BCA Virtual Family Arts Saturday: January 2021

Shadow Wands Get creative and make art together!

Explore a simple STEAM activity inspired by Clay Mohrman’s immersive, meditative light and sound installation Radiant Thought. Create shadow wands combined with light and sound for a playful, interactive art experience that engages the senses and fosters a feeling of well-being.

Activity Age Range: The whole family!

Materials Needed: A stick or craft dowel for the handle, yarn or string, scissors, several sheets of lightweight copy paper or color paper, a pencil, a glue stick, and a flashlight or patch of sunlight for making shadows.

Optional materials: paint, markers, color pencils, beads, colorful ribbon, pom poms.

CONNECT This activity connects with our BCA Center fall 2020 exhibition Clay Mohrman: Radiant Thought The exhibition features Clay Mohrman’s room-size art installation that helps to show how he processes emotions and manages anxiety. Made from a plexiglas sculpture programmed to react to light and sound, the artist mimics the neuro-responses of the brain. Mohrman’s installation creates a feeling of calm awareness and relaxation while activating the senses. His work explores how art in galleries and public spaces can support well-being.

Featured artist: Clay Mohrman How can art be interactive and engage the senses?

How can art create a sense of calm and relaxation?

What do you hear, touch, taste, see, or smell that helps you feel calm?

Look closely at Mohrman’s sculpture, Radiant Thought.

Describe what you see.

What does this sculpture remind you of?

How do you think Clay Mohrman created this sculpture?

To create the 8-foot hanging sculpture, Mohrman assembled cut plexiglas shapes attached with fishing line. He collaborated with a sound artist and an electrical engineer so that the white lights within the sculpture turn on or off in response to sound. The sculpture, lights, soothing sounds, and meditation all work together to create a sense of calm and relaxation.

Clay Mohrman, Radiant Thought, 2020, Plexiglass, fishing line, wood, lights, electronics 8’ diameter

Learn more about our BCA Center fall 2020 exhibitions at burlingtoncityarts.org.

CREATE Step 1: Gather your supplies Materials Needed: A stick: natural stick, craft dowel, or even a pencil will work!

Yarn or String Scissors Several sheets of lightweight copy paper or color paper Glue stick Pencil for drawing Flashlight Optional materials: markers, color pencils, or paint, beads, ribbon, pom poms

Step 2: Decorate the handle of your shadow wand Select a stick for the base of your wand. A craft dowel, a found stick in nature, or even a pencil will work.

Decorate your stick by coloring it with markers or paint or wrapping it with yarns.

There is no wrong way to decorate your wand!

Step 3: Add a line of string to your wand Cut a length of yarn or string to hang from your wand like a line. A yard of string is a good length.

Secure one end of the string to the tip of your wand with a knot.

Step 4: Cut paper shapes and glue them to the line of string Fold a piece of paper in half - you want to make two shapes that are the same.

Draw any shape you choose on the folded paper.

Cut it out - there will be two of the same shape because of the folded paper.

Cover one shape in glue using a glue stick.

Place it on the line with the string running through the center of the shape.

Place the second shape on top of it creating a sandwich with the string in the middle.

Continue making shapes to add to your line. Make as many shapes as you choose. ***** Snowflake shapes make great shadows and can be attached the same way!

Step 5: Create paper forms that add dimension, movement, and twirl to your wand a. Fold a piece of paper in half, then, fold in half again, and fold in half again for a total of three folds - this will create many shapes that are the same. b. Draw half of the shape you choose on the fold- you want to make a symmetrical shape. c. Cut on the lines you have made to cut out the shapes. Do not cut on the fold. d. Cover one paper shape in glue using a glue stick. Place it on the line with the string running through the center of the shape. e. Place the second shape on top of the glued piece. Keep one half of the shape unattached to the glue. This will add another side to your shape, creating dimension. *Repeat these steps until you have one paper shape remaining. f. Glue the final paper shape to the two open sides. g. Notice how your shape twirls! Create and add as many dimensional shapes as you want.

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Step 6: Continue to fill your line of yarn or string with paper shapes of your choice. If you like, add accessories such as beads, ribbons, or pom poms.

Finally: Activate your Shadow Wand with Light, Movement, and Music!

Light: Shine a flashlight on your shadow wand to create shadows on a surface or wall. What happens if you hold the flashlight far away from the wand? What happens when the flashlight is closer to your wand?

Movement: With the light shining on your wand, try moving the shadows across the wall by moving your wand. Can you make quick shadows? Try making slow moving shadows. Can you create shadows that dance up high and down low? What type of movements with your wand make you feel relaxed and joyful?

Music: Choose some music to play that makes you feel happy and relaxed. Using your shadow wand and light create shadow movements that dance with the music. How does it feel to be in the room with your light, sound, and shadow movements?

Happy Creating!