LIVING IN HARMONY - Chapter Three

Empowering Children to Become World Harmony Builders

...Feel and Express Harmony through Art

---

Chapter Inspiration:

-The purpose of art is to transmit to others the highest and best feelings to which human beings have risen.‖ -Count Leo Tolstoy

-Art is man‘s nature; nature is God‘s art.‖ -Philip James Bailey

-If you want to remain always happy, always perfect and always fulfilled, then always keep inside your heart a pocketful of sweet dreams.‖ -Sri Chinmoy

Chapter Story:

Claude Monet (1840-1926) was an artist who lived in France. What Claude loved more than anything was to observe different kinds of light - morning light, regular daylight, evening light, moonlight, starlight and even foggy light. Claude would pay close attention to the way that the light changed the objects that it touched. He noticed that the light gave different feelings to objects - sometimes happy and bright, sometimes peaceful, sometimes sad, and sometimes even scary. Then Claude painted the different kinds of light touching all kinds of things, such as bridges, rivers, oceans, gardens, farms, meadows and people. One of his favorite things to paint was a flower. He didn‘t paint these things the way they were ‗supposed‘ to look. Instead, he painted the deep feelings that the things gave him - especially when the light touched them. Claude became famous for his painting. His style of painting was called Impressionism. When Claude was an old man, he became almost totally blind. Still he was able to paint the most beautiful paintings even though he could hardly see. Because he had painted the feelings of light for his whole life, he didn‘t really need to see things anymore to be able to paint.

Chapter Overview:

Enjoying art can be one of the best ways for us to feel harmony and to express ourselves. There are many different kinds of art. When we make some- thing with colors and shapes, it is called visual arts. The visual arts include things like drawing, painting, sculpture and mosaics. Every one of us sees the world in our own unique way, because we each have special feelings, ideas and dreams that nobody else has. When we practice art we have a chance to create pictures of the world the way we see the world, and at the same time to express the feelings that we have about different things in the world. Art is one way for us to connect to our inner world - who we are inside. When we have a chance to express ourselves through art, we feel harmony and a sense of accomplishment inside us.

Chapter Lessons:

Lesson #1 - Colored pencils, crayons or markers
Take a minute or two to sit silently, with your eyes closed, and imagine how the world around you would look if there was harmony everywhere. Try to feel what it would be like living in that world. Now open your eyes and try to draw what you imagined or felt. No one else has to be able to recognize or understand what you are drawing - just you. It can be colors and shapes or it can be words and pictures. You can see drawings of harmony made by other children like you from around the world on: http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/usa/schoolsandkids/artwork. If you‘d like, you can scan and submit your own artwork or keep it to give to the World Harmony runners in August.
As an extension activity - you can also learn the World Harmony Run song, create your own instruments, and make your own arrangement. You can perform your arrangement for the runners and the other camps during the World Harmony Run ceremony in August. Recordings and a musical score for the song can be found at: http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/usa/song.

Lesson #2 - Watercolors (a). Paint with just one color
Choose one color you want to work with. First dip your paintbrush into the water. Then just move your paintbrush back and forth on the paper, and get a feeling for how the brush moves across the wet paper. You can make a beautiful painting without any color at all - just using the water! Now dip your brush into the color you want to use. You will use only one color for this lesson. Use the watercolor paint to gently put swatches of your color onto the paper. You will see that the paint will go onto the paper in dark and light shades. Pay attention to the different shades and to how one color can have so many different variations!

Lesson #3 - Watercolors (b). Paint your favorite time of day
For this activity you will use two or three colors. What is your favorite time of day? Choose the colors that will be best to paint the light at this time of day. Follow the instructions in Lesson #3 to prepare your paper and to begin painting. Try to paint the light at your favorite time of day. Pay special attention to the feelings that you get when you think of that time of day. Try to paint those feelings into your picture - just like Claude Monet did!

