Chihuly Tower Workshop

Here's a few pics from the workshop this past weekend at the San Antonio Public Library. I almost forgot to take any, so these are from the last hour, after most of the hoards had departed!

The circles are clear plastic plates collaged with tissue paper and gel layers. When dry, the tissue can be peeled off and becomes a transluscent light catcher. We also painted "sea form" underwater murals (inspired by Chihuly's work and photos of jellyfish, sharks etc.) and made lookers (that's what's around the girls' necks below) with insulation tubes and sparkles and colored cellophane. And had Chihuly's Hot Shop video running, too. 

 

Chihuly Tower Artarama

The Chihuly Fiesta Tower is back after being un-installed for library renovations at the Central Library in San Antonio. We're putting on a little mini-version of the citywide celebration that led up to the tower's installation. If you'd like to participate (or volunteer helping kids make some color, shape and light-related art -- no glass-blowing possible here!) please just show up -- or drop me a line on the contact form. Hope to see you there. 

Welcome back, Fiesta Tower!

 In October 2009, Dale Chihuly’s colorful glass sculpture, Fiesta Tower, was disassembled from its display location in the Central Library and placed in secure storage during roof work and replacement of the Central Library’s skylights located directly over the tower.

Now the Fiesta Tower has been reinstalled and the Central Library’s second-floor atrium will shortly reopen. To celebrate the Fiesta Tower’s homecoming, the San Antonio Public Library will host a family craft event from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 23, in the second-floor atrium at the Central Library, 600 Soledad.

During the come-and-go event, local artist Susie Monday will guide participants in creating their own Chihuly-style works of art. The event is free and open to the public. One hour of free parking is available in the library parking garage with validated ticket.

A gift of the Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts through a grant to the San Antonio Public Library Foundation, the Fiesta Tower was originally installed in the Central Library in 2003 as part of the celebration of the San Antonio Public Library’s 100^th anniversary.

Think Like a Pro

 

Skip this one (too) if you are just interested in my fiber art work. I'm on location in Connecticut working with 7-9 year olds on creative projects. Here's a link to our BREAKFAST PROJECT.

And here (I hope) is a link to our movie: "Lost in Tiger Swamp"

http://vimeo.com/13775394

Lost at Tiger Swamp from Susie Monday on Vimeo.

Lost at Tiger Swamp from Susie Monday on Vimeo.

Scale and Kids

Nothing like a creative project with kids to keep you on your toes. I've been hacking my way around imovie putting some of their collaborative work together. If I figure out how to do so, I'll post the results on the blog somehow! This big project involves these 7 to 9 year olds in some projects that give them the experience of seeing their ideas become part of something larger than they could do alone -- and also puts adults in the picture as the facilitators and technical experts to help their ideas grow into projects that might -- at the moment -- be beyond the abilities of the kids to do on their own.

Why is this important? It looks like the grownups are doing all or most of the work -- but what happens is that with the kids in the driving seat --and as the initiators of the ideas -- they get to really experience the aha of seeing something little grow into something bigger than life. This kind of powerful experience early in one's creative life can be what makes that creative path worth the obstacles ahead. At least that's how it worked for me!

And the cool thing is, the kids really do feel ownership! It's "their" work, even if the matt knives have been in the grownups' hands; even if the movie editing was mostly done by me in the wee hours after the kids went home.

"Think Like a Pro" is the name of this new program, and part of the aim, too, is to help kids see how different professionals approach creative work. The program is also a trial run on what we hope will be the  next chapter for our soon to be launched afterschool curriculum in Dallas with Big Thought. Now, the challenge is how to scale it up -- how to train others to take on the commitment to making kids' ideas shine.