All emotions allowed here
This new ArTELIER book is a snapshot of thoughts and feelings of a group of children who are experiencing living at a time
when their world has changed shape due to restrictions required to manage the Covid 19 coronavirus outbreak.
See some media about the book…
The Examiner online 22/6/2020
https://www.examiner.com.au/story/6800218/book-launched-to-help-children-talk-about-covid-19/
ABC Hobart breakfast radio with Ryk Goddard - 1hr 44min 45secon in - Bec Stevens and Lola Johnson
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/hobart/programs/breakfast/breakfast/12351716
ABC Northern Tasmania, Drive radio with Pia Wirsu, Karen Revie and Nola Johnson
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/northtas/programs/drive/all-emotions-allowed-book/12341436
LAFM Tasmania Talks
Victoria Ryle talking about children publishing on the CBCA website
https://cbcatas.blogspot.com/2020/07/all-emotions-allowed-here.html?m=1
Maia © Jen Ranginui
Background
This book is a snapshot of thoughts and feelings of a group of children who are experiencing living at a time when their world has changed shape due to restrictions required to manage the Covid 19 coronavirus outbreak. We hope that this book reflects some of the mixed emotions that living with lockdown, social isolation, physical distancing and home schooling can bring. The mixed emotions that living with any unexpected change can bring: Joy and sadness, new challenges and new opportunities.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, the arts first sector was the first to shut down, as even before Federal and State governments instigated new social distancing requirements, swathes of concerts, events and workshops were voluntarily cancelled. Many independent artists had the whole of their 2020 work cancelled within a week. (ref. 47% of workers in the arts sector have lost their jobs at this time)
How could we respond as artists working in Tasmania?
The ArTELIER network of artists provided an instant conduit to children, who at the time were mainly stuck in their homes, adjusting to some significant changes in their lives.
We discussed the possibility of a book as an outcome because firstly, it was an obvious vehicle for collecting together an assortment of stories and artwork from a range of children, secondly, it built upon an existing publishing project with Good Start Early Learning that had been halted by the pandemic; and thirdly we realised that children would be spending much time in the online and digital space and we loved the idea of producing a tangible book that could be held in the hand at this time of isolation.
As ArTELIER dispenses a grant for paid professional learning opportunities for artists working with children, families and young people, we saw this as a way to keep money flowing to our artist community through paid stipends for participation..
“Wouldn’t it be cool if we could have a little stall for the kids to sell them and talk about them, if only there was a market open...”
Nola © Bec Stevens
The Project
After initial discussions, we held a briefing Zoom meeting and scoped out the project on a tight timeline (see recorded briefing video) to the following brief:
Brief:
To publish one collective book – of children’s voices in response to the current drastic changes they face in their world
Aim: to support discussion, mental health, family cohesion, and give children a voice in the public realm.
Who is the intended audience? Other children, their families, decision-making adults
How? Each artist may identify one or more children to participate. These may be their own children or others with whom they have a trusted relationship and easy access.
The works may be made within the family home, face to face, or guided through video link ups.
Topic: In confusing times, all emotions are allowed here
Words (dictated or written): What are you feeling right now? What story do you want to tell other kids and the adults around you? What picture do you want to draw/make/create that expresses how you’re feeling?
Artwork: 2D images to facilitate a quick design process. We suggest working on A4 to keep it to a similar scale.
Guidelines:
Start with a conversation, art making or writing in whatever order feels right.
Each artist to supply:
1. Selected short story, statement, questions or comments from children
2. Colour drawings/abstract images that include specified collage materials/ colour palette (see attached). Can use watercolours, pastels, rubbings (eg of natural materials)
3. Black line drawings (collaborative or individual). Preferably using a .6 line marker
4. Photos: of the co-creating artists – children (de-identified, in their home, maybe with an object of their choosing? Their safe space?), the adult artist, and the process.
Each artist was able to interpret this brief with the children as co-creators. For instance, Karen Revie reported that “Felix made a one minute video talking about his feelings about Coronavirus. We then transcribed this to words. We discussed what part of these words and Felix decided he’d like to make a map of his garden. After he made a very detailed map we discussed how this could be simplified into an illustration for the book using collage and drawn elements”.
The cover of the book
Take - aways
The first call out to artists was made on 11 May 2020 and 200 copies of the book arrived back from the printers 17 days later on 28 May 2020.
We discovered that in exceptional times, it is possible to respond creatively and nimbly when there is a clear need and a shared commitment.
As someone who has spent over thirty years exploring model of publishing books with children as authors, in schools and in communities, it has been exciting to develop a new online model – by necessity – that offers exciting new ongoing potential.
Working in this collective way allows for a diverse range of artists who can work on a small scale with a small number of children within trusted relationships. This opens up possibilities for tackling difficult and sensitive issues with children, issues that would benefit from being aired in the public domain as seen through the eyes of a child.
The challenge as always, in a publishing project, is to maximise its impact through distribution, promotion and getting it into the hands of readers. There are often obstacles to this: time and money obviously, but also the challenge to educate the public and wider community to understand an unfamiliar genre – books by children for children.
In the case of All emotions allowed here… it has clearly struck a chord, and has attracted plenty of media interest to date. See
The responses:
“Sid was proud and shy and pleased to see the work of his friends Leandre and Sanne in the book. He also asks when he can be paid as he wants to buy Lego. ”
“I sent Sylvia off today with a copy for her classroom and 3 books in arms to deliver to the school office/library and collect the $30 money. (On her own). She was so excited to go do business and show off her wares, she walked off and forgot to say goodbye to her Dad at the school front gate.”
Victoria Ryle - June 2020