According to Aboriginal belief, all life as it is today - human, animal, bird and fish is part of one vast unchanging network of relationships which can be traced to the great spirit ancestors of the Dreamtime. Many paintings by Aboriginal artists create a "Dreamtime Story" using symbols within their work of art. The narrative follows the legend of the land, as created by ancestral beings in their journey. The modern day rendition is a reinterpretation of songs, ceremonies, rock art, and body art that was the norm for many thousands of years. Certain symbols depending on the Aboriginal tribe you belong to, can vary in meaning from campfire, tree, hill, digging hole, waterhole, or spring. Use of the symbol can be clarified further by use of color, such as water being depicted in blue or black.
Lancashire artists grade K-5 embarked on a three week creative process that started with tracing their hand or creating an Australian animal on construction paper. Using oil pastels, scissors, pencil, and crayon each student added unique and intricate dot designs inside their work of art. During the second session each student designed a background for their hand or animal using Australian dream time symbols. Each work of art tells a story about the person or animal using these special symbols. Finally, we experimented with dot painting on top of our background using tempera paint, sticks, straws, and Q-tips. After completing our Australian masterpieces each student wrote a detailed dream time story about their project
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