BOT MAKER SPOTLIGHT: YASMIN GATE
This amazing Art Educator from Melbourne is using Bots to help kids during the pandemic. Learn how she is using art to help people adjust to this new reality.
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself, your work, and mission for helping others make art.
I have been teaching for over seventeen years at primary and secondary levels, in both Australia and the UK. I am a passionate educator, artist, mother, and founder of Tiny Cupboard Creatives—a small business providing in-home studio and virtual classes. I especially love delving into artists practices and sharing their stories, processes, and techniques with younger creatives. For me, it’s all about making those connections to the artists as people!
I especially love it when art and storytelling collide! My personal artworks feature thick black lines, bright pops of color, and modern botanics, inspired by my journey in discovering my roots and exploring my cultural disconnect as a second-generation Filipina – Australian. I get a real sense of purpose when people say that I’ve inspired them – going to an art gallery, doodling more, buying art materials, and art play in general!
Q: How did you discover Botjoy?
I discovered Botjoy when I was home-schooling my son Marley (6yo) during our second lockdown here in Melbourne in his art class. He had to create his own bots and I couldn’t help but join in and share it with my own students during our virtual classes!
Q: Why is this project a good fit for you and your audience?
The second lockdown here feels much heavier in energy as the restrictions are pretty tight. For the first 6 weeks, we were not allowed to leave the house for more than an hour, had a 5km radius restriction, a curfew, and masks became mandatory. Little and big people found this a real challenging adjustment. Then I discovered Botjoy. It was an opportunity to think about what we were grateful for or things that brought us joy – a real cup filler during a strange time! Kids beamed as they yelled out ideas like soccer, flowers, rainbows, their mums! Little gratitude bots during a lockdown were just what we needed to lift our spirits!
Q: Can you tell us how the Bots helped support, recognize and/or celebrate others?
All our shops are closed and delivery times are taking longer than usual, so we had to be MacGyver about it! I sent my creatives Paper Magiclay and we got to make our own ‘dominos’.
Some kids made giant bots, some made ‘dominos’ and some just enjoyed drawing the bots. The bot energy was strong! My son has put his bots in his room. It makes him happy. This activity was truly amazing. I felt like the creatives had a chance to share what really brings them joy and it was celebrated. But for me, the connection was key! When kids in different houses who have never met each other in the flesh could smile and say ‘Hey, me too!’ – that stuff was magic and definitely something to celebrate!
Q: Is there any advice you would give to others who might want to make a Bot?
Yes! Do it! The world needs more light and what a better way for little creatives to spread light than to spread what makes them joyful in bot form!