Elderhostel

This was my first experience leading an Elderhostel Program workshop (May 30, 2008), and I enjoyed every minute! This workshop was teh culminating event for their week long stay at the Geneva Point Center. The group worked on a nature experience group weaving, where they added in natural materials with messages about their New Hampshire experience. I heard about their various wildlife encounters, and the moments they spent just looking and listening to the woods. Then each person created a art/nature "box" to take with them.
Tons of jokes, lots of wisdom, and way too few photos!

Year of the Forest: a culminating day

On May 9, I was part of Moharimet Elementary School's culminating day for their "Year of the Forest". Each year they take on a theme that connects to classroom projects, on going curricula, and field trips. This year, they stayed close to home- the school is located in a beautiful forest area, next door to park land, and they even have a sugar shack on school grounds!
May 9 was filled with all kinds of activities including visits from nature center staff, Smokey the Bear, and my "Making Art in Nature" program.
We were lucky to have a beautiful day and my program took place on the school's nature trail. We began each group's experience with brainstorming what creatures live on or near their trail, and might visit artworks the students build. Many students had brought collections of natural materials from home or outside school- favorite rocks, shells, pine cones, etc. Students then worked in teams, collaborating on locating sites and designing their works, creating dozens of beautiful natural sculptures.

High school eco conceptual art

I gave a challenging conceptual project to the Mascoma Valley Regional High School Portfolio class. I asked them to come up with an environmental issue that touches the local area, that we would use as a base for a collaborative artwork. I was so pleased that they came up with an idea very quickly- the problem of road salt. Here in New Hampshire, we had an especially long winter, with record breaking snowfall, lasting from before Thanksgiving until April. So road salt was an apt concept.
As the group developed their concept idea, they decided that they would construct a huge salt shaker that people could walk into, and fill it with facts about road salt. They researched their facts, and worked together to design and construct their salt shaker. The finished work was installed for the local art/environment festival day.

High School Trailworks

The Art 2 class at Mascoma Valley Regional High School took on the project of creating artworks outside, using found natural materials. The group decided to build on an existing nature trail. They divided into teams, found specific sites, and began discussions, finding materials, and construction. The results were terrific.

High School revisioning

The drawing class at Mascoma Valley Regional High School was a great group! I gave them a challenging project: they were asked to find a site outside, around the school that appeared abandoned, damaged, or just ugly. They drew the site, mapped it, and measured it, and we took digital photos of the sites. The students then imagined and drew ideas for improving the sites. their work was creative and very possible. One team planned a vegetable/flower garden, and have already identified donations to implement their plan. Another student planned a simple and small garden integrating an ugly pipe into the design. Another team imagined a greenhouse teaching/growing space where students could enjoy growth year round.

High School Residency

In April, I spent a full week with Mascoma Valley Regional High School art students. It was a busy week. I had each of six classes work on different projects, tackling different aspects of eco art.
The three Art 1 classes worked on observing, drawing, and building with natural materials.

Mascoma Valley Regional High School- artist in residence week

In April, I spent a week with all art classes at Mascoma Valley Regional High School. The week was a key feature for their Art and Environment week, leading up to the Saturday Festival/Open House.

I planned different projects for each group of students.
This first group's work was about engaging with natural materials, through observation, drawing, making small sculptures, and more drawing.
What I liked about the experience with this group, was their response to the materials. I think they were surprised about how it felt to build with moss, sticks, rock, bark. Their designs were creative, immediate, and temporary.
As part of the project, they worked to assemble their resulting images into a presentation to be shared at the Festival.
There were 3 groups of these "Art 1" students, and each group ended up with a slightly different angle to the connections between their works.
One group, found litter and logos along with natural materials outside, so their work placed the human impact alongside the natural.
The second group observed the cycles in nature- from decomposing/dead natural objects, to living, growing plants & trees.
The third group focused in on trees- their textures and designs.