Page 22 - ChildArt_Magazine_Oct-Dec2015

ElemMates,

Live from

Atom City!

by LESLIE WALLANT

cience inspires great art, such as fireworks dis- would occupy the space on the periodic table represented
Splays and kinetic (motion-based) sculptures. by that city block on the Atom City map. Kids who at-
Even science fantasy inspires the visual arts, as artists tended the 2015 World Children’s Festival entered Atom
design entire imaginary worlds. ElemMates’ story is City through an online, interactive city map. They fol-
also inspired by science. In fact, it’s based on the very lowed the ElemMates in their daily lives through videos
building blocks of the real world. That is, ElemMates’ and slide shows. Fired up by the stories, kids used paint
personalities and looks reflect those of the real atomic and clay to create their own characters and adventures.
elements that serve as their inspiration. Picture for a Imagine for a moment that you discover Atom City
moment what an oxygen atom might look like if it were - an entire metropolis filled ElemMate friends. That’s
a person. In Atom City, Octavia Oxygen is a breath of exactly what happened to Evie Sparks, our tween protag-
fresh air with her adventurous energy, creative ideas, onist! An explosion on her town’s beach rockets Evie into
and windblown hair. Her friendliness makes everyone Atom City and leaves a beautiful garden to grow in her
breathe easy! Carl Carbon, meanwhile, has jet black wake. In Atom City, Evie finds that the many parks are
hair and sparkling teeth since carbon is the element in full of organic and crystal plants. With the ElemMate’s
coal and diamonds. help, Evie is able to repair the ozone shield and create an
Scientists use a chart called the Periodic Table as a oasis in the Sahara Desert. The story led to a discussion
way to organize the real chemical elements. So, in Atom of the large variety of real gardens, and workshop partici-
City, city blocks are laid out based on the chart’s grid pants began painting fantasy gardens using their own El-
lines, and empty spaces in the chart become parks and a emMates characters. You can try this at home. What will
river. Buildings and businesses relate to the element that your garden look like? Gardens are wonderful, and very

22 ChildArt | October–December 2015