I have been reading an interesting book by Erik Keller who practices horticultural therapy in a variety of facilities in the New York metropolitan area. He works with special needs children, incarcerated youths and family members, seniors with cognitive and physical challenges, and cancer patients and survivors.
One activity that he describes is creating art from flowers that are pounded with a mallet or hammer. Pansies are cited as being useful flowers for this exercise. A person is given two pieces of watercolor paper, and a stemless flower is placed flat face down on one piece of the paper. The flower is then covered with the second piece of paper and a paper towel. The flower is then pounded evenly so that an impression of the flower is formed on the lower sheet. When the top paper is removed, the image of the flower is revealed.
Some participants may be tentative about pounding hard enough, and others may have weak or arthritic hands, in which case multiple trials may be needed to produce an image. Also, some enjoy making just one loud slap with the hammer.
Keller notes that pounding helps create emotional release and satisfaction for some, and that even incomplete images can be effective and quite beautiful.
This is Moya Andrews, and today we focused on pounding flowers.
One activity that he describes is creating art from flowers that are pounded with a mallet or hammer. Pansies are cited as being useful flowers for this exercise. A person is given two pieces of watercolor paper, and a stemless flower is placed flat face down on one piece of the paper. The flower is then covered with the second piece of paper and a paper towel. The flower is then pounded evenly so that an impression of the flower is formed on the lower sheet. When the top paper is removed, the image of the flower is revealed.
Some participants may be tentative about pounding hard enough, and others may have weak or arthritic hands, in which case multiple trials may be needed to produce an image. Also, some enjoy making just one loud slap with the hammer.
Keller notes that pounding helps create emotional release and satisfaction for some, and that even incomplete images can be effective and quite beautiful.
This is Moya Andrews, and today we focused on pounding flowers.
