To mark the beginning of the New Year, students at Shrub Oak International School participated in a splash painting project inspired by the work and techniques of abstract expressionist artist Jackson Pollock. The activity centered on process rather than outcome, inviting students to use movement, color, and gesture as tools for emotional expression. By engaging with large canvases and fluid paint, students explored art as a means of reflection, release, and renewal at the start of the year.
The project encouraged students to consider their experiences from the previous year and to translate thoughts or emotions into visual form. Rather than focusing on representational imagery, splash painting emphasized spontaneity and freedom. This approach aligned with Pollock’s action painting style, which prioritized the physical act of painting as an essential part of the creative process. For students, this method reduced pressure to achieve a specific result and instead supported experimentation and self-directed decision-making.
Throughout the activity, students demonstrated varying approaches to the same materials. Some worked with broad, energetic movements, layering paint across the canvas, while others took a more measured approach, carefully choosing colors and patterns. This range of engagement reflected the individual strengths and preferences of each student.
The project also supported broader educational goals at Shrub Oak International School by integrating art with social-emotional learning. Creative activities that allow for nonverbal expression can be particularly meaningful for autistic students, offering alternative ways to communicate internal experiences. Research has shown that art-making can support emotional regulation, reduce stress, and promote self-awareness by providing a safe outlet for expression. The splash painting project exemplified these principles by framing art as a tool for letting go of negativity and beginning the year with a sense of possibility.
While each canvas was unique, the shared experience created opportunities for students to observe one another’s techniques and celebrate differences in expression. The absence of strict rules or expectations encouraged confidence and autonomy, reinforcing the idea that there is no single “right” way to create art.
By the end of the project, the completed paintings stood as visual representations of a fresh start. More importantly, the process itself offered students time and space to reflect, release, and reset. The New Year’s splash painting project served as a reminder of the role creative expression plays within Shrub Oak International School’s transdisciplinary approach, where academic learning, emotional growth, and artistic exploration intersect. Through activities like this, students continue to build skills that support self-expression, resilience, and engagement as they move forward into the year ahead.
