Eco Artworks

Picturing the Forest- a community Mural

2011-08-23T18:30:00.002-04:00

Weeks State Park

2011-08-14T08:51:00.002-04:00

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of The Weeks Act, which created, among other preserved areas, The White Mountain National Forest. Yesterday was one of the "8 Days of Weeks events", this one held at Weeks State Park in Lancaster, NH. Working with visitors, I began this panel for a community mural project.

Peeks of Peaks

2011-08-06T07:22:00.001-04:00

Weather comes in
Moments of clarity
Moments of indecision
Moments of pure nothingness

Alive and Moving

2011-08-06T07:18:00.002-04:00

Walking on the ridge
Old movements, glacial remnants
New growth
Deep, hidden roots
Brave lichen
Surprisingly secure berries
Gravity challenging rocks
Constant change

Rhythm in Wild Growing

2011-08-03T19:24:00.000-04:00

2011-08-03T19:22:00.001-04:00

Digging into tundra,
elbow deep
cool below
spongey underfoot as I wander
between berries and moss

Memory Markers

2011-08-03T18:04:00.002-04:00

Heading up the trail on the ridge above Camp Denali.
Healing
Resting
Moving on
Turning a corner
Peace

Tundra Walk

2011-08-03T17:58:00.000-04:00

Towards Polychrome Pass

2011-08-03T17:56:00.000-04:00

Energy. Geology. Color

Denali Foothills

2011-08-03T17:52:00.002-04:00

Denali Park- an amazing overwhelming feast for the eyes. Keeping my focus on trails, I looked for lines and pathways through the landscape. Glacial carving provided plenty of opportunities.

Presence and Tidal Remnants

2011-08-01T18:22:00.002-04:00

Looking toward horizons, listening to waves meeting shore. The beach holds traces of history- tracks of previous visitors.

Scattering Ashes

2011-07-31T19:38:00.002-04:00

From July 10, 2011. A quiet day, calm water on Kachemack Bay in Alaska. We look towards Gull Island, listening to bird activity, watching for puffins among the gulls.
It happens before we organize it, their ashes slip into the quiet ripples, and they are finally home, at peace.
As we hold each other, we all feel the change.
The boat silently slips around the corner, and we let the sounds of life continuing back into our ears and our hearts. We feel lighter. We can rest now, we can move on, we can seek purpose on our own life paths.
We will not forget, we will keep them in our hearts, watching for them in the next room, but we can do that and smile and enjoy beautiful days.

Beginning to Move

2011-07-31T07:21:00.002-04:00

My trip to Alaska this summer gave me the place to explore with visual input which offered a focused and fresh "project" plan for art making.
This last year, I was on autopilot, overwhelmed emotionally, and was immobilized in my own artwork. I decided to use this summer to make myself move out of that non-productive state.
Using a quick and small format, giving myself the permission to throw out any pieces, I began the process of reawakening.

Inspiration for "Guardians"

2011-07-26T14:55:00.002-04:00

I was interested in these pilings- the way they seem to march into the bay. I think about the trail they make as a group, and the inevitable decay that ends in their complete integration with their landscape. Composting, collaboration, cycles of energy, life, death...

Guardians of the Trail

2011-07-26T08:06:00.002-04:00

Postcards from the Trail series

2011-07-23T21:35:00.003-04:00

I've been working on a new series of small postcard size works with the theme: Trail.
The word "trail" has significance for me- working outside on trails, it's one of the ways people find to move through landscapes. I use them as jumping off points, guidelines, gathering points, and more for teaching outside. More metaphorically, I think about the connected trails that are our lives and our choices, our communities.

A panel from recycled material mural

2011-07-03T16:12:00.002-04:00

Make Trash A Thing of the Past

2011-07-03T13:23:00.007-04:00

Images from 4 central panels :

Recycled Materials Mural

2011-07-03T13:11:00.003-04:00

At Gilmanton Elementary School, I worked with students to create a mural that celebrates and reinforces the amazing recycling work the school does. They have a terrific team that has reduced the amount of waste for the school by somethings like 40 %.
6th grade was the core group for this artist in residence project, brainstorming text and design ideas for the mural, and working on the the 4 large central images. Then each classroom group had a panel to design and finish during their 1 hour meeting with me. We focused on the one material that has posed a challenge to the recycling team: milk cartons. Though the cartons are recyclable, they have to undergo a specific process that is not readily available in New Hampshire.
The central 4 panels contain the core concept: "Make Trash a Thing of the Past".

