Thanksgiving Printmaking Activity
This past November I coordinated with the local Activity Center to hold a printmaking workshop at their After School Program. It was a four hour event that was free for all Concho kids. Our goal was to make placemats for the community Thanksgiving dinner. About 25 students participated in the printmaking project and we made a total of 180 construction paper placemats before the day was over.
We used several printmaking methods including found object printing, making our own sponge prints, and printing with cookie cutters. There were no limitations outlined for the project, though students were encouraged to express gratitude. Since we needed about 200 placemats in short order, the students created quickly and furiously. The pace combined with the loose nature of the project, inspired students to create freely. The result was a colorful explosion of stylized patterns, expressive abstractions, and representational illustrations.
When the whirlwind of creation was over, our colorful masterpieces were displayed on the tables at the Concho community Thanksgiving meal.