Possible ARTS WORKSHOPS for System of Care     3.11.10

over 100 activities involving arts, personal expression, community building and self discovery… more being added  

Exploring Self, Community and Nature by working with Natural Materials   Opportunities for System of Care Youth, and Families and Care workers to experience the refreshing rewards of encounters with arts, artists and nature. Here are over 100 handwork activities in and with Nature for relaxation, connection with the  primitive sense memory and making things. Many of these activities can be combined into an scheduled event, as part of a picnic, barbeque or other community-building event  in any Park setting.  

IN NATURE--OUTSIDE-- WORKSHOPS             No Child Left Inside!!

In the Woods

• Foraging: introduction to wild plants and woodland invasive plants and trees
• A Community Loom/Trellis: A big warp is suspended from Tree Branches and people find and weave things in.   (DM)
• Patterns on the Earth: with stones or fallen sticks various patterned shapes, labyrinths and medicine wheels are created.
• Building Shelters and Fences from gathered material “Debris-Wood Working”
• Making Pigments from Nature   Tactile, Primal discovery, almost magic, rich and satisfying  (LS)
• Crush stone, bark, grasses, flowers, berries, moss, mud…
• Create pigment and create pictures on paper, rocks, cloth trees
• Who Else is Here?  Learning about Bird Songs and Animal Tracks.
• Who Else was Here? Hiking into History to the stone remnants of those before us   (DM) 

Working with the Earth

• Vessels from sand, peat moss, cement , called Hypertuffa
• Colors of Nature: pigments and dyes from nature  (LS)
• Mud Tyme
• Pinch pots from Local Clay
  

In The Garden

• Building Arbors, Trellies, Benches, Fences:
• Colors of Nature: pigments and dyes from plants        (LS)
  

Stones

• Carving at Streamside Carve Sandstone with a harder stone with hard edge    (LS)
• Stone Painting on Slate: Watercolor pencil on slate and with pigments    (LS)
• Building and Repairing Stone Walls   
  

In the Water

• Giving Back: projects in nature to reclaim and restore stream, creek and wetland habitats  (LS)
• Stream Time  Creature searching, stone moving, rock balancing, clay digging, water play, discovery team building, dam building, sand and gravel shaping, shell-stone-bottle glass –found object collecting,Endless discovery, physical development (balance), listening, fun, relaxation, peaceful. (LS)
• Fly Tying:  Learn to create basic flies used to attract Trout,Bass and Panfish. The ancient art of fly tying involves close observation of the foods gamefish feed on. Feathered lures are created that capture the action of the creature imitated. Judd Weisberg
• Building small boats from found materials and launching them in a pond or stream  (DM, JW)
  

WORDS in NATURE

• Writing Haiku poems in Nature… in woods, water, garden, wetlands, any park   (DM)
• Word Painting  on Dried Seed Pods and Gourds (Laurie Seeman)
• Story Stones   For memorial or celebration: a personal story (Laurie Seeman)
  

JUST PLAY in NATURE

• Theatre of Falling Objects   Group discovery process, exciting, joyful, out-of-the-box (LS)
• Found natural objects, and or made objects from combinations in nature
• Create them then collect as an audience and watch them fall
• Tips / Buds/ Leaf Edges and Forms Observing the gestures of natural forms. connection to the sun. (LS)
• Gathering tips and edges of leaves and creating art with them.
• Barefoot Walking on Natural Materials Blindfolded; Sensory awareness, Group fun !  (LS)
• Bundles  Bark and roots and natural materials, with ornamentation,  (LS)
• Fabric with Feelings, intentions, mystical; Handmade fiber bundle brushes / and black ink drawing Handwork, ingenuity, expression
• Paper folding: origami and gum wrapper necklaces            (RG)
• Snow Tyme: Working with snow
• Just Play Tyme: (LS, DM, others)visiting, discovering and lightly rearranging what we find in the woods, at the river’s edge…
• Mural-Making: Community-building with natural and art materials and art materials. (many people)
  

MAKING in NATURE    All developed by LS, JD

• Botanical Art with Leaves, Flowers and Grasses   Tactile, observe cycles and connections of life, (LS)

Leaf Wreaths, Straw Wands, baskets, and free forms, Seasonal head crowns, Translucent pressed flower panels with transparent photographs laidwithin, Straw or Phragmites roof building

• Shadows and Reflections / Drawing Shadows from Flowers Observation, hand-eye coordination, using tools for looking from the other side; interesting for perceiving the 3-D quality of form and life – can relate to  the other side of each of us   (LS)
• Embroidery Great for hot weather when limited activity is preferred.use linen, or burlap for easy hand-work.Relaxation, hand-eye coordination, design development, conversation    (LS)
• Cordage Hand-skill, learn about plants. Create a utility item from plant fiber or even found material.  Natural and Man-made 2 ply twist.   (LS)
  

In the Air : Making kites, batik kites, flags, mobiles, bull-roarers and other spinning things

Cooking/Eating from Nature 
 

STUDIO WORKSHOPS         1-2 hours 

BODY/MOVEMENT /THEATER 

Workshops can be designed for all ages and abilities. We can work in open space or indoors. They can be separated into individual age groups ,or be done as a family class. Class can be done in chairs for groups with physical limitations. If the workshop calls for music making ,or spoken word, props or costuming they will be included. A performance piece may also be made  and performed at a particular event 

• Movement Exploration: For Every Body! Using guided improvisation and playful movement problem solving to create, explore, and communicate through dance with music and props  (LM)
• The Gentle Workout: we use calming music and relaxation techniques to awaken the body and soul.(LM)
• Make a Play! In ten weeks, we get to know each other, learn new skills, tell stories, play games, and write our very own play about our lives, and the things we care about.  We We’ll build our own stage sets and costumes and perform our play for an audience (MG)
• Stories That Move and Sing  -- Storyteller Julia Morris will share stories from around the world which invite active participation using the body, voice and imagination.  Equipped with puppets, instruments and various dramatic props, this presentation is particularly geared for younger audiences.    www.moveandsing.com
• Qi Gong/Tai Chi Chuan (Ron Gee)
• Intro to Drama: start with your heartbeat (Paul Ellis)
• Body Adornments/ Clothing in Nature
• Mask-Making
• 
  

More THEATER ARTS WORKSHOPS and EXPERIENCES with  Donna Haley    donnajhaley@gmail.com     

individual or groups from 2 and 4 to 30 people at one time.  
  
The Senses  Exploring the senses in a fun, personal and intuitive way -- both physical and verbal, leading to small group performance pieces.  
  
Objects  Discovering and using object of interest to develop the imagination and create a new reality to share with others.  
  
How we Move  Stretching and experimenting with different ways of walking/moving/gesturing that gives rise to fun interactions and creates bonds of trust.  
  
Storytelling  We can go several different way with this, from simple pairs sharing and then sharing out with the group the other's story, to acting out personal stories singularly or in a group. We can also use familiar stories like myths or fairy tales and change, adapt, or simply do physical freeze fames with titles. Storytelling can be very basic and simple with just a word or two or multi-layered depending on the group. It is a very flexible and is a wonderful way of self expression, full of surprises and fun.  
  
Play-making:   From the simple 9 word play 

Improvisation  The benefits for esteem building and fun are tremendous. In Improvisation, different forms are offered to experiment with. Students love the freedom to create within a clear and safe structure. All done in pairs or small groups. Some categories we jump off from are: Animals, Machines/inventions, clothing and costumes, Everyday actions/activities, Painting/sculpture (this is imaginatively created), Characters Observation, Doing tasks together silently, Rooms in houses, Worlds we create, Simple poetry .  
  
Body maps   Self exploration done in pairs. Each person has a large sheet of paper, body size and partner outlines their form. Each person then draws or writes filling in the body map in three ways:  
What's inside: Who you are and what you feel like inside, your gifts and beliefs in yourself  
Your armor: Just on the outside of your skin -- what you do or feel you need to do to protect yourself from people, how you think you have to appear or should appear . On the outside of you: In the white space around your form you draw how you think others perceive you This is then shared with the partner who presents the real essence of their partner to the group. This exercise creates understanding, empathy, promotes creativity, and can be expanded into a community exercise.  

Shakespeare   In taking simple lines and words from Shakespeare we explore words, movement, types of characters and interactions. Improvised short plays are created and performed.  
  

