How Pigeons Can Help You Create Art

I am excited to bring to you our first in a series of guest posts here on Collect. Make. Explore.! Today I welcome Nino, who recently launched the blog, Rainy Day Sunny Play, to empower parents to feel creative, confident and adventurous in their day-to-day lives. With an impressive background in visual art and education and a keen interest in natural parenting, her voice is one that resonates with me for sure. In this post she highlights the importance of letting children follow their own ideas and creative impulses and what amazing results this can lead to when they do...

Last summer, a gang of peckish pigeons decided to nest under the roof of our castle. Until then we used to have breakfast on our terrace, enjoying the magical view of rolling Tuscan hills. But the pigeons also wanted to enjoy the view and sat out of reach, pooing on our table. After a few days of futile complaints, they chased us indoors. Somehow pigeon dropping in our breakfast and coffee didn't sound very appetizing.

Luckily, one day, they left. But one of them dropped a feather and our daughter, Adèle, found it. She brought it into the house and said: "Mommy, I want to make a quill." How does a three year old know what a quill is? Apparently, she saw it in a book when she was two and remembered what it was. It's amazing that children' brains really are like sponges, isn't it!?

So back to the quill - I told her that it probably wouldn't work, but being a very determined child, she insisted that we try. To my surprise, it DID work. In fact, it worked so well that it has become one of our favorite activities. So, thank you pigeons after all. And here are instructions for you, in case you also have annoying birds flying around your house.

How to Make a Quill

Materials

A FEATHER, the bigger the better
Make sure the hollow shaft (calamus) is thick enough for ink to flow into.

Instructions

Wash your feather in warm, soapy water. You never know where the bird has been, so disinfect the feather before giving it to your child.
Cut off the tip of the hollow shaft (calamus). Take care not to cut off too much. You should be able to see a very small hole.
Dip the calamus part of the feather into ink and have fun drawing.
Keep on dipping the feather into your inkwell when the ink runs out.
Experiment and have fun! Try using different feathers for varying effects.