Second Day...SO GREAT!

Today was SO fun!!! I woke up at 6am (the earliest i have woken up since high school!) and headed over to Gastonia to help Jen with a lesson she was teaching to first graders. I got a little lost on the drive there, but luckily I had left early and was able to arrive before she started the lesson. I just hate being late! It's so stressful! She debriefed me on the lesson and showed me the supplies. We were making sun prints! This is when you use cyanotype paper, place an object on it (in our case, flowers), and set it in the sun. The chemicals in the paper fade in all areas except the shadow of the object. The paper is then placed in water to "fix" the exposure and that is it! It is a simple form of art that creates really neat results!

Jen gave a little presentation the beginning explaining that sun prints where the first form of photography and how photography is a universal language. She was so good with the kids! First graders have an extremely short attention span, but she was very patient. While she gave her intro, I began setting up the supplies (filling the tray with water, spreading out the plants, passing out paper, etc.). The kids were then allowed creative flexibility to arrange the flowers in their own pattern as we walked around helping. I love kids for short amounts of time, so I had a blast interacting with the students. I was asked my age multiple times, complimented galore, and even asked out on a date by one little boy! Flattering, but a little out of my age range! Then Jen took the kids out in groups to set out their prints and fix them. It was funny watching how amazing the kids were! One boy asked if it was magic paper! The results were astounding! I was blown away by the designs and beauty these young kids had made! One of my favorite parts of the day was when were walk out. We passed the hall in which each class had laid their paper out to dry. I couldn't help but smile seeing all the finished products! They would've made a beautiful collage! (I think I might do that some day!) It was neat to think we had nudged their creativity and helped them create such marvelous work!