A workshop catching the spirit of nature through the inspiration from the distinguished Norwegian writer and poet Knut Hamsun.
This was a 3 day workshop that I developed for children between 9 and 13 performed in many schools in the Hamarøy/Steigen region in North Norway. The aim was to introduce children to Hamsun’s authorship by immersing them in nature, in much the same way that nature inspired his writing.
During the workshop, we explored how the natural environment shaped many of his well-known works. The children discover nature in new and unexpected ways, literally following in Hamsun’s footsteps. They found their special place in the woods and captured its essence using their own handmade writing tool made from wooden sticks gathered on site, written and drawn with real ink.
They studied nature up close with magnifying glasses and stereo microscopes, observing the clouds, feeling the earth, and collecting colours and patterns from their surroundings to create natural palettes. They also played with Hamsun’s words and letters, creating their own cut-and-paste poetry, collages, and stories. On the last day we prepared a meal using locally sourced ingredients and invited parents and guests to a shared feast, including poetry readings and an exhibition of the children’s work.
