Monday, February 25, 2013

day 390 : Collage-A-Day Traveling Roadshow collaborates with the Young Stracke All-Stars

Guess who's suddenly an art teacher? 
Much to my delight, I was invited to meet with The Young Stracke All-Stars on Sunday to lead a workshop involving collage. The YSA's are a group of motivated and dedicated 9-13 year old musicians led by motivated and dedicated teacher and musician, Jason McInnes. 
To get the creativity flowing from the get go, I brought along the collaborative collage that has graced the walls of the c-a-d 6 month and 12 month celebrations. The YSA's dove right in a-cuttin' and a-pastin'.




The YSA's alternately engaged in collagery, and, under Jason's gentle and empowering guidance, moved chairs, set up tables, and generally took ownership of the gathering.


We came together around the table. Each participant showed bravery, leadership, and support by rating their day from 1-10, describing why s/he chose that number, choosing the next speaker, and listening. Then I led a brief meditation on "Your Unique Creativity". We each got to make a collage based on the experience. The All-stars' task was to decorate folders for keeping their music and papers organized. Here is the gang at play.
We cleaned up, displayed our work, and took a walk around the table to view each piece. We had a few minutes to share our experience and talk about our work. I forgot to photograph the finished pieces! But here is a scan of "my unique creativity". One word that came up to describe my creativity during my visualization was "dynamic".
And here is the on-going collaborative collage in it's latest incarnation. There is scarcely room to add on to it.
Finally, I like to have participants list adjectives to describe their states of being as they contribute to the collaborative collage. The Young Stracke All-Stars described their states of being thusly: excited, happy, attentive, sugary, thirsty.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

day 389

hello number 14. Her power collaborates with our own to create that which is radiant, sparkling, blossoming, emergent, earthy, and enduring.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

The one and only felt collage-making kit

Today is my beloved's birthday. For each of my c-a-d parties my darling one installed an interactive sound collage using computer applications designed by Brian Eno. You see a shape, pull it onto the screen and that alters both the visual landscape and the sound loops. Last night I devised a special gift inspired by Eno's interactive sound apps: an oversized interactive collage. There is no sound involved, but there are a variety of pre-cut shapes to put on the blank background in ever-changing combinations.


I choose colors that match his office space because his work area could use a little decor. I see this simple game as an invitation for my betrothed and his workmates to step out of effort and into creative and collaborative play for a moment or two.

Below you see the natal celebrant facing the blank canvas for the first time.


And finally, the first collaborative work of play by T & G.
All in all, it was a nice way to start the day.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

day 388

Hello number 13. There is a rebirth that happens. When she emerges, renewed, and the old machinery falls away, a grand new space of life and growth opens up before her, before us all.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Collage-A-Day at Other Brother

Excerpts from Collage-A-Day travel to the Other Brother coffee shop! The Other Brother is on Chicago Ave. in Evanston. The folks there are quite kind and helpful, the coffee is very good, and they have donuts from Bennison's. This show displays two collages from each month of the year-long project and there are prints for sale behind the counter. I like how tidy and organized everything looks. A fair amount of sweat and concern were involved. The show will be up 'til I don't know when...end of February? Beginning of March? Just a short while at any rate, come have a look-see.

Monday, February 4, 2013

day 387

Today's collage is not a hello from the Divine Mother. But it is a little something I whipped up in preparation for hanging a new c-a-d show at The Other Brother coffee shop in Evanston. The show is not up yet, but I'll keep you informed so you can swing on by and take a gander. I do still have a show up at The Grind in Chicago if you are jonesing for some collagery and coffee.