Paper Blog
Showcasing Passions, Hobbies, and Career Aspirations through Collage
On March 27, I was given an opportunity to share with Indigo Girls Club at Ken Danby Public School my passion for writing, more specifically through the art of blogging. This passion-hobby started in my pre-teens as my form of self-expression and blossomed by the time I graduated university in 2013. Blogging was my keepsake, my meditation and how realigned myself.
As a requirement for one of my Master’s courses, I had the pleasure of shadowing Christine Pimiskern over the last 3 weeks with Indigo Girls Group. The leaders I met were passionate individuals which was obvious each week in the effort they put to organize and execute lesson plans as well as in their dedication to tirelessly program during each session to cater to every girls’ needs, levels and interests. Inspired by their attitudes and approach in working with young girls, I wanted to introduce my expertise of blogging as a potential outlet of self-care, for now or later. I thought that paper blogging, or collage, would resemble the process of online blogging minus the hassle of technology. I recall how I started out this way, by cutting and gluing images, words and flashy quotes from my favorite J-14 and PopSugar magazines that I could relate to into a notebook that I shared with my closest friends.
For this “Paper Blog” session, I began by sharing my personal blog and the variety of things I post: my day-to-day life, fashion diaries, travels, personal reflections, and DIY projects. I wanted them to understand that blogging doesn’t necessarily have to be all text and that you can practically write about anything! Like most hobbies, this flourished into a platform where I was able to connect with a community of other girls and help spark conversations about topics we all go through as young women and how to cope with things such as adolescence, mental health, wellbeing, self-care, and so much more.
Originally, I was skeptical that my message wouldn’t get across because it was too vague or due insufficient instructions but, at the same time, I truly wanted these girls to have full control and present to us how they perceive themselves. Eagerly, the girls began and skimmed through the assortment of magazines and container of stickers, creating their masterpiece in a lighthearted mood despite the gloomy and rainy day outside.
As we were wrapping up the session, I had each of the girls jot down on the back of their creations the highlight of their “Paper Blog” in one sentence. The sole instructions of this activity were, “What is your passion? What is your hobby? What/Who do you want to be when you’re older?” It was incredible examining the range of interpretations which told me so much about each of them as individuals. It was easy to recognize the love for animals or sports, whereas other collages embodied a more abstract fascination and curiosity for the world around them.
It proved to be a great workshop and I’m so grateful for the chance to share a piece of myself through this experience with these talented young girls and with the Indigo Girls Group. I inquired for each of the participants’ permission to display their final artwork, below:
