The Art of Play
JEH MacDonald House  |  March 2015

The Art of Line



​A week-long exploration of line using a variety of artistic mediums including paint on transparencies, marbles, ropes and snow. To learn more about our encounters with line, symmetry, nature, gravity and more, read the full story here.

The Art of Remix



​One of our favourite spaces at The Art of Play was the Remix room – an invitation to play with works of art using found objects and intelligent materials. Re-imagining existing art was meditative, thrilling, challenging, and rewarding. Adding 3D layers of texture and colour to 2D pieces transformed the artwork, sparked interesting dialogues about how our minds synthesize disparate ideas, and got us wondering if art is ever truly done. 

The Art of Doodling



​Doodling is one of the best ways we can think of to encourage children and adults to embrace imperfection. A playful, uninhibited way of expressing ourselves regardless of the outcome. At the Art of Play exhibit, we installed our doodle wall in a hallway between two highly creative spaces – an invitation to fill the margins of the exhibit with our subconscious thoughts.

The Art of Nature



​The Art of Nature was a multi-layered invitation to explore the beauty and balance inherent in nature. Five distinct forest school concepts converged so that the space filled up with collective creation, contemplation, and connection. 
>> Read about the Art of Nature in our blog post – "The Plumbob Effect"

The Art of Sound



​Inspired by the brilliant, tinkering mind of educator-in-residence, Laurel Fynes, The Art of Sound was a dynamic space for “making sound visible”. This room bustled with activity as children and adults built intricate marble runs and experimented with a multitude of materials including ice, water, glass, and metal. 

The Art of Colour & Reflection



​Colour – What a joy to witness children playing with light in the dark! Behind closed doors! Each time the door opened, children rushed to keep the light out. We did our best to capture the vibrant/subtle colour play and the complex thinking behind these kaleidoscopes, wall projectors, patterns and more. 

Reflection – The Art of Reflection existed in the hallway between two rooms – a hidden gem in plain sight. Colourful shapes and shadows piqued the curiosity of visitors as they made their way upstairs. After rounding the corner at the top of the stairs, they discovered the source of the delightful images dancing on the ceiling.

The Art of Perspective

 

​What you see is not always what you get. Our goal for this space was to play with light and shadow in ways that challenged perspective. We began by stripping away colour and texture to focus exclusively on shape. Then, nothing happened. We wondered if maybe the materials we chose weren’t challenging enough. So we refined the collection and people became a little more engaged. But it never quite hit the mark. So, we'll likely revisit this concept in the future to find more effective ways to explore perspective.