An interior on-going ecoartwork

2011-07-03T12:43:00.003-04:00

So...over the past 3 years, I have been working with Moultonborough Elementary School's teachers and students on a painted mural project. The concept is to have students work together to illustrate what they learn about Moultonborough's natural landscape each year, while also addressing art curriculum areas. The students meet with me to brainstorm and plan their design, and we lay out the panel. Each year, the students add ingredients onto their panel, so that by their final (6th grade) year at MCS, their panel combines many ideas and details about the trees, animals, landforms, etc that make their local landscape unique.
Though the concepts for each grade can change if teachers want to explore different ideas in subsequent years, the plan currently looks like this:

Kindergarten and "Readiness": The life cycle of trees- identifying and drawing different trees that grow in the area, and what they look like from seed to sapling to mature tree and beyond.
First Grade: Insects- describing the parts of an insect, depicting several insects that live here, and applying the primary and secondary colors they are learning about in art class.
Second Grade: Clouds- this is a great link to a classroom unit that explores cirrus, cumulus, and stratus cloud forms, while also practicing mixing warm and cool colors.
Third Grade: Animal Habitats- this dovetails with the annual unit on endangered species, where students learn about what animals need to survive. We brainstorm what animals live locally and what their needs are, then selecting a few, students illustrate the animal and its habitat, placing it in the appropriate physical location on the panel.
Fourth Grade: Tracks and Trails- As 4th graders take field trips to specific local trails and terrains, this plan connects to their physical experience and to mapping skills.
Fifth Grade: The Earliest Settlers in Moultonborough- this plan has students applying what they've learned during their Plymouth Plantation study to what might have happened when the settlers arrived in Moultonborough. We think about the human habitat and how that fits in with the natural landscape.
Sixth Grade: Moultonborough Messages- In this culminating year, we ask the students to think about the various activities that people can enjoy in Moultonborough's landscape. The students work on ways to describe the possibilities with few words.

Reviving the blog!

2011-07-03T12:38:00.002-04:00

Wow, I have not used the blog format the way I had originally intended! Too busy with my teaching practice and generally managing an overflowing plate of activities....

But, since it takes too long and too much process to update my websites, this may well be the best way to post photos and ideas more frequently.

Elderhostel

2008-08-04T13:26:00.003-04:00

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

2008-05-20T06:58:00.002-04:00

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

2008-05-18T19:57:00.002-04:00

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

2008-05-18T19:39:00.002-04:00

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

2008-05-18T19:18:00.004-04:00

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

2008-05-18T18:12:00.003-04:00

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

2008-05-14T12:57:00.003-04:00

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.

Week of the Young Child

2008-05-14T10:28:00.005-04:00

I was lucky enough to be asked to work with several preschools, kindergartens, first and second grades during The Week of the Young Child-(thanks to The Arts Alliance of Northern NH) which was in April. I ended up visiting 11 sites! An amazingly busy week, but with wonderful moments and results.

In the images here, you will see different children engaging in my "Making Art With Nature" workshop. Each session began with a wonderful story I recommend, Once There was a Tree. Next we brainstormed animals and insects that might live right outside and shared some sample natural materials. Then we went outside where children created sculptures that would invite local inhabitants to visit.

The idea is simple: invite children and their teachers to engage with their immediate landscape.

Updating

2008-05-14T10:25:00.002-04:00

Wow! Can't believe it's been so long since I've posted images and ideas...I guess being busy has its drawbacks.
In the next series of posts, I will present recent images from programs and workshops.

Winter and Eco Art with Children

2008-01-17T14:08:00.000-05:00

Did you think it was too cold in the winter to make artworks outside? Not for this terrific and tough group of Montessori children!
Today's program was called "A Winter Circle", and here's what we did:

We began by sharing the book, "Once There was a Tree", that identifies many visitors to one space throughout the seasons, and concludes with the thought that nature is a shared space.
We brainstormed ideas for our local creature inhabitants. The children came up with all kinds, from spiders to squirrels to moose.

What if we created a special shared space outside? We looked at some ideas for natural materials that we could use to build a special space for local critters.

Then, we put on coats, boots, mittens, and went outside.
Students used the provided collection of natural materials to create a group circle sculpture in the snow.
As we worked, we noticed the materials, their textures, aromas, shapes. Could these ingredients be shelter or food or comfort or entertainment for creature visitors? We imagined what will happen to our sculpture when it snows more this winter and when the snow melts...