MUSIC/SOUND

• INSIDE OUT DRUMMING Explore the healing nature of rhythm with artist and drummer Glen Carter. 
• What’s a Voice Orchestra?  Doug Elliot
• Composing Music
• Composing Rap
• Introduction to various musical instruments 
  

DRAWING/VISUAL ARTS

• Intro to Chinese Brush and Ink work (Ron Gee)
• Suminagashi Japanese Marbling Techniques  (Christina)
• Intro to Cartooning
• Drawing for Fashion and Design
• Surrealism!
• Making Personal Trading Cards/Themed Collage Card-Making (Dan Mack) 
• Making Mandalas: introduction to the power of the circle
• Drawing with natural materials: charcoal, inks, mud
• Color Shape and Line: A Collaborative Mural Experience  (JF) You move around the mural, experimenting with their own designs, while reacting to, and influencing, the work of those around them. The final work demonstrates the distinctive marks of each participant, enclosed within the framework of the group’s final composition.
• Drawing People: Learn to draw people - faces and bodies. An exploration in proportion, some real simple mark making that make your drawings come alive and begin to tell stories in the world of line and shadow.
• Connect the Dots: Unlocking the Artist Within (JF) Working intuitively participants simply create dynamic, inventive paintings by exploring mark making, with line space and color
• Shadow Puppets (JF) Using Paper, Scissors, Sticks, Light, and movement students create participants create their creatures and figures for a shadow world. (performed as dances?)
• Artbooks (JF) Create a small pocketsize, hand sewn sketchbook with an assorted papers. Participants will begin embellishing by adding secret pockets, collage and drawing
  

TRADITIONAL SKILLS

• Building Rustic: Introduction to tools and natural materials  
• Make a Bench Hook: a portable work area
• Make a 3-legged Rustic Stool
• Working with Barks: Birch, Mulberry and Palm barks  
• Intro to basic blacksmithing 
  

OBJECT-MAKING

• Making Gifts: utensils, frames, birdhouses, Toys, Cornhusk Dolls 
• Mosaic pebble techniques for table tops and frames
• Garden Ornaments Faerie Cottage Furniture
• Mask making
• Body Adornments:  natural materials and the body.   
• Papermaking with natural materials  
• Dyeing with Natural Materials     
• Flower-Pounding dye-printing onto paper & fabric
• Art with Dried Botanicals     
• Puppet People  a wonderful way to introduce the figure and figurative play. I use all recycled materials to create these puppets and imaginary animals out of cardboard, fabric and buttons. We explore with shape, texture and color. When the children create these people and animals, they can talk about their lives, because their lives are filled with people and animals.   (HL)
  

USING EQUIPMENT

• GOING SMALL Use of microscope/magnifying glass
• Making Videos
• Animation
• Experiments in Water  (LS)
  

TEXTURE/FABRIC

• Introduction to Weaving, Felting, Knitting, Embroidery Cordage
• Working with Barks
  

HOLISTIC ARTS and PRACTICES      Courtni Hale

• Power of Life:   Intro to Yoga and Breath – 2 hours 10-20 students . Great for people of all ages.

• Wheel of Life       Intro to the Medicine Wheel/ Four Elements / Four Seasons – 2 hours. Learn about the connections between the elements, season and directions.  Balancing our self through visualization and awareness gives the student a new tool that heightens ability to focus, to achieve positive goals, by finding inner strength through their connection to Nature. 

• Vision Quest    Intro to Inner Journeying using traditional Native techniques.  – 6 hours20-30 students  Acquire a deeper understanding of the basics of mystical and magical journeying through mind and body techniques. Take a brief Vision Quest to strengthen and relax at once. In ancient times mankind used various techniques to find power animals, power places, and connections to the four elements that also gave them vital force when called upon. 

• Power Geometries  Explore the ancient mystery of Geometry and use it in artwork.20-30 students  Revision your world by connecting to the geometries that create reality around us. Everything in nature is based on the simple principles of specific geometries.  Geometry is fun and easy when used in artwork and students will gain appreciation of the underlying principles of mathematics and science that apply to nature, and then become creators themselves by using geometry in art. Can also lead to profound awareness of our interconnectedness through geometries. 
• The Interactive Silk   Group Silk Painting to deepen awareness of the Power of Cooperation – 4 hours20-30 students  Deepen students respect for one another and themselves by painting a group work that is both easy for beginners and luminous.  Painting on silk is easy enough for children of any age, as well as beginners of any skill level.  Because the Silks allow light to pass through, they have a quality of light similar to stained glass, and are great for display and for fundraising. As the instructor focuses the group on a particular subject matter through storytelling and guided visualization, the students’ awareness comes together around one subject.  Next, they approach the canvas and decide how to approach their project.  Because the lines on the silk become hard and fast, and the paint runs only to the hard edges of the lines, its relaxing to paint and easy to design. Watch how the pieces of each student come together to create a beautiful whole that teaches about the power of collaboration and cooperation.  Acquire skills around communication and creativity that translate into all aspects of life.