Prompt #81 - Bring on the Bling
and make it shiny
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Yesterday, we went to the Museum of World Culture here in Gothenburg. In addition to the really cool exhibition on games around the world, they also have tons of different cultural artefacts from around the globe - musical instruments, crowns, shoes, pouches, weapons, masks, and more.
No matter what time and place the items were from, they all had one thing in common. They were beautifully crafted, adorned, and decorated.
My friend remarked that looking at these, it feels almost a shame to live in a time as developed as ours. Just because of how much “handmade with love for detail” has given way to “efficient design mass produced”.
Seeing artefacts like these, my own obsession with European folk art, and watching my daughter do her thing with art supplies, one thing has become pretty clear to me: we humans have an inherent urge to decorate, to embellish, to make things fancy and beautiful.
Today, we're going to get in touch with our primal desire to make something pretty.
The Activity - Decorate an everyday item
Step 1 - Find the item
Look around your house to find an item to decorate. Something you use, but that doesn't look like much on its own. A box, a bin, your knife holder, or maybe a plain flower pot. If you can't find anything, take a peek into your recycling bin. Washed out milk cartons, clean food cans, toilet paper rolls are all perfect canvases.
Step 2 - Decorate it
Using any and all art supplies you have at your disposal, decorate and embellish the hell out of it. Draw on it, paint it, glue things to it, make it glitter and sparkle. Try not to overthink it, but let your instincts run the show. Flower pot with googly eyes and funny faces? Yes! A shoe box, completely covered in rainbow pattern made from glitter? Yes!
Don't hold back either. We're not trying to create a new center piece for your whole interior design. We just want to have fun, and get into the zone.
Of course, if you're happy with your piece, keep it around.
If you want to read a little more about our need to decorate, I can recommend this article: The Primal Urge to Embellish, Sunday Times
My Example
Having a three year old's art supply stash at hand was very helpful for this exercise. I used her glitter glue, and shiny sequins to decorate an old tin I found stashed away in the back of a shelf. It was the original packaging of a watch, and being the magpie that I am - oh, look a shiny thing to store trinkets in - I kept it.
Now it's an even shinier thing to store trinkets it. I just need to collect more trinkets now. And maybe decorate the bottom, too.
Have a shiny week my friends.
Love, Lorena