Arts Workshop

We spent the major part of the day conducting a sunprint workshop at the art gallery. Hubbie and Mother assisted at the four sessions...two in the morning, and two in the afternoon. The first two sessions took place from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and the second two sessions from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The main artist for the program was an African-American drummer, who is working with the kids in storytelling and in playing African drums. During the first part of the program, when all the kids were gathered to rehearse their story, I was called upon to fill in for a child who was not in attendance today. The story was about three antelope who beg their mother to let them play in the woods. Against her better judgment, she finally gives in and lets them go. But, of course, they run into trouble with a lion. The role I was given was of one of the antelopes. All ends well, naturally, and the children learn the usual lesson that they should listen to their parent's admonitions about straying too far from home, and talking to strangers.

After that, the kids were divided into two groups...one group working with the drummer and one group working with me, and then an hour later, switching places. My groups did sunprints, using what is called nature paper, which is actually blueprint paper. This type of paper uses water instead of chemicals, so it is suited to younger kids, like the ones this morning, who were first to third grade age.

The paper needs sun to activate, but this morning, the side of the street that the art gallery is on was shady, so we had to troop up to the corner, a half a block away, to find sun. Also, it was windy, so the kids had trouble keeping elements like leaves and flowers on the paper, if they combined them with heavy items like wooden hearts. These younger kids tended to tilt the cardboard that the designs were on, too, causing the elements to shift. Nevertheless, they seemed pleased with the results they got.

Breaking for lunch at 11:30, we came home to eat, and feed and walk Shih Tzu. We returned to the gallery at 1 p.m. and repeated the program with older children, who were about middle-school age. These kids were far more adept at doing the sunprints, and they got some nice results.

At the end of each group session, the kids chose their favorite design, and we mounted the 5"x 7" works on 8"x 10" white poster boards. The deep blue paper with white designs are very attractive against white poster board.

A gourd artist worked with the kids on Monday and Tuesday, and tomorrow, an artist who works with clay will do sessions with the kids. On Friday, the program wraps up, and the kids will perform drumming and storytelling for their parents.

It's fun to work with kids, but it is also tiring, so we're all ready to veg for the evening.