Soupbone Spaces

Lauren Ehrmann and H. Z.

Many of us have found ourselves spending more time than usual inside our homes or apartments in the past several months. In this activity, we would like to invite you to take a closer look at spaces you occupy every day and think about them in a new way.

Go to a space that you identify with or that you feel is an extension of yourself. There, view the space through a series of lenses:

Historian

Consider the space’s history, how and when it was made. What is its role in the larger context of your neighborhood, town, city, state? Have any other people inhabited the space?

Designer

Think about what you like and don’t like about the space’s design. What materials is it made of? What do you appreciate about the space? What aspects annoy you? If you could redesign the space, what would you change?

Archaeologist

Examine the objects that are present in the space and consider what their purpose is. What do they say about you? What role do they play in your life and what do they contribute? Will their role change in the future?

Poet

What kind of emotions or connections does this space evoke? What layers of memory are present here? Pick an object in the space and imagine it as something with agency—what does it give and/or take from you in your daily interactions with it? What kind of conversation do you have with it? Take a moment to express your gratitude for it.

Dancer

What does your body feel like when you’re in this space? How do you move through it? What parts of the space is your body drawn to? Is there anywhere that repels you?

Below, we’ve included examples of some spaces from Soupbone members along with suggested coloring instructions that evoke an image or emotion. We’d like you to color these with feeling and with freedom. Hold onto those sensations while you color. Don’t be afraid of coloring outside the lines.