Lesson #4 - Using pastels
Go to visit some cherry or apple trees when they are in blossom, or go to visit some daffodils or lilacs nearby. You can also bring cherry blossoms, apple blossoms or other flowers into the classroom. Use the pastels on your art paper to try to express the feelings of the colors and fragrance of the flowers. Share or display your work - it doesn‘t have to be ‗perfect.‘

Discussion Questions:

a) Discuss the first quotation. What do you think Leo Tolstoy meant by the -highest and best feeling to which human beings have risen‖? Can you give some examples?

b) Discuss what you think the first part of the second quotation means, when it says, -Art is man‘s nature.‖ What about the second part?

Supplemental Activities:

• Claude Monet saw the world and painted the world in his own unique way.
What is special about the way you see the world? Close your eyes and visualize a place in nature. It could be a place you have visited that has stuck in your memory, or even a place that you have seen only in a picture. What is special about this place? Why do you remember it so vividly? What do you feel about this place? Now open your eyes and draw or paint this place the way you experienced it or remember it. Don‘t draw or paint what it is supposed to look like. Draw or paint what you saw that nobody else could see. Draw or paint what you feel about this place.

• Making a mask of yourself: Use papier mache, clay, or some other material to make a mask of yourself. Paint the mask according to how the best or happiest part of you looks. In other words, paint your face when you are your brightest self. What does the best part of you look like? 

 

---

Some previous Art and harmony relatd projects;

This is a sample of a Full Day special event during UN / UNESCO 2010 Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures  

It involved the World Harmony Run as well as other culture, artistic, sporting, entertaining, sensational and educational activities in a public space where many participated..

 "We can have harmony if we have a deep reverence for Mother Nature."

The children made drawings on the theme of harmony and the importance of love and the protection of our environment.

• 7000+ Children were expected to participate.

• The paper that they drew on was arranged in shape of a huge tree representing a live tree and the tree of life.

Hungary - Full Day event in Budapest

• Culture, artistic, sporting, entertaining, + educational activities in a huge public space.
• Many thousands of children made drawings on the theme of harmony and "reverence for Mother Nature."
• Paper  in shape of a huge tree was alive with activity and color.
• Ashrita Furman and Bipin Larkin set a new Guinness record which inceased media coverage 
• Stage for bands, singers, dancers, gymnastics, arcrobatics and more
• Enthusiastic runners with energy going at various speeds
• Banner and logo for 2010, all day at different events was discussed; Messages shared described 2010 and  the run 
• Austrian Clown Magician and children with the 2010 logo
• Painter, vészabó_noémi, honorary adjudicator beautiful letter,: "children know the secret, they dare to believe

For full report of day 2010 May 14 see:

http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/unesco_year/iyrc_examples/day_event_example_hungary

World Harmony Run

 

• There was so much enthusiasm and energy

• During the run, many went at their own speed.

 

The many thousands of children made drawings on the theme of harmony and the importance of love and the protection of our environment.

• The paper that they drew on was arranged in shape of a huge tree representing a live tree and the tree of life.

The life tree canvas which looked barren a few hours ago, at sun up...,

• Now was alive with activity!

• with color

• And greatly added to the festive occasion.

===================

Ashrita Furman, who holds the World Record

for the most Guinness World Records, was also in Budapest for this event. With his friend, Bipin Larkin, they also set a new record.

This increased media coverage of the day's events. 

• As well as longer interviews with Ashrita

====================

The stage provided an ongoing focus at one end of the park for the day

•   And the different language run banners provided a back drop for the upcoming day's events.

In this  great performing space for the bands and other

Performers included singers, dancers, gymnastics, acrobatics and much more...

With great jumping that inspired the younger ones to see what they could eventually do

• And some impressive rope skipping.

======================

The run banner and logo for the 2010  "International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures".,

• which had been observed all day at different events

was discussed in answer to questions from the moderator:

• The translations of the 6 official UN languages appearing on the banner, were identified.

• The symbolism for the logo's graphic in many different color strands, was also appreciated.  

