Occasional Paper Series #50
Painting Our Treescapes: A Visual
by Gretel Olson and Ingrid Olson
These two short pieces were created by Gretel and Ingrid (ages 6 and 9) after going for a wintry walk in Camrose, a city in central Alberta, Canada. Inspired by an afternoon spent in their urban treescape, this article represents their experience in-and-of these real and/or imagined spaces. Included are photographs taken on the walk, paintings that the children did after returning home, and narratives that the children told to one of their parents. The words, artwork, and photo selections are entirely those of the children, although their parents provided technical support.
Gretel Olson (she/her) lives in Camrose, Alberta (Canada). She likes reading, playing LEGOs with her sister, going for walks around the lake to get ice cream, and making funny faces. Her favorite food is spaghetti. Gretel is 7 years old and is in grade 2.
Ingrid Olson (she/her) lives in Camrose, Alberta (Canada). She loves to read, especially in her tree, and her favorite authors are Jim Benton, Raina Telgemeier, and Dan Gutman. She loves to play LEGOs, ride her bike, and bounce on her pogo stick. Her record is ~450 bounces. Ingrid is 9 years old and is in grade 4.