We experienced a special energy in The Art Room last week when the joy of discovery took hold and our young artists followed their instincts to create patterns and images without the fear of mistakes. Aiming for another carefree, creative adventure, this week we guided the children with musical activities devised to provoke a sense of wonder, encourage confidence and champion freedom of expression. With a nod to National Storytelling Week, we had a ball exploring the theme ‘Soundtrack Your Story’ finding playful ways to let music spark the imagination and draw what we felt. And as everyone hears music differently the compilation of work produced throughout the sessions was wonderfully varied and very exciting!

For our warmup activities, everyone was given a booklet of blank pages in which to experiment with mark making – lines, colours and shapes – inspired by the sounds identified in different pieces of instrumental music playing on the Art Room’s playlist. Knowing there is no right or wrong interpretation, the children were encouraged to trust their instincts and let the sounds guide their hands in interpreting what they heard and spontaneously make marks that moved with the music.

What an ensemble we saw! From bold, multicoloured patterns that jumped across the paper in time with energetic, classical rhythms, to pale washes and soft, floaty shapes inspired by quiet, drifting melodies; from neon, popping stars and vibrant snowflakes that emerged from playful electronic sounds, to strong, dark repetitious lines, drawn to the pattern of pulsating drumbeats.

For the finale, we introduced the idea of storytelling. Just like in stories, music can set a mood, suggest characters, or take us on an adventure and, especially with vocal pieces, another layer of detail can be added through the lyrics. For their final artwork, everyone listened to What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong and we invited the children to become the illustrator who creates the visuals to accompany the song. We were treated to all the colours of the rainbow in their vibrant compositions, each distinct with particular details inspired by the track, but all singing loud and proud with joy and innovation. This week the Art Room’s soundtrack was punctuated with the chatter of ideas and the hum of enthusiasm as everyone enjoyed the process of telling their own unique stories through art.