Because of Black History month, a story from Ghana called ‘The Spider Weaver’ became the hook and inspired the arts, dance, writing and baking. It was the web of a spider that inspired a new intricate weave known as the ‘Kente Cloth’.
Over the fortnight, we have created our own ‘masterpieces’ that appear to ‘glow like moonbeams’ in the art studio. Oil pastel cobwebs washed with watercolour and then printed with banana plasticine leaves were sewn into and finally glittered. Running stitch and cross stitch were the skills we attempted to use. Concentration and patience was definitely required, and as our ‘binca’ strips testify most of us mastered one or both of these stitches.
Through dance, we became acquainted with different types of spider including the Giant House spider, Hunting spider, Goliath tarantula and Web spinning spider. Creating webs required listening to each other’s ideas and then together choreographing the idea into movements. Being a spider involved quick movements (scurrying and crawling, spinning and rolling) as well as moments of stillness before pouncing on prey. In reflecting on our dance journey, we recognised how we had to follow and own a sequence of instructions and in the dance switch mode from an ‘us to me’ and a ‘me to us’.
Our research on spiders also introduced us to the Jumping spider; Mexican Red kneed tarantula and the Orb- Web spider. Great perseverance was required in attempting to create our own sock puppet spider that had eight legs, six to eight eyes as well as two fangs. These became a character in our own imaginative Spider Stories.
Working with a partner, 2CC also created their own webs gluing pipe cleaners, string, wool and lace onto cardboard-easier said than done! Sticky fingers were a frustration for many of us. These were then inked up and printed.
Thank you to those parents and interested adults that joined in 2CC’s Art Celebration on Friday afternoon. Your presence gives the audience for performance as well as that special someone to share in the successes and challenges experienced.
