33 Eat and Art: Relationship Building Through Food and Creativity
Since our earliest ancestors gathered in circles around the warmth of a fire, talking and eating together have been our primary means for discovering common interests and cooperating to survive and thrive. Making art and sharing food are ancient human activities that bring joy and connection.
Purpose:
The purpose of “Eat and Art” sessions is to relax, bond and have fun being creative. The event can be as simple as having paper, markers and crayons and a plate of cookies, or can involve a table of healthy snacks and beverages that people help themselves to as they are creating their art projects.
Learning Objectives
Participants will
- Share creative time in a relaxed enviroment.
- Eat healthy snacks while working on their projects.
“Can we have this every day?”
“Making art makes me feel sooooo good!”
– College Students at an Eat and Art activity
A Menu of Possible Art Activities for an Eat and Art Event
- Make cards for holidays, gratitude or friendship
- Paint T-Shirts
- Paint plates
- Create personal flags
- Each person finds a quote from a poem or lyric they love. Illustrate the quote to make posters.
- Show a painting by an artist. Discuss people’s reactions to the painting and have them create their own art piece that is inspired by the painting that has been showcased.
- Make ornaments, paint eggs, paint rocks
- Carve fruit and vegetables and later eat them!
- Work together on a group art piece where everyone contributes to an overall theme or vision.
- Brainstorm ideas with your group and find out what kind of art they would like to create and what materials are needed to fulfill their creative ideas.
Here are some examples of art projects from Eat and Art events in Canada and Central Asia.
Resources and Materials
- Materials for chosen art projects.
- Plastic table cloths.
- Water and clean up cloths
- Bowls of fruit, nuts, healthy cookies or snacks chosen by the group.
