Making your mark - FIVE simple ways to create artwork with Blackberries.
Mindful picking
Brambles are all around us, in hedgerows, wild gardens, fields and country lanes, their tangled branches providing cover for burrows and nests and their blossom attracting bees and butterflies. It’s in late summer, though, when their shining, purple-black berries ripen in swathes, we humans suddenly become drawn to these humble plants. Along with the birds, we flock to the hedgerows to harvest this evocative fruit which heralds the turning of seasons from summer to golden, fruitful autumn.
Of course, the most obvious use for blackberries is to eat them, but they also give us endless opportunities to introduce seasonal experiences to our children. Blackberry picking is an activity that we have focused on this month. Local walks offer numerous different learning opportunities for children… but the temptation of picking and filling a bucket full of blackberries has been a very popular one.
Before each session we discuss the risks of blackberry picking: the thorns that line the bushes; the stinging nettles that may be around us; and the insects that may be feasting as we pick. Whilst we pick, we encourage independence (as it is a very fulfilling task) and for the children to ‘use your eyes’ as they identify the dangers as they go. We discuss ‘gentle picking’ and how, if the berry is ready to be picked, it will come away easily. After a number of picking sessions, the groups are well tuned to the risks, often identifying them for fellow picking friends. Joy fills their faces as they begin to compare filled pots and stained fingertips.
BLACKBERRY ICE
Making marks with ice is the perfect way to get messy whilst keeping cool on a hot summer’s day. Here we are combining an experience of blackberry picking with art and creating a keepsake.
For this session, I used a shallow paint pallet tray, with a mixture of some mushed blackberries and water (yes, it is that simple), leaving it to freeze for a number of hours. To release the juice from the blackberries - or “mush” them - we used a palm hammer. These are great tools to use for all ages. To make your own you simply saw off a small section of a branch!
Making colourful marks whilst keeping cool
Depending on your child’s interest and skill level you may want to adapt a number of things:
Use a bigger Tupperware and fill with more water if you want the ice to last for longer.
If your child likes to break the ice into pieces, make lots of different shapes and sizes, perfect for a challenge!
Before freezing place a small stick in the top of the water, this way when frozen the child can make prints whilst holding the stick.
Freshly picked Blackberries, frozen into discs. Great for painting as they melt AND they are completely edible!
A simple palm hammer
Breaking the ice releases the colours
EDIBLE BLACKBERRY PAINT
When you squeeze, or eat a blackberry it leaves you with a vibrant deep red colour on your lips and hands. Transfer this idea to creating a piece of artwork and it will have the same striking effect. Creating the paint mix involves collecting a large bundle of juicy blackberries, muddle and squish in a tray using a stick or palm hammer and get messy!
Little hands finding different ways to make marks
To spread the paint you may want to use a number of resources, a paintbrush being the obvious choice. Let’s think about using more natural resources, maybe something you could pick in the garden, or a kitchen utensil. If you like a challenge, try and make your own paintbrush. Learn how to here
The blackberry paint will spread like normal paint, with a slightly different texture, this way a picture can be painted onto some paper. And remember, it is edible so don’t worry if you get some on your fingers or face, yum!
Blackberry paint can be made in advance (create lots as it gets used up very quickly) or make your own paint straight to the paper by squashing it up. The juices burst from the berry and make a ‘splat’ type of mark. Our children showed great interest in making the biggest splat!
MUD PIES
Mud pies are a wonderful messy combination of mud and blackberries. We started off by creating a wet sloppy mud mix, slowly adding water as we mixed, the trick with this is to get the right consistency. Too much water and the blackberries won’t stick. Experimenting here is key so let your child find a good balance; more mud can always be added if it gets too runny. (mud pies are not edible!).
Slowly slowly adding water
Grab a handful of mud, a flat surface (I placed a piece of fabric underneath so that the pie was transferable to bring in to dry) and squash the mud down. If your child likes getting messy use hands, let them feel the texture in their fingers, or use a palm hammer or rolling pin to get the same effect. Once your child is happy with the shape of their mud, start adding blackberries by pressing them into the mud. Note: the blackberries will make the clay wet and sticky, but once left it will dry out.
Additionally, we searched the garden for any wildflowers, herbs and items of interest to add to the pies.
Just remember - respect the environment that you are using. Please ensure you are not picking anything from other people’s gardens and that everything you pick has been identified and is safe to use.
‘Mud pie’ may have a different meaning to you. Absolutely it can be used in a different way. You may have pots and pans that have no more use indoors, so bring them outside and create a mud kitchen. Simply add water, mud and blackberries and see what they can make.
TIE-DYE FABRICS
Imagine creating a piece of artwork that you can wear with pride or use to decorate a room in your house. Using the skills we have gained from the activities above, we have done plenty of experimenting with blackberry marks. It may not be the conventional way to tie-dye, but it works very well. All you will need is a large bundle of blackberries and white fabric - depending on what you want to make you may want to repurpose an old white T-shirt to print on or use an old bedsheet to create a row of colourful bunting. Hammer and mush away!
Proud prints that can decorate the room and put a smile on your face.
APPLE PRESS
Apples, delicious to eat, great in a warming crumble. Have you ever thought about using them to create art?
Just like in crumbles, apple windfalls pair wonderfully with blackberries and present us with the perfect opportunity to make artwork and get messy. When collecting apples for messy play we like to aim for the bruised ones, this way they are getting a second life, rather than being wasted - a perfect learning opportunity here too! Keep them whole, cut them up, or even push a stick into an apple to make a paintbrush. Lay out a sheet of fabric or paper, add some blackberries and squash away using your apples. Not only will the paper change colour, so will the apples!