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The memory you can touch

Flipping through our family photo album, I caught myself running my fingers over each photograph, almost trying to feel the subject of the photograph. Of course, all I felt was the semi sticky surface of the glossy photographs. Why do we do that? Why do we touch photographs?


Well, I came up with is this whacky theory that touch helps us remember better! Have you noticed how you remember a person better if you shake their hands or hug them? You suddenly create a tertiary level to your memory. The first one is of course audio-visual, the second one is smell and the third one is touch. This of course makes touch a powerful tool in recalling a special day or person.


A while back I discovered an MIT research, by the evolutionary psychologist Josh Ackerman and his team, about surface impact and its ability to latch itself in our abstract emotional memory. This totally supports my whacky theory.


It brings us to today’s subject. There are ways to create a memento that uses touch to aid you in remembering a special person. One of those ways is clay imprints. Yes. Clay imprints!

If you’re in Barrhaven and need something special to remember your day with loved ones, come over to Art Haven for Mother’s Day on the 12th or the 13th to create your own clay hand imprints. It’ll be a workshop where you and your little ones learn about clay, create your imprint and decorate it. If you’re interested in joining us you can book here https://www.arthaven.ca/kidsworkshops



clay workshop Mother's Day special. A white dried clay plate like decoration with a pink organza bow and tiny wooden heart on the top. Inside the circle plate is an imprint of a "Mothers Hand" in light pink; and inside that hand print - is a smaller imprint of the childs handprint in dark pink. On the bottom of the circular plate are the words "Mommy & Me" in pink.
Clay Hand Imprints

clay hand imprint creation process: wet clay in the shape of a flat heart with a tiny handprint imprint in the centre
Clay hand imprint in before being fired at Art Haven

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