At Marion Primary School OSHC in 2019, 42 children embarked on an exciting artistic journey called “Our Messy Mandala.” This project is part of our ongoing commitment to group collaborative art projects. It spanned over three weeks. It resulted in a stunning three-panel standing screen that now brightens up the school library.
Week One of Our Group Collaborative Art Project: Messy Playing
The adventure began. The children dove into Messy Playing. They painted the rings of the mandala in cool, pale colours. Each child had the freedom to express themselves, contributing to the mandala’s foundation. The room buzzed with creativity. The children explored different brush strokes and colour combinations. They laid down the first layer of what would soon become a collaborative artwork.
Week Two of Our Group Collaborative Art Project: Exploring with Collage
The next week, we moved on to Exploring with Collage. The children used printed and painted papers to create various shapes. They made circles, squares, triangles, and moons. They carefully layered these onto the mandala. This stage was all about exploring shapes, patterns, and the joy of layering. The children’s enthusiasm grew as they saw their mandala taking shape. Each piece added depth and texture to the collective artwork.
Week Three of Our Group Collaborative Art Project: Bling!
In the final week, it was time for Bling! This stage was all about decoration and adding those finishing touches that made the mandala truly shine. The children added glitter paints, gems, and paint pens, transforming the mandala into a vibrant, eye-catching piece. These decorative details brought the mandala to life. It became a true representation of the universe—a universe we created together.
The Results: A Proud Achievement
The culmination of these three weeks was a stunning three-panel standing screen that the children proudly presented at assembly. The project didn’t just produce a beautiful piece of art. It also fostered a sense of teamwork. It nurtured creativity and accomplishment among the children. The mandala quickly became a part of their play, integrating art into their everyday environment. It now stands in the school library, a vibrant reminder of what can be achieved when we create together.
“Our Messy Mandala” is a testament to the power of group collaborative art projects. It shows how creativity, when shared, can build not just artwork but also connections and confidence in young minds. The project was a resounding success. The pride in the children’s faces as they presented their work spoke volumes about the impact of collaborative art.
Discover how to create group collaborative art projects like these. Join my Inner Circle email list to receive “Starting Your First Social Art Project at Home”. It is my free 7 page guide. This guide makes it effortless for you to paint a unique artwork. You can do this with a group of people in your life.
– Charndra, Your Inclusive Social Art Guide.
P.S. I love collaborative social art and want to share it with you!
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Are you keen to try this form of collaborative social art? It’s called ‘Pattern Play Collaborative Art’ because we layer approachable and accessible patterns from my ‘Pattern Play’ visual resources. These resources are tools. They help you create unique and beautiful collaborative art projects. You can paint with groups of people in your life!
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