• The message from Davidson Hepburn, President of the General Conference of UNESCO, to all the participants of the World Harmony Run in 2010 was mentioned at the Budapest ceremony (http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/unesco_year/davidson_hepburn_unesco_message)

• Other messages were also mentioned that further described the significance of 2010 and the run (link http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/unesco_year/iyrc_messages)

• Budapest provided a platform  to learn, especially significant because so many children were present who represent our future.

Austrian Clown Magician Magnificently entertains

After the magician finished some of the children eagerly climbed on stage

• To have their picture with the Tulasi the magician and the banner with the 2010 logo

=============================================================

The painter, vészabó_noémi, who served as honorary adjudicator pointed out that it was a record for Hungary to have so many children participates in painting together for such a good cause.

She also sent a beautiful letter, partially excerpted here:

"The spectacle was amazing and unforgettable - and it still exists in our hearts. ...The children know the secret, they dare to believe - and here on this square the many thousands of children have created ....the message of Love to make the world a better place...""What kind of world do we live in?    In a wonderful world! Because we have faith in the goodwill and willingness.

====================================================

This was an amazing day for the World Harmony Run in Hungary.

For a brief summary of the day (in Hungarian Language) with some initial beautiful photos and a links to seven public media reports with their photos see: http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/hungary/budapest_guinness   

---

More Pictures of artists at work from the day:

• Many tables were set up round the plaza, staffed by volunteers to register the different schools and classes.

• While a few more assisted the "all night" crew to put the finishing touches on some final tree "branches".

This is where the teachers and other coordinators

• Confirmed the location

• where the specific class would be drawing-painting

•   And obtained drawing-painting "sticks" (crayons)

• For just the right combination...

Some were picture poised to begin

• Others joined stamped

• hands

As other classes and young artists arrived,

• They found their assigned spots.

•  Some near where their busses dropped them off with the stage way in the background; and

• Some others were closer to the stage.

Luckily the sound system was quite good and performers and announcements could be heard almost everywhere.

• Where ever assigned, it quickly seemed of little concern, once they focused on their paper and began to work.

• With some younger artists stopping to observe the older students working intensely together close by (beyond a usual classroom experience)

• Some of those arriving later took the opportunity to see what others had created

•   Before starting their own work.

Some were so eager to begin and went to check others creations only

• After they had completed their own.

It was observed that

• some groups and individuals seemed to have more elaborate plans of what they would be expressing and how. 

• and it was also obvious that some loved just being together in this space

• Other teams seemed to be following the inspiration of their moment of kneeling to draw-paint.

• Much laughter and light hearted

• Offering of advice

• Or supportive, gentle encouragement

• To each other was in evidence.

Animals seem happy to be together

In the children's creative world. Displaying the theme of

"reverence for mother nature"

Some had so much focus on the task at hand (and the horses they were helping appear)

• It captured other observers who gathered around.

• Or reached out

Others seemed to be dreamily gazing into some inner space of their own

• Or paused in the middle of their act of creation.

As the plaza began to fill up...

• And relaxed artistic concentration..

• Starting with an inspiration...

• which encouraged others to join

• Using different approaches to fill in details

---

Professional and amateur Photographers,

•  Students, teachers, runners and organizers

• Were busy photographing this amazing spectacle.

• Or interviewing the participants for their thoughts and feelings

---

While various cultural performers were on stage

•   The children artists would watch some events throughout the day

• Some focused on their teams creations

• Or watched the one beside it taking shape

• others continued to draw-paint

 

• And watch even as clouds began to threaten

and then it did rain

but the children would not be deterred

• Some held umbrellas

•  For their friends who continued to add color

• Some huddled together still smiling and watching the performers

• While others were self amused about also catching raindrops in their mouths - giving much joy to everyone observing..

And even after the rain paused a bit..

• some were still enjoying holding the torch in front of the banner together

• Or drawing  messages of how the day felt  - "we are the W...ld"

---

The sun shines on..

 

• In our hearts, helped by  magic inner suns reflected earlier  on paper.

• And still shining to keep alive the expressions and intentions of the day..