Paloma Elementary Art Cart

For the month of October for Paloma’s Art Cart , our students will be exploring “Wings of Peace” and the Art of Origami. Together, we’ll discover what origami is, where it comes from, and why it has held such special meaning throughout history.

Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, has been practiced for centuries and is full of tradition and symbolism. One of the most famous origami creations is the crane. In Japan, China, and Korea, the crane is considered a mythical creature believed to live for a thousand years. It is often called the bird of happiness and is thought to bring good fortune, long life, and even protection with its wings.

Students will also learn about Senbazuru—the tradition of folding one thousand origami cranes. This practice became a symbol of hope and peace after Sadako Sasaki, a young girl in Japan, folded cranes while wishing for recovery from illness and for peace in the world.

As part of this month’s ArtCart journey, students will try their hand at origami, create their own paper cranes, and make heartfelt wishes for the people and communities around them. We look forward to seeing their creativity take flight!

Mayan Legend
• Guatemalan worry dolls, or Muñeca quitapena, originated in
Mayan culture as a way to alleviate fears and anxieties.
• According to legend, a Mayan princess named Ixmucane was
gifted the ability by the sun god to solve any problem, and dolls
were created in her honor to absorb people's worries.
• Children would tell their concerns to the dolls and place them
under their pillows, believing the dolls would take their worries
away by morning.
• Today, the dolls are still made by hand from wood, wire, wool,
and colorful textiles and are a cultural attraction and a source of
income for artisans in Guatemala.

During the month of May and June we are meeting the artist Salvador Dali and learning about Surrealism. Each student will make their very own Salvador Dali inspired bookmark.