The Giving Tree: CMW Art Kids at Art Basel

This month was pretty action-packed for our team! From Thursday 15th-Sunday 18th May, we set up camp at our Art Kids Space in the lovely Hong Kong Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai. 

Colour My World was involved once again with Art Basel this year, introducing Art, Drama and Creative Inspiration to children from 4-10 years in our specialist Art Kids space and through our wonderfully insightful Kids Explore Art Exhibition Tours, all led by a very capable cohort of talented, expert staff. 

Working together with Art Basel, we developed an action-packed, colourful weekend of activities, games and creative learning to ensure that 2014 was our best year yet! Finally, after months of hard work, dedication and planning, all of the hard work paid off.

Our theme for this year was 'The Giving Tree,' based on the book by Shel Silverstein; about a little boy who loves a tree and the tree who loves him back as he grows up into a man. 

'The Giving Tree' by Shel Silverstein

Inspired by the book, our talented sculptor and sculpture teacher Ian built our very own Colour My World Giving Tree, on which some lucky children would get to hang their very own decorated leaves, bugs, hanging character ornaments and most important of all…wishes! 

You see, this wasn't just any old Giving Tree - this was a MAGIC WISHES Giving Tree! Our budding little artists created their own individual pieces of art and then helped us to decorate our lovely tree with their very own magic wishes, which as we all know, will definitely come true (as long as you say the magic rhyme, of course). Do you know it? Maybe you can make some wishes of your own at home!

Oh lovely, MAGIC Giving Tree, 

I have a wish for you.

I want to make a wish, wish, wish

I WISH it would come true! 

Our visitors left their wishes wrapped around the Wishing Tree for extra wish power (there's strength in numbers), so we wanted to share some of the best ones with you at home. We hope you find them as funny as we did - there was a lot of laughter at the end-of-day packing-up! (Just wait until you see the last one). Please like and share or leave us a comment below! 

'I wish all my toys are alive'

Not a big fan of homework, we see…:P

You and me both...

'I want to be the best student in school' (good wish!)

This kid just had to make sure the Giving Tree got the message

'Dear Wish Tree, I wish I was the smartest in the World' - Gabriel

A SECOND house, that is...

**Stuffs Cheeks with Seeds**

'My wish is I can play all day' - Ian

'I wish for all the Lego in the world'

Does chocolate count? 

This kid added a diagram with dimensions, just in case.

Awww...

'Make Lovisa [my] little sister. And I will offer my bug and leaf' - Irina

Axel likes the idea of flying planes...

We hope your dream comes true, Jennifer :)

'I wish to go to the World Cup in Brazil (Football)'

'I want to have an iPad to play Minecraft after'

Here, Kitty Kitty!

'The Tree of Giving give me a Winx'

This kid just wants to make the winning shot

'I wish [for] a Crocodile Time Machine'…we really want to see that too!

'My wish is to be a composer' (another great dream)

'I wish I could live in a hotel with a swimming pool under it. Thank you Wish Tree'

We're noticing a bit of a Lego theme here...

'Wish for my Mum to be happy' (so cute!)

'I wish [that] I can see my friend before I leave'

Ahhhhh….

Because who doesn't love puppies? 

Now that's dedication. This kid should be president. 

This little artist was feeling some sibling love :) 

And finally, we thought this one was hilarious. We hope that Adrian's Mom sees the funny side...

After much debate and speculation, we realised Adrian meant 'Dad, Mom'...

We'd also like to say a big thank you to our wonderful team of  talented helpers who helped make Colour My World Art Kids and Kids Explore for Art Basel such a resounding success! Aren't they a happy bunch?

Don't forget to like and leave us a comment below if you're interested in finding out more about our specialist programmes in Visual and Performing Arts!