Art Project Ideas: Creative Re-use and Tu B’shevat Trees

These are some projects for children that I designed and taught for Temple Sinai Religious School in Denver, CO, exploring the idea of what is called in Hebrew בַּל תַּשְׁחִית, Ba’al Tashchit, or “Don’t Waste,” in honor of Tu B’shevat, which is the Jewish celebration of the trees.

The projects are very process-oriented, and a great way to use up old paintings or pieces of paper, as well as found objects!

Materials:

Old paintings, drawings, notes and papers of any kind
Glue
Scissors
Found items for attaching: twist ties, bag clips, pip cleaners, etc
Tape
Pencil or Marker
Mat board or cardboard

Creative re-use collage project for Tu Bishevat

Project #1: Collage Grove of Trees

Instructions

1) Draw the shape of a branch or tree onto 2 or more old paintings or drawings. Cut these out of the paper.

2) From the paper scraps, cut out shapes of leaves and fruit. You can slightly bend the forms after cutting to create a 3D effect.

3) Glue the leaves and fruit shapes onto the tree/branch form. Let dry.

4) Once everything is dry, get out another painting or large scrap paper. Put glue on the back of the tree/branch forms and glue them in layers onto the large piece of paper, creating the sense of a grove of trees.

Creative re-use paper sculpture project for Tu Bishevat

Project #2: Sculptural Grove of Trees

Instructions

1) Rip, curl, tear, press, twist and form a piece of paper into a tree shape with a trunk and branches. As you work, you can glue or tape the shapes into place.

2) From the paper scraps, cut out shapes of leaves and fruit. You can slightly bend the forms after cutting to create a 3D effect.

3) Glue the leaves and fruit shapes onto the tree/branch form. Let dry.

4) Clip the bag clips onto the tree forms, or twist the twist ties onto them as well.

5) On another piece of sturdy paper (or mat board), tape all around the base of the tree to attach it onto the base. You will need quite a bit of tape to do this.

6) Place the trees next to one another to create the effect of a grove of trees. Tape the trees together if they are falling over. You can balance them so they hold each other up.