How to Make a Paper Snow Globe – Po’s Arts and Crafts Corner
At the Agnes Etherington Art Centre Creation Station we made paper plate snow globes. The following is a print out sheet that you can use at home or school. The craft is intended for JK+. Adult supervision and assistance may be required. Have fun!
My new studio is a place for me to create, have zoom meetings with clients and present my artworks. I do not have a walk-in store location at this time. Thank you for you understanding.
It dawned on me that I have not posted any photos of my new Kingston Art Studio. Although I do miss being down on Bagot Street (I adore downtown Kingston), the suburbs in the north end provide me with more creation space, easy access to building supply stores, Michaels, and the my much needed inspiration trips into the countryside north of HWY 401. The following photos are of my space where I create:
Portia “Po” Chapman Becomes Agnes Etherington Art Centre Art Educator
In September 2022, I was thrilled to receive an email from the Program Coordinator, Charlotte Gagnier, at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre (commonly called Agnes), inquiring if I would be interested in leading a couple of the gallery’s Creation Stations. Creation Stations at Agnes, are free family (with children ages 2+) arts days that occur once a month. Being a very family oriented artist, who views parents/guardians fostering and encouraging arts experimentation among their children from a young age, this was an opportunity that I was excited to be a part of. At first I was signed on for 3 Creation Station sessions in October, November, and December of 2022, and have now been signed on as Art Educator for more at Agnes. I just completed leading the art segment of Agnes’ Art and Sports March Break camp (in partnership with Queen’s ARC) and the March 2023 Creation Station, and I am signed on to lead the April 2023 Creation Station as well. I could not be more thrilled about working with Agnes!
Funny thing is, a full circle scenario has taken place to get to this point! In my final year of the Concurrent Bachelor of Education program at Queen’s University, I was scheduled to complete a 3-week long practicum placement in the programming department at Agnes during March 2020. I was super excited for this opportunity and was in the placement for 1 day, until… just think about the timing for a second… the next day the Covid-19 pandemic was officially declared, and I was not able to return to the placement.
During this placement, I was going to help run the March Break camp, but of course this did not happen. I thought for about 3 years that I lost this opportunity and my time at Agnes was not going to come. Fast forward to March 2023, and I have now lead the 2023 March Break Camp! It was always meant to be, but just not at that time. I live my life putting full trust into the Creator, never looking back, and THIS is what happens.
Keep reading below to learn more about my Art Educator experience at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, in Kingston, Ontario.
For Each Creation Station I have lead thus far, I have designed activities that use various art making skills that are attainable by 2 year olds up to adults, depending on how far the participant is able to or willing to take the possibilities. For each session, I prepare 3 different activities often involving making objects out of recycled cardboard, decoupage/collage, painting, printing, paper folding/quilling and other hands on crafty projects. Some activities have included using recycled cardboard to make small treasure boxes and decorative homes, collage scenery pictures, block printing using foam, and paper folded snowflakes to name a few of the activities and are often based on a theme such as the season during which the Creation Station takes place.
The March 2023 Creation Station took place on March 19, and was inspired by Springtime. Participants enjoyed making flower wreaths by cutting out and folding paper to make leaves and flowers, paper quilled trees, and spring themed still life paintings (based on a still life scene I set up).
For the 2023 Art segment of the Agnes March Break camp, I designed a week long project; Mixed Media Diorama making. The goal for this project, was that each camper would explore a wide variety of mediums and techniques throughout the piece by making small elements each day using a different medium or technique that come together at the end of the week to make a completed and cohesive diorama.
Throughout the week, campers learned new art terminology, used the creative process by creating a detailed plan with theme before beginning “the making” of their artwork, and explored diorama construction, watercolour techniques, paper mâché, paper quilling, clay sculpting, block printing, acrylic painting, scratchboard creation, and a 3D tissue paper craft. Campers enjoyed using a variety of mediums and techniques and leaving at the end of the week with completed dioramas.
On the last day of camp, most campers proudly stood in front of the group to present their completed dioramas, each with their own storyline and theme.
This was such a fun, memorable, and enjoyable program to lead!
In 2020, the pandemic hit. As a sculpture and installation artist, I just needed to build something that would make me happy. So, I built this chest from whatever was in my apartment studio.
This chest is emblematic of how art kept me moving over the next 2 years. By keeping art in my focus, the [Laws of Attraction] were witnessed. In 2022, I was contacted, which seemed out-of-blue, by an Arts Council member and I was not yet a member of that specific arts council. I was one of six other artists who won a Placemaking contract to paint a mural.
That mural was my launch into community placemaking murals and installations.
Materials Needed to Make the Chest:
To make a chest like this one, you’ll need:
– cardboard
– scrapbook paper
– hot glue gun
– heavy duty glue stick
– Podge
– scissors
I’m revisiting this cherished project: a custom-designed Papercraft Gift Chest. I love how the intricate floral patterns of the chest play against the fluid energy of my award-winning swirl painting in the background. It’s a perfect example of how different mediums—paper, paint, and textile—can happily add to a cohesive creative space.
Click through to my [Landing Page] to see where my artwork has taken me since 2020 – from small craft to large-scale community placemaking projects.
To contact me directly, please use this email:
Love Art by Po 
2 responses to “Papercraft Arts and Crafts Gift Chest by Portia Po Chapman”
Hi Portia,I love the floral gift chest that you made and I love your little lamb peeking out.He is so cute and looks familiar……..I love you Nanny.
Thank you. It was a very fun creation. I still use it to store bows, tissue papers and such.