Wendy Rosen on tue 5 may 98
To All,
I once attended a workshop with Paulus Berensohn author of "Finding One's
> Way With Clay", I am working with a Baltimore clay program for at-risk youth
sponsored by the Holt Center for the Arts. Can anyone tell me anything
about some
easy projects to do with young people that will help them come out of their
shells and talk about their feelings and the art they will make?
Thanks
Wendy
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Wendy Rosen
The Rosen Group
Niche & AmericanStyle Magazines
http://americanstyle.com
The Buyers Markets of American Craft
http://www.rosengrp.com
http://www.americancraft.com
3000 Chestnut Ave #304 Baltimore, MD 21211
Voice: 410/889-3093 Fax: 410/243-7089
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wehrman on wed 6 may 98
Wendy-
I have been teaching "College for Kids" every summer for the last 8
years. These are my favourite projects for kids:
Project 1 - Make a container for your favourite food. Make it so that it
will be the perfect container for that food and perhaps fit only that food.
The kids never fail to surprise me with their ingenuity and it gives them a
chance to think and talk about something they like.
Project 2 - Make a protrait of one of your family members as an appliance.
If your mother, father sister brother or pet was an appliance, what would
they look like? Really a wonderful exercise - they choose either to face or
remake their reality.
Project 3 - Self-portrait as a super hero. What powers would you have and
what would you do to make the world a better, safer place? I've always
found self-protraits, regardless of the age of the student, to be very
theraputic.
I design new courses for each year, but returning students insist on
doing these projects every year.
Pat Wehrman
dlpg.com
Cynthia Spencer on wed 6 may 98
>easy projects to do with young people that will help them come out of their
>shells and talk about their feelings and the art they will make?
Some "icebreakers" I use in classes and workshops:
These are all best done with no talking. As soon as one person expresses
doubt in ability to do project, others will start to whine, too.
Have people TRY to make an ugly pot. Give everyone only one-two minutes.
Afterwards point out something interesting in each pot, that makes the
pot NOT ugly, but expressive.
Feely bags. Paper bags filled with objects, some easily identified by
touching, others not so easily identified. Allow people to reach in and
feel items briefly without looking inside, and then give them two minutes
to make piece out of clay. Pass bags around and do three times.
Animals/emotions. Have numerous pieces of paper with animal names (lions,
tigers, dog, cat). Without telling what types of things are written on
the paper, have people pick a piece of paper, and make the thing they
get. After a couple of animals, pass out the emotions (anger, fear, joy,
love). Afterwards have people guess what others made out of clay.
It's always nice to give folks time to just play with clay after the
exercises, as some will have some things they wish to make. On the flip
side, it's a good idea to NOT give out clay before the icebreakers, as
some will take to it immediately, and this tends to intimidate others who
are not so eager to work with clay.
Good luck. Cynthia Spencer
MommyHome on wed 6 may 98
I used to work with teens in a State Hospital, and in a Community Mental
Health Center. Clay is a great medium for working with them as it helps them
get out their agressions in a constructive way. We let them literally throw
the clay against a wooden backboard attached to the wall. It was good for
getting the bubbles out too. For the less agressive, they cound pound and
wedge clay into a block like we might do. Then let them make something -
anything. Don't tell them what to make. I found that with little direction
and a lot of patience they do start to come out with things that you can
gently discuss. As long as you are not prying while they create it will be
from them. Like tell them to imagine they are adults now ans they are
sculptors. Show them some photos of different types of sculpture so they
don't think everything has to look like Michaelangelo's David. Give them lots
of room with the clay.
Now if you have very depressed teens, you might give them a little more
direction. Even start very simple with things like a pinch pot or a cup from
coils, but encourage them to go beyond the simple forms.
Hope this helps.
Michele
Brad S. Reitz on wed 6 may 98
Wendy,
A great project for this is to have the kids make a family "shield" out of
clay like the ones in the medieval times. You divide it into sections and
use relief, drawing, or additional clay to represent elements of one's
life. Obviously, the opportunity for discussion is great. You can use
variations of three dimensional sculptures to depict other representations
of kids' lives, too. It works.
Clayphil on wed 6 may 98
Wendy,
My background is in Art Therapy. The professional literature from that field
might be useful. In my experience using a wide variety of art media with at
risk populations, the quality of the relationship one develops with their
clients is much more important that any specific medium, task, or technique.
If a person is dependable, straightforward, understanding, and willing to set
limits when needed, that's half the battle. The kids will find all kinds of
things to do with clay. Keep it simple until you gauge the ability level of
your group. Often these populations have not had a lot of exposure to the
arts and not alot of success experiences. You have to establish a foundation
first. The arts and especially clay can be really useful in engaging kids in
constructiveactivities and constructive relationships. Phil Schroeder in
Chicago
- Fran Narfshe on thu 14 may 98
Hi Wendy.
Potters wheel is my answer. I teach pottery Hands On. I center the
clay for kids, then with left hand and the kids right , we thow a pot.
It works.
Fran
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