A Canadian-inspired Mosaic Quilt
I
f you ask a Canadian what it means to be a
Canadian, you will likely get as many answers
as people you ask. That is because Canada’s
multiculturalism is their identity. Canada’s
government has promised to respect the diversity
of its citizens’ languages, religions, and cultures,
including its First People groups and recent
immigrants. Canadian art is just as diverse.
Emily Carr, one of Canada’s best-known artists,
painted with an individual style, capturing the
totem poles and forests of the Canadian West.
Kenojuak Ashevak, an Inuit artist, makes sketches
and designs of her arctic life that are turned into
stonecuts and prints. Canada’s Group of Seven
artists, although they were trained in European
methods, set out to capture Canada’s eastern
landscapes in an authentic Canadian style. Each
of these Canadian artists is so different, but they
have one thing in common. Canada is their home.
How do you put this all together? People have
often used the word “mosaic.” Canada is a cultural
mosaic. A mosaic is an art form in which separate
pieces are put together to form a whole. Here’s a
slightly different take on making a mosaic, called a
mosaic quilt.Materials:
Drawing paper
Crayons
Glue
Poster boardStep 1: Gather Friends and Symbols
You can do this project yourself, but it will be much
more fun with some friends. Have each person
brainstorm a symbol that is special to him or her. It
can be a traditional symbol or something original.Step 2: Make Drawings
Make sketches to practice. Choose one for your final
draft and plan.Step 3: Layout the Mosaic
Lay out the rough drafts of each person’s drawings.
Is there a pattern emerging? Is there a theme or
color that brings it all together? Look for something
that you can emphasize to unite all the drawings.
Perhaps the drawings could make one larger picture
or symbolic shape. For example, you could make all
the sketches black and white, lay them next to each
other, and then color them so that they make a
flag—one large art piece.Step 4: Color the Mosaic Pieces
Once you have decided on a unified art piece, color
the drawings according to your plan.Step 5: Fasten to Poster Board
Finally, fasten all the individual pieces to a large
poster board, or arrange them carefully and laminate
them together. Display your piece where everyone
will see your Canadian-inspired mosaic quilt.by Brenda Breuls