Thursday, May 31, 2012

The BIG Force - LAST DAYS to submit to Game On!

The littlest BIG boy is home sick with a 'massive virus' as he says. He is going through a serious Star Wars stage in great hope of meeting a scientist who will make him a light sabre that can go through things and we thought to blog this gorgeous contribution today just for him x

We have had a wave of responses in the last few days and a couple of requests for a day long extension. SUNDAY night is the definitive GAME OVER for contributions so SUBMIT now.


May The Force Be With You!


This awesome game was invented by Trinity, age 9, Annabelle, age 7 and Joanna from Kansas, USA




You can now pre-purchase Game On! and SUBSCRIBE to Issues 2 and 3 HERE Please tell your friends :)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Attention kids and artists: Ten days left to contribute to Game On!

Calling all artists, grown ups, and BIG Kids! 
Only ten days left to send in your contributions for Game On!

We love featuring the work of children and grown ups side by side so sit down with your kids and create something together, or illustrate your favourite games at a shared desk. 
Katamari Characters
Mika, age 5, Melbourne
If you are feeling stuck for ideas here are some to get you started, otherwise imagine your wildest game adventure and begin - who knows where you might end up!

 What is your favourite game of all time? Close your eyes and imagine playing the game. Imagine winning. Imagine losing. Draw the inside of your brain or heart when you are winning and/or when you are losing.

Create a brand new game character that no one else has thought of. Does it have a name? What invented game is it from? 

 Draw/paint/collage/dance/write your response to a character from a game you love - the Horse, Castle or Queen from Chess, a snake from Snakes and Ladders, the 'Chance' man from Monopoly...


Write a story about the scariest, funniest or cleverest game ever invented

 Brain synapses firing in full game mode
Ruby, age 12, New Zealand 

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

BIG at Bear Cottage

I loved personally delivering magazines today as part of our One for One scheme to the beautiful mama's at Bear Cottage It was an overwhelming experience to stand outside the gate and imagine the lives and stories I would meet inside. Bear Cottage is a hospice that provides palliative end of life care to children with life limiting illness and I was privileged to be invited to a Mothers day art workshop to talk about BIG Kids Magazine. During my time there I found myself thinking about the published page in a different way. The disruption of hierarchy and the importance of visibility and the physicality of the printed page took on a weighty and significant new meaning. Art as legacy. Story as lifeline. Shared experience as celebration of life lived. I left Bear Cottage feeling moved, challenged and uplifted. I called Jo as soon as I walked out to share the experience and reflect on the significance of our BIG work in the real world. The places that generosity can take us. The courageous individuals that offer so much in their silence, and with their stories. Overwhelmingly I found the environment beautiful and joyous. The walls were covered in children's art work, there was a train track on the ceiling and a friendly labrador called Frankie lying in the sunshine. Bear Cottage was full of life. 
Precious, fragile and robust. 

We are grateful to be beginning a new relationship with the extraordinary staff and families at Bear Cottage. We very much look forward to sharing their stories and perspectives in the BIG pages and on our blog. Thank you so very much for having us. 

'We can't add years to their lives, but we can add life to their years' Bear Cottage

Wet felting workshop with the wonderful art therapist, Megan
Just a stone's throw from Manly, Bear Cottage is a children's hospice that was established in 2001. Bear Cottage helps families cope with the impossible - to care for a child who has a life-limiting illness. To care for a child who is unlikely to see their 18th birthday, or their ninth birthday, or sometimes even their first birthday.

For the special kids that stay with us, there is no happy ending, no miracle cure.
This is heartbreaking to think about. But that's only part of the story. Even though the outlook for these kids is a sad one, Bear Cottage is actually one of the most uplifting and inspiring places you could ever visit. Here, children laugh and play. Life is celebrated, lived to its fullest and also fondly remembered.


Sharing the BIG pages

Saturday, May 5, 2012

'Budding Artists'

I am very much looking forward to 'meeting' the young artists who responded to my work to win the Artbuds 'Budding Artists' competition. Aimee from Queensland, was awarded the winner of the 2-4 age category with her beautiful response to my work 'Embracing all that is precious'. She will receive a giclee print of her work from Artbuds and a chance to 'meet' me via Skype, as will the 10-12yr old winner, Stephanie from Melbourne. Get your questions ready girls :) It was also lovely to see BIG Kids contributor Tejjas from India in the mix with his great response to the work of Nathan Spoor


Embracing all that is precious
By Lilly Blue

Winner of the 2-4 age group, Aimee from Queensland
Winner of the 8-10 year old age group, Stephanie from Melbourne responded with a self portrait.





Search This Blog