our first workshop was lots of fun, filled with self-discovery and some zaniness (kozhin & lucca utilizing their foreheads as instruments for example).

drumming participants were melanie & kozhin, kristen & lucca, skye, and adobe. 

this was an interesting mix of people and worked out quite well.  the birimbau (the instrument kozhin is shown playing) turned out to be a favorite among the children.  basic hand-drumming techniques were covered using the djembes & congas, we did lots of guided improvisation with everyone taking turns soloing, and melanie & kristen began learning an intricate traditional rhythm called mozambique - one of my personal favorites.

art participants were katie, kozhin, melissa with sim & ware, skye, and adobe. 

the 1st week, we worked with some drawing techniques to loosen up & learn new ways of looking & seeing.  students worked with ball point pen to create very quick gesture drawings of one another in different positions, taking turns as the model.  then we used pencil & oil pastel to create unconventional portraits of one another using techniques called blind contour and partial blind contour - small versions, and then a larger one which the students painted with watercolor.  the 2nd week, we looked at the work of romare bearden, discussed different collage techniques, and talked about background and foreground in a composition.  after different watercolor techniques were demonstrated, