Open Studio

For our third and final Open Studio with Alanna Ho, Alanna shares a special sound journal activity inspired by Leon Polk Smith’s exhibition Big Form, Big Space. Many of Leon Polk Smith’s abstract shapes and colour palettes were inspired by the natural environment of the American Southwest.

In the video, Alanna demonstrates how you can be inspired by the environment around you through a practice of deep listening—slowing down, listening closely and mapping the sounds around you, from birds and traffic to wind in the trees.

Watch the video to see how Alanna creates her journal out of the provided template. Then start your own journal, capturing the sounds of the world around you, creating a record of marks and shapes representing sounds and experiences that can’t always be described through words. Gather the materials below at home to get started.

Materials

• Alanna’s Sound Journal template–download here
• markers, crayons and/or pencil crayons
• stickers or stamps (optional)
• scissors

This activity is recommended for artists 3 and up. Please ensure adult supervision at all times when working with scissors.