From the Art Room: African Masks
SHARED by: Jessica Hayward, Director of Art and PEP
It is our goal to not only expose our students to different artists and mediums but to also explore different cultures from around the world, through art. We decided to take a trip to Africa, where traditional African Masks are used for all a variety of occasions, from births to harvest celebrations and many things in between! There is some prep work that has to be done, but it will be worth it in the end!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED (suggestions):
- Paper plates
- Pre-Cut Paper Masks
- Glue
- Dried Peas
- Dried Beans
- Burlap
- Construction Paper
- Feathers
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
1.Glue the paper masks onto the paper plate.
2. Pre-cut the burlap and the construction paper into a variety of shapes. Use this as an exercise to review shapes with your child.
3. Download several examples for your child to look as a reference, but not to copy! Encourage their own creativity.
4. To make the activity last more than a couple minutes, layer in the decorations. Start with the construction paper shapes, then add the burlap. After some time add the beans and peas and top it off with the feathers.
5. Allow the mask to dry and then hang it up!