Finnish illustrator urges children to embrace imperfection

Merz, whose work spans published children’s books to public murals across Europe, encouraged nearly 28 participants, ranging from seven to fourteen years old, to abandon the search for perfection and instead embrace experimentation and play.

At her workshop, rather than the usual pencils and paintbrushes, the tables were set with an array of everyday objects: steel wool, toothbrushes, ice cream sticks, sponges, facial scrub pads, earbuds, combs, drinking straws, scraps of fabric, and pieces of cardboard—transforming ordinary household items into tools of creativity.

“There’s no need for your creation to take any particular shape,” said Merz, as she invited the children to dip their chosen items in blue and green inks and create patterns without a plan. “Just play with colour and let the object guide your hand.”

Within minutes, the workshop space was alive with inventiveness. One child made waves using the teeth of a comb, another fashioned a constellation of dots with ear buds, while others blended patterns using steel wool and sponges. The energy in the room was palpable—a welcome antidote to the prescriptive art lessons many children encounter at school.

“My approach is always to find new ways of drawing and painting, and I want children to break free from the idea that art requires expensive materials or strict instructions,” Merz explained. “If you simply provide the tools and permission to experiment, their imaginations will do the rest.”

After allowing time for the ink to dry, the children cut their patterned paper into different shapes and assembled them into whimsical animal collages using the classic technique of découpage. “Don’t chase perfection,” Merz reminded them. “Use your imagination and play.”

For eight-year-old Yusuf, this was an ideal way to realise the “Elli” (elephant) of his dreams: “I’m cutting five rectangles, a circle, and two triangles to make my elephant,” he said, beaming with pride.

Children finished their pieces by pasting the collage onto coloured paper and embellishing their scenes with stars and dots—once again using earbuds in place of traditional brushes.

This workshop is part of more than 600 being offered at SCRF 2025, each designed to spark curiosity and offer young visitors creative freedom—often with nothing more than household items and a splash of imagination.

The 16th edition of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival is free and open to the public until 4 May at Expo Centre Sharjah. For the full programme and details, visit www.scrf.ae.