Handmade Memory
Squeeze playdough to make a hand impression.
by Anna Showers-Cruser
About this Activity
We all have a connection with making things, and many of us with our hands. This resource is an invitation to students, families, and educators to reflect on their personal histories, homes, and imagination in order to play with materials and to engage with two works in the MCA collection. Through accessible and thoughtful challenges, we may ask: What mark do we leave on our surroundings? How can we take inspiration from Sanford Biggers and Annette Messager, and use objects around us to tell our own stories? What possibility do we hold in our hands? Families and students of all kinds should feel empowered to consider their personal objects and conversation—not just typical art supplies—as fruitful materials for creating art.
These activities and projects are best for kindergarten through third graders.