• Gopal Saha: Cricket Match, 20th century; ink and color on paper; 22 x 30 in.; BAMPFA, museum purchase.

  • Some Mithila patterns

Virtual Gallery + Studio: Mithila Paintings and Your Sidewalk Stories

For ages 6–12 with accompanying adult(s)

  • With artist

    Kim Bennett is an artist and teacher whose work ranges across disciplines and includes devotional botanical paintings, imaginary embroideries, and collaborations with kids, poets, and other artists. She holds a BFA from Cooper Union and an MFA from California College of the Arts.

Recorded Saturday, August 8, 12:30 PM

In Mithila (Mee’-tel-ah), a region in Northern India, women have traditionally drawn patterns on the walls and floors of their homes. The modern artists of Mithila use these traditional patterns, marks and motifs to tell their own stories. See the language of Mithila painting and devise patterns meaningful to you and your neighborhood to tell stories on your patio, driveway, steps or sidewalk with artist Kim Bennett. Then, share them with each other over Zoom!

Materials

Please find or purchase before our session:
   • A box of sidewalk chalk in assorted colors. (This is sold in the stores where you do your essential shopping.)
   • You can also do this drawing indoors on a big piece of paper with markers, crayons, or colored pencils.

 If you plan to work outdoors, test the strength of your outdoor WiFi signal before the day of our Zoom event, and be sure to fully charge your device before we meet.

 

Tip: Download this PDF of Mithila patterns to print and use as reference when drawing.