Today we got together at Woodies to practice paste-ups and ran through some theatrical techniques ahead of the final performance - this is the crew about to embark on a mindful walk.

ABOVE: An unknown graffiti artist, partly covered with our blank paste-ups. For the actual performance, we will be using printed wallpaper with the weed prints, this was just a test run. We covered the whole wall in about 15 mins, and carefully removed the paper afterwards to as to leave no trace. The paper was pasted up using a simple flour and water mixture, approx 4L for a wall this size.

Sue Hauri has introduced me to this group who meet every Thursday at the Midland Women's Health clinic for art and craft workshops. Together we have been looking at common garden plants and invasive weeds, and making botanical sketches that have been turned into repeat prints, which have then been carved on lino and printed to create a repeat design.

Feel free to follow this lesson plan if you'd like to do something similar in your community.

Getting Creative in the Riparian Zone: Weedy Wallpaper designs

LESSON PLAN
Week 1: Thursday, 31 July
Introduction to “Ripairian” (sic) the project

The riparian zone refers to the low-lying wetlands around rivers. In many riparian areas, wildlife and plants are threatened by loss of habitat, less water, invasive species and housing developments. Seeking to repair some of the damage, in a symbolic way, this project looks at some of the ways we can accept the damage and learn to work with it in a way that is collaborative and exploratory.

Artists were the original scientists, learning about the natural world through observation. In the past, artists took part in exploration and scientific studies, helping build taxonomies and ways of understand the world.

By simply walking and observing, we can begin to understand and accept the world as it is, and try to repair and gently navigate our way through the Anthropocene.

Observing is also a great technique for mindfulness – tuning your senses to the subtleties of the world around you.
When you walk, use the artist’s technique of observing. Find ways to engage with things that you can sense through sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste - be careful with the last one! Many things that might look tasty are toxic.

Sketching from life – botanical specimens

1. Pen, pencil and watercolour techniques
2. Observational drawing techniques
3. Using your botanical sketches, prepare a repeat design that can be used to make wallpaper
4. Gemma to demonstrate the repeat pattern concept
5. Weeds – some common invasive species found in gardens

Health & Safety considerations: use caution when gathering plants, some are toxic, have thorns, etc. Watch where you walk and stick to the paths.

Ethical considerations: think about the land that you are interacting with when you gather specimens. Whose land is it? What was the traditional use of the land? Which animals, birds or insects might be affected if you move a branch or a stone? Tread carefully. Be careful with seeds or flowers, they may cause invasive specimens to spread.

Materials required: pens, pencils, watercolours, paper, camera (phone), botanical specimens

Homework: finish your drawing and start to develop a repeat pattern design so that next fortnight we can transfer it onto the lino block.
 
Week 2: Thursday, 14 August
More about the Ripairian project
Gemma will talk more about the project and ways you might like to collaborate or contribute.

Transferring your design:

1. Transferring the design onto lino, ready for cutting
2. Cutting lino – some tips
3. Gemma to do a demonstration

Safety considerations – always cut away from the body!
Materials required: black sharpie (permanent marker) lino block, lino cutting tools, carbon paper.
Homework: take the lino block home and start carving!
 
Week 3: Thursday, 28 August
More thoughts and reflections about the Ripairian project. This discussion will be picking up on threads discussed in previous weeks.

Making a lino block

1. Making an impression using your lino block
2. Gemma to do a demonstration
3. Repeat on a roll of paper until you have a large patterned sheet.

Materials required: rollers, glass plates,  ink, paper, spatula or palette knife.



Download a PDF of this lesson plan below

Download a PDF list of common invasive plants found in Boorloo | Perth
 

Today was probably the most extreme weather to be doing this task but we put on our wellies and a brave face and did it anyway.

​The task was to assemble the youth crew and introduce them to the site, and start practicing the paste-up technique, getting the wallpaper onto the wall, and finding out how we can work best with a team, whether this will work best in groups or pairs, and decide on the best camera angles to capture the performance. 

The tech crew got started on working out the live links, using my trusty little car as base camp. We usually try not to bring cars onto the site, but today we needed a warm and dry place to shelter in between the blasts of hailstones.

Eventually, our hands and feet went numb from standing in cold water, and so took our rosy cheeks up to the Woodbridge Hotel for some chips and bevvies. All in all, a really fun way to spend a blustery day!