhibition created by artist Adad Hannah. Melanie, the Gallery's School Art Program Coordinator, was very engaging while guiding the children during this workshop.



The goal was to encourage children to describe and explore works of art... to try to understand the intent of the artist... and to give the children a different perspective of art. A perspective that challenged each child to imagine that they were actually “in” works of art themselves!

Living pictures were projected around the gallery. These pictures were staged with people (in costume) pretending to be people from the original 14th century, historic paintings. 


                                                

What is a tabla vivan? -Amara 
Tableau is French for picture, and vivant is the French word for living. Tableau Vivant... is a living picture.  - Melanie 
Did you notice some eyes blinking? - Melanie 
I see someone blinking! -Mila 
I see someone moving!  -Elias 
She's blinking.  -Julianne 


Many of the children had seen the blinking. Teacher Barbi had not!


The children were amazed to see that Melanie, herself, was in one of the living pictures.


We are playing pretend in this picture. Who has ever played pretend? -Melanie
I've pretended to be a transformer -
I've been a princess - Salma
I'm going to be Batman - Asher
A robot who is a T-Rex -Ronin S

Melanie shared that the background in the picture was painted, and photos/videos were added.

Did you paint it all? - Amara 


Melanie explained that the models held their bodies in a pose to mimic the people in the original paintings.

She encouraged the children to mimic and hold one of the poses they saw in the picture.


We have to be statues - Amara

                                       



We are playing pretend in this picture  -Melanie


Melanie then explained to the children that the next step would be for them to dress-up in costume.

Was Batman around at that time? -Ronin

The children were led into a room for the hands-on portion of the workshop.

                                      



Melanie put a picture of herself on a whiteboard, and told the children... she was at a party. She then asked the children what items might be at the birthday party she was “in”.

                                                    
balloons! 

presents!

cake!

                                         



As the children called out, Melanie drew the items around her picture.

chairs!

friends!

party hats! 

a table for the cake! 



Melanie explained that the children would be able to create their own picture using a photo of themselves. She showed them all the items available to them to dress-up with.





The children were invited table by table to dress-up and have their photos taken. From there... each child's photo was printed, and the children were assisted in cutting out their photos. They then glued it on to their own piece of paper. 

Children were encouraged to draw their own background or scene around the picture of themselves. 





The process was challenging for some children, but over-all they seemed intrigued by the workshop and what they experienced.

                   
Thank you Melanie for a very enjoyable, interactive and thought provoking morning.

Barbi

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