I am a self taught artist, and an author and illustrator of children's picture books.
A lot of my paintings and art pieces are inspired by the ocean. I wasn't born and didn't grow up by the sea, but the moments I have spent in the ocean have really inspired my work, and actually got me back into painting in the first place. Even more basically though, my art is inspired by what we experience moment to moment and what I am in total awe of and wonder at... this thing called life.
Making and also reading children's picture books has become an addiction I never imagined I would have.
Apart from that, I love being underwater...and taking photos...and I am also working on my first novel...
I hope you enjoy looking at all the things I make, as much as I enjoy creating them!
A lot of my paintings and art pieces are inspired by the ocean. I wasn't born and didn't grow up by the sea, but the moments I have spent in the ocean have really inspired my work, and actually got me back into painting in the first place. Even more basically though, my art is inspired by what we experience moment to moment and what I am in total awe of and wonder at... this thing called life.
Making and also reading children's picture books has become an addiction I never imagined I would have.
Apart from that, I love being underwater...and taking photos...and I am also working on my first novel...
I hope you enjoy looking at all the things I make, as much as I enjoy creating them!
Maia Walczak
**NEW** The Black Hat **NEW**
"There was once a boy, quite ordinary like any other, he lived in an old forest cabin with his mute grandmother. There weren't many things a lonely, young boy like him could do so he went for long forest walks hoping he would find something new"
Extract from 'The Black Hat'
One day on one of his long walks the boy finds an old black hat and he places it on his head. When he takes it off and lays it by his bed, this is when the magic begins.
Beautiful creatures emerge from the hat. The boy captures them in cages and looks at them each day, in awe of their beauty. One day the boy is saddened to learn that a bird has escaped. He searches the woods and finds it, he begs it to come back but it doesn't. Soon more birds escape. It is not until the boy sees this group of birds in flight that he finally understands that they look more beautiful when they are set free. He understands that they need freedom to let their beauty show.
I think this story and film is stunning, Maia Walczak is an absolute phenomenon!
Extract from 'The Black Hat'
One day on one of his long walks the boy finds an old black hat and he places it on his head. When he takes it off and lays it by his bed, this is when the magic begins.
Beautiful creatures emerge from the hat. The boy captures them in cages and looks at them each day, in awe of their beauty. One day the boy is saddened to learn that a bird has escaped. He searches the woods and finds it, he begs it to come back but it doesn't. Soon more birds escape. It is not until the boy sees this group of birds in flight that he finally understands that they look more beautiful when they are set free. He understands that they need freedom to let their beauty show.
I think this story and film is stunning, Maia Walczak is an absolute phenomenon!
Teaching Ideas
The story has a range of poetic techniques that can be discussed and used as a model by the children.
In this story the following are used:
I would use this opportunity for some short drama activities. Use a top hat and ask the children to act out finding it in the woods, how would they approach it? What would they do with it? Use this to create a tension building scene and a writing stimulus.
The children could then decide if the hat they found was magic what would they like to come out of it? I would prefer chocolate to come out rather than birds, what would they like? Ask the children to write about their amazement when they woke up using vivid description and if possible rhyme.
The story has a range of poetic techniques that can be discussed and used as a model by the children.
In this story the following are used:
- Alliteration,
- Onomatopoeia,
- Rhyme,
- language of imagery.
I would use this opportunity for some short drama activities. Use a top hat and ask the children to act out finding it in the woods, how would they approach it? What would they do with it? Use this to create a tension building scene and a writing stimulus.
The children could then decide if the hat they found was magic what would they like to come out of it? I would prefer chocolate to come out rather than birds, what would they like? Ask the children to write about their amazement when they woke up using vivid description and if possible rhyme.
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There could be a class debate followed by some persuasive or argument writing about why animals should or should not be kept in cages. (Could link to Zoo or circus debate) The children could write their own stories about beautiful things that came out of the hat, writing internal monologues about how they feel when the animals escape. |
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The Silent Books
These three animations are produced from books by Maia they are set to music and are lovely prompts for a narrative writing unit.
The films can be paused in certain places in order for description or dialogue to be written.
The Silent Blue book could be used to teach sequencing words then the children can write a recount in character.
The children could write their own storyboards for similar stories, perhaps write a sequel. If you are brave they could make their own animations.
The films can be paused in certain places in order for description or dialogue to be written.
The Silent Blue book could be used to teach sequencing words then the children can write a recount in character.
The children could write their own storyboards for similar stories, perhaps write a sequel. If you are brave they could make their own animations.
The Girl with the Yellow Bag.
The story of an ordinary little girl with an extraordinary yellow bag. The girl wanders the streets finding objects to put in her bag. The bag transforms junk into beautiful things.
She first finds a multi coloured sock, when she next opens a bag a rainbow arches into the sky. A feather turns into a flock of colourful birds, a dead flower into a thriving rose bush, an old water bottle becomes rolling waves and some broken glass becomes the twinkling night sky
The story of an ordinary little girl with an extraordinary yellow bag. The girl wanders the streets finding objects to put in her bag. The bag transforms junk into beautiful things.
She first finds a multi coloured sock, when she next opens a bag a rainbow arches into the sky. A feather turns into a flock of colourful birds, a dead flower into a thriving rose bush, an old water bottle becomes rolling waves and some broken glass becomes the twinkling night sky
Teaching ideas - Take some found objects and ask the children what would come out of the bag with each object.
Perhaps a fir cone, a colourful sweet wrapper, a single lego brick, a pea pod etc
The children can describe the beautiful things that come out of the bag.
Perhaps a fir cone, a colourful sweet wrapper, a single lego brick, a pea pod etc
The children can describe the beautiful things that come out of the bag.
Stray
Based on a true story; Maia was inspired by a video on YouTube where a dog in Chile was unfortunately hit by a car and wounded. Another dog dragged the wounded dog to the side of the road. The hero dog ran away.
Maia has managed to produce a beautiful book and subsequent animation from this harrowing tale. |
Set in the outskirts of a large Chilean city, with the backdrop of the beautiful Andes, this is a tale of two stray dogs.
Teaching Ideas
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The Story of the
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Teaching Ideas
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Illustrations
This film called illustrations is a collections of drawings and sketches without a narrative - the videos can be paused on specific characters/scenes for writing and discussion stimulus.
This has been used with great success in Y1/2 to write character descriptions. 
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Like what you see? Visit Maia's bookshop.
http://www.maiamakesbooks.com/shop.htm
Visit Maia's website for more images, stories and loads of other stuff! http://www.maiamakesbooks.com/hello.htm
Surf art and photography. Pause and ask the children to describe using rich description.
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