In Spring of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic was in full swing and our international school community was feeling scattered to the winds. We needed a project that could be completed online yet would bring us all together again, and Earth Day was the right moment to launch it.
Drawing inspiration from the theme of “Mother Earth,” families around the world were invited to express their connection to the planet through any artistic medium they chose. The challenge led to hundreds of submissions from students, parents and staff in over two dozen countries!
The variety of artwork was stunning. From traditional portraits of Gaia, to “land art faces” made with flower petals, leaves, and rocks, to symbols of global peace made with nuts and seeds — the work demonstrated an incredible breadth of creativity in our community.
Equally exciting was the number of submissions that came from families working collaboratively, and the gratitude and feedback we received from these parents. The project inspired them to paint and create with their children, an activity that allowed deep conversations about Mother Earth and the crisis that was underway.
The project brought the school community together again at a moment when the pandemic was pulling us apart, and helped pave the way for a return to campus learning in Fall 2020. Faces of Gaia generated enormous praise on social media, both locally and globally, and a short documentary is in process to showcase all the incredible works.