Project Comment

2007-11-28T16:03:00.000-05:00

This came in from art teacher, Dick Allen:
“Thanks again for leading this project. It was a new experience for the class and I think that the project stretched them a bit and forced them to think a little differently about the process of creating art. It also encouraged them to consider how making art is connected to some of the important issues we confront today. Thanks, Cynthia. It was a good experience for the kids and I think that it exposed them to some new ideas - both artistic ideas and ideas about environmental issues.”

Hypothesis and results

2007-11-28T10:29:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the process is the central artwork:
This group of high school students wanted to create a "Trash Tree". Their hypothesis was that there was lots of trash around their school, and they wanted to remind students to take charge of their garbage. The interesting result of their trash search, was that they found most trash was indeed deposited in garbage cans. So our statement turned from a negative to a positive: students reported to their school community, that their "Trash Tree" is not full of trash, and is a commentary that the school community is doing a pretty good job in being responsible for their trash.

What was wonderful about this series of workshops, was the collaborative process, which involved: brainstorming several artwork ideas, settling on one idea, planning the materials collection, planning the building, finding the site, determining the length of time for teh artwork to be up, working together to build the work, designing the text/accompanying statement, reporting the process to the community, documenting the process through photographs, and finally dismantling the work.

Inside work

2007-11-28T10:23:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we need to be inside. I had planned for one group to be outside, creating a trail with natural sculptures.....but it turned out to be two days of torrential rain! Plan B turned out fine- we converted the art classroom into a nature trail with sculptures made by several different groups winding around the room.

There are plenty of ideas we can explore inside.

In all weather

2007-11-28T10:17:00.000-05:00

The experience of nature is not just for warm sunny days! Even with a cold day and the wind blowing, a wonderful group of preschoolers create winter homes for local insects and animals. Then we moved inside to create a group story about our shelters and animals.

Natural Details

2007-11-28T10:15:00.000-05:00

Only a few steps into the woods, and these children were focusing in on the details, finding tiny creatures and sharing the wonder.

Natural Creativity and Collaboration

2007-11-28T10:06:00.000-05:00

"Ooooohhhh, do we HAVE to go outside?"
"It's cold on the ground."
"What's that spikey thing?"
"I want THAT bark!"
"See...here's where the fairy lies down, here's the door, here's her upstairs secret room..."
"See? We built one big place for us to share!"

Negatives and reticence so quickly move to engagement and excitement, and finally to pride.

Being invisible

2007-11-28T09:54:00.001-05:00

I have to say, that finding photos of me doing what I do is hard. I feel that the teaching and the artmaking I work on is about the students, the process, and the materials. I mostly try to melt into the background and let the experience instruct. I think of myself as a collaborator, partner, and at most, one of the guides in each student's educational experience.

Learning as I teach

2007-11-28T09:40:00.000-05:00

Digging for our natural clayworks

One of the things I enjoy most about being a teaching artist, is that, as I prepare for each group and each workshop, I have the opportunity to explore or re-explore topics and concepts that relate to my own artwork practice.
In developing the course content for this "Essential Expressions" class, I reconnected with the most basic artist roles and practices. The physical process of gathering materials, the psychological and philosophical process of delivering a message or image for a community, and the role of inspiring that community.

cave mural

Getting to know each group

2007-11-28T09:29:00.000-05:00

I learn so much in the first few minutes with each group. Not just about what age group they are in, but about HOW they work, and WHO they are. I'm a good listener, and I take advantage of that, being sensitive to each group's needs and skills. I adjust my plan on the fly constantly. This summer group was particularly tuned in to the aromas and textures of the natural materials I brought. Most of them live in a more urban setting, and were not familiar with different kinds of bark or the names of plants and animals, but they related to the smell of fresh cilantro and lemon basil, so we started from there. They learned so much, and worked together well building natural sculptures inside.

Collaborating with high school students

2007-11-28T08:09:00.000-05:00

What I enjoyed so much with this group I worked with in June 2007, was the project development. When we began the brainstorming for their group artwork, it was immediately apparent that they had lots of solid and ambitious ideas, and some quite different from what I expected. They took their chosen concept very seriously, and explored it from several angles.
The group developed a project based on water, with the goal of raising awareness about our water consumption and related packaging/marketing issues.
We ended up with a walk through experience, with informational signs along the way, leading to a hidden waterfall, made of plastic water bottles. This project was a great blend of research, writing, invention, and creativity.