Collaborative Painting

 

This painting is by far the largest collaborative piece I've ever done with a group.  Not in size, but in how many hands painted on it.  460 hands.  Yep.  Children ages 4-12 all participated in this painting as a retirement gift for our principal.  The faculty has so much planned for her as far as gifts and good-byes, but I thought really, what I would want if I was retiring, was something from the children.    The overall size is about 30"x30".  Not that big really.  I painted the board black and drew with chalk the flowers and the bird.  Children were allowed 3 brush strokes each.  And boy did they follow the rules!  Overall it turned out beautiful.  I love all the little choppy brush strokes.  We presented it to her on the Gator News Network yesterday.  She loved it.  I cried.  Of course. 

 

Well, today I finished cleaning the last little paint flecks off the desks and have the room stripped and ready for the new year.  It looks strange in here.  Smells the same.  hahaha...seriously this room has a smell of creativity, paint, glue and crayons.  Not necessarily a smell you'd want to capture in a candle and burn at home, but a familiar smell.  One I may need to come back to one more year.  Maybe.....