Empowering postcards are assembled into a mural as a daily reminder for all to practice kindness, compassion, and empathy.

Dr. Kathleen Petka

I wanted my students to create art for a good cause and promote kindness, politeness, and manners, since kindness and compassion can sometimes be overlooked. I introduced this lesson about using art as a tool for social advocacy to encourage love and concern for others.

We talked about the simplest gestures of being kind and how smiling can positively affect someone’s day. Simply waving to someone and acknowledging them can brighten that person’s mood. We also talked about rights for everyone and bringing awareness to equality.

I challenged my students to create a postcard for positivity. I cut 5 x 7" (13 x 18 cm) sheets of white paper for my students and let them use any medium they wanted. Students were free to create any type of message they wanted, and I asked them to create a visual to go along with what they were trying to communicate.

On the back of the postcard, I asked them for an artist statement or simply a reason as to why they selected the subject and what it meant to them. It was nice for students to reflect on what was important to them or why they created what they did. I typed up the messages on the back of the postcards and printed out the list so others could read the inspiration behind the works.

The postcards are a great reminder of the simple things that can help. Some students chose to illustrate landscapes to remind viewers to take care of the earth and to bring awareness to climate change. Some students created happy faces and reminded others to smile and spread love.

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I collected the postcards and assembled them into sections that were about 18 x 24" (46 x 61 cm) so they would fit the lamination machine. I displayed them as one big mural in a prominent location in our school in hopes that people would be inspired to show kindness and consideration toward others and that all individuals would feel included and reminded of the importance of kindness, respect, and love. This was a gentle reminder that our actions do make a difference and that we can help.

I did this with my students at the end of the year. They were eager to use their art to communicate messages that were meaningful to them. I gave them a few days to complete their pieces. After I had introduced the lesson to two classes, I asked the rest of my students to completely cover the white paper so there would be more contrast with their messages and their works would feel more complete.

We received great feedback from teachers and counselors thanking us for promoting positivity. I know my students got a kick out of seeing their work as a collective whole, unified for a great cause.

Dr. Kathleen Petka is a visual art teacher at Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia. kathleen.petka@cobbk12.org

Postcards for Positivity: Sharing Meaningful Messages