The Big Draw tackles the big Earth

The Big Draw returned to Colorado Academy for two days at the beginning of October, bringing with it beautiful weather, turtles and trees, dolphins and daisies.

CA students joined their counterparts around the world—by some estimates, 500,000 participants—celebrating the idea that everyone can draw. Everyone is an artist!

The Big Draw Festival—the world’s biggest celebration of drawing—was founded two decades ago in the United Kingdom.

In 2020, the festival tweaked its name to “The Big Green Draw Festival” and announced its theme for this year: #ClimateOfChange. Around the world, people focused their artwork on the relationship between people and our living environments and ecosystems, highlighting how we live and the ways in which we do (and do not) harmonize with nature.

CA students arranged themselves around long stretches of white paper around Stamper Commons. Armed with colorful watercolors and inspired by CA’s beautiful campus, they explored what “Climate of Change” means to them.

“This is exactly what we hoped for from The Big Green Draw. Students are looking at the Earth, the climate, and the campus we share with new eyes. It brings everyone together to draw, which is the universal language. When I draw ‘EARTH,’ I write the middle three letters ‘ART’ in red—because without ART, the Earth is just ‘eh.’” Katy Wood Hills, Director of Visual & Performing Arts

“I’m focusing on nature, painting flowers. I’ve never used watercolors before, but I like them, because it’s a bright day, the sun is out, and all the Seniors are on campus, so it’s a good day to be at CA.” Miriam Rojo Gutierrez, Senior

“I love to paint. I am the most artistic person in my family! The point is to be creative and use your imagination. ‘Climate of Change’ says that animals are becoming extinct, and nature is changing as the years go by.” Caroline Miller, Grade 2

“Our planet is changing, so we have to change. We can still smile, even though we are living with really hard fires.” Jacob Miller, Grade 7

“I’m drawing a whale and the tree from Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, because that’s what came to my mind when I think about the climate and the Earth. The Lorax talks about protecting the climate and being conscious of environmental ethics.” Teri McManus, Senior

“I like watercolors a lot. They are cool to paint with. I’m drawing a sea turtle and a koala bear sitting in a tree.” Landon Harris, Grade 2

“I was inspired by the creases in the paper to draw seaweed. Then these scattered blue items represent all the junk in the ocean. When I think of #Climate of Change, I think of ocean pollution.” Christian Mendez, Grade 8

“My painting is a loose interpretation of the world before the continents separated. The sun represents a new day.” Mackenzie Wagner, Senior

“I am painting the planet, which is melting.” Lauren Taylor, Grade 8

“I’m painting the stuff that pollutes the Earth—a factory, an oil power plant, a car, and trash.” Clark Eschmeyer, Grade 2

“I drew two pictures. The first is half sun and half Earth. The Earth is getting hotter and putting it together with the sun shows that. My second picture shows a trash can overflowing with trash. You always see trash, even on a hike, and this picture shows how much trash we create.” Ellie Perkins, Grade 8

“When I think of ‘Climate of Change,’ I think of the solar system, so what I am painting is out of this world.” Evie Angevine, Senior