South Haven Center for the Arts need your help to get ready for the Frida Kahlo’s Garden Exhibition this summer by making Ojo de Dios (God’s Eyes) to hang from the ceiling in the beautiful second floor gallery. Ojos de Dios can be fascinatingly complex, yet simple ones are beautiful. All ages can enjoy making them. Sticks are easy to come by, but it does require you to have some string or yarn at home. For older children and adults, I would like to invite you to read some of the resources below and learn about the history and significance of the Ojo de Dios to pre-Hispanic cultures in Mexico. One reference says “when one makes a traditional Ojo de Dios, one is expressing a prayer that the ‘Eye of God’ will watch over them or the person they are making it for (oftentimes a child). The Ojo de Dios is also a physical representation of praying for health, fortune, and a long life.” We have provided some links for your research, but if you want to share with us the significance of the Ojo de Dios to you, your family, and your culture, we would welcome this!
We have also provided links to printable instructions and a video link, but again, there is so much information out there, so feel free to find your own instructions. These can be very simple, and they can be very complex. We do ask that they be around 6-8 inches, no bigger than 12 inches. You can use popsicle sticks, skewers, old pencils, sticks from outside, or anything for your base.
As in the photo from a town in Mexico below, feel free to attach a ribbon or a paper banner from the top with your Ojo de Dios that says your first name (if you want to be able to pick it up in August after the display is over, you can put contact information). We will have a box to start collecting these when we are open again in April. Make one or many.
Are you not in South Haven, Michigan or nearby, but want to make an Ojo De Dios to hang from our ceiling? Mail it to South Haven Center for the Arts, 600 Phoenix Street, South Haven, Michigan 49090. Unfortunately, we will not be able to mail an Ojo de Dios back.
Video how to’s
toucanBox – in English
Creactivate con Mari– En Español
Resources for cultural History and Significance of the Ojo De Dios
Lesson Plans to use with kids:
Also, do your own searches on youtube, Pinterest and google for Ojo de Dios and God’s eye tutorials – many ideas and patterns.
Frida Kahlo’s Garden upcoming exhibition at the South Haven Center for the Arts, learn more here: https://www.southhavenarts.org/frida-kahlo-s-garden
We look forward to seeing all your wonderful work! If you have questions or have additional resources to share contact us at info@southhavenarts.org. Also, please send us a photo of in progress or completed Ojo de Dios and we will share online.
Many thanks for your participation!
Kerry Hagy and the South Haven Center for the Arts
Comments