Welcome
to correspondences. Our aim is to create lasting people connections across cultures through the medium of art.
to correspondences. Our aim is to create lasting people connections across cultures through the medium of art.
ALI MCCANN
I’m an artist and a teacher who lives in Birrarungga/Naarm, also called ‘Melbourne’. I’m excited to share this art-making activity called ‘Miniature (very small) Universes’ that my friends at correspondences have developed.
Before you start making, settle down somewhere quiet to check out the introduction below about the activity, my art and some of the things I like to think about.
The introduction is designed for kids and their adult buddies to explore together.
You can pick up a Making Worksheet and an optional Making Kit via the button below. For more information on both, return to the Introduction page.
Note:—We recommend kids listen or read and look at the pictures with their adult collaborator or ‘buddy’.
Ali’s artworks are like ‘miniature universes’. In every artwork, she chooses one or two important ‘objects’ (things we’ll learn more about below). She uses them to explore her feelings, memories and things she likes to imagine about her life.
In the making activity, we’re going to make our own miniature universe pictures together, and the silver apple from Ali’s exhibition at our art gallery is going to be the star of our pictures.
Well, not that apple exactly, but an apple that we’re going to make together using papier-mâché (a mix of paper and glue, it means “chewed paper” in French!).
The apple will be an important part of your picture, but it will also be a way for us to think about our feelings, memories and things we like to imagine about our lives.
At the end of the activity, you’ll have a beautiful picture and an apple with special memories inside to keep or show your friends and family.
To continue, press the Listen button below and look through the pictures. Buddies, you can also download a transcript here to read the words with your young person instead too. There are also some links to extra information too.
When you’re ready, the activity is split into three parts. So you can take your time to complete it.
Note:—If you have any questions, email the correspondences team. PS Buddies, remember to scan the QR on the Making Worksheet to check out Donna and Katherine’s making tips!
Credits: Pictures of Ali’s exhibition at our gallery, including a picture of her artwork The Secret Life IV (After Magritte), 2020. © Ali McCann. Also pictured is René Magritte’s Son of Man, 1946, which is today held in a private collection and is shown here for educational purposes only with thanks and courtesy of the Magritte Foundation. © The Estate of René Magritte.
If you’d like to share your picture(s), please email us at info@correspondences.work or share an image of what you make on social media and tag us at @correspondencesstudio with the hashtag #correspondencesathome. We will then feature your image and any in-progress shared below.
