kaleidoscope grove

It’s tough out there! Need an escape? Let’s imagine our way to another place. Using scissors and paper and glue, we’ll build ourselves a beautiful getaway. Step into the garden. Aah, that’s better.

advance Registration is now closed. Thank you so much everyone! a few kits are still available at the library on a first come, first served basis, until they run out. watch for the window installation in December!

What It Is

Kaleidoscope Grove is a collaborative window installation that will be displayed at Toronto’s Maria A Shchuka Library in November 2021. Guided by artist Leah Gold, participants will create images of fantastical, invented plants and animals, incorporating text that explores their personal vision of paradise. Leah will then collect these artworks and create her own prints in response. This collectively imagined garden scene will be installed in the windows of the library, transporting passing pedestrians to a utopian dreamscape.

How to Participate

All are welcome! This is a remote project suitable for artists of all ages and experience levels. Materials will be available for pick up at Maria A Shchuka Library starting October 1 2021. Instruction will be given via written directions and online video tutorials.

To participate, please register using the online form. You will receive an email when it is time to pick up your art kit at Maria A Shchuka Library. Each kit will hold the supplies and instructions for a simple project using either drawing, printmaking, or collage. Parents should expect to help guide younger participants through the process and to be present for online tutorials. When you finish making your artwork, simply return it to the library, and wait to see how your work becomes a part of our giant window installation!

Follow the process along on instagram

Beautiful flower prints by @marydyja ! There are still a few print kits and drawing kits left at Maria A Shchuka. So excited to see what everyone is making. Tag @kaleidoscope_grove in pictures of your work and I’ll share it here!

A rainbow-eyed pollinator. Inspired by the slow loris, this friendly creature senses when you are lonely and beams rainbow beams at you. It also pollinates when the bees get tired. From my artist talk and demo with @torontolibrary today. Thanks for t

Fantastical creatures for our imaginary garden coming in. These are so rad! Maria thanks for the amazing work. Lipstick for scale. If you wanna make a big kooky critter drawing like this, grab your kit and the library and go go go! @tagalongchildcare

Added some dandelion leaves to the kits. Kits are available starting tomorrow at Maria A Shchuka library!

Kits! Assembling art kits for the library. Starting this weekend, you can take out a kit from Maria A Shchuka, make some art at home, and return the artwork to the library when you’re finished. In December you’ll see your art incorporated

Another critter for the garden. This one was inspired by some very sad footage I saw of elk trapped behind a fence during a wildfire. This magic elk has powerful wings to help it escape danger. 1. Looked images of elk/caribou and of great blue herons

Rabbeetah! Or chabbit? For this magic animal I was thinking about combining my kids’ favourite animals into one super critter. 1. Looked at some images of rabbits and cheetahs. 2. Drew my outline with yellow paint marker since it’s easy t

The experimental stage of the project: playing with pieces and materials to figure out how it will all fit. I won’t really know until we start making things together, which is of course the mystery and the fun of public collaborations. For now,

Scratch foam! Scratch foam is an easy and non-toxic way to print at home. You just carve into it with a ballpoint pen. Here I’m playing around with repeating and combining different leaf shapes, inspired by plants growing in my backyard.

Questions or comments about kaleidoscope grove? contact leah here:

Did you test drive an art kit? Please visit the feedback page to let me know how it went.