Paper Cut Flowers

each image is 12"x16"

Very interesting session with the second graders - I love this project and I love watching kids making art! Lynn Susholtz gave me the idea one day at Art Produce Gallery. There was a vase with flowers and colored paper on a table in her studio. Visitors (adults and children) were invited to make an art piece just by using the colored paper, scissors and glue. Simple set up - endless solutions.

I did this project several times with different classes in elementary school. The results are always great. The children are first surprised that they do not need a pencil and an eraser.
There are not many rules for this project, but I am asking the children to really take their time to look at all the different shapes: stems, leaves, flowers - and of course the vase. This project is more about shapes than about colors. I always try to get some very good quality paper (when it is on sale at Michael's), the colors are bold and there are just a few of them. And that is what the children use to make their piece.

The children can chose to represent one flower, or more.
I buy a large bouquet of mixed flowers (for a very good price at Trader Joe's) and I divide it in different transparent vases I have, so that there are just a few flowers in each vase. Then it is easy to "see" each flower. Each group of approximately four children is very close to one bouquet. All the bouquets are different.

I do not show the children what they can do. They find by themselves and they find great solutions. I like how they are always amazed by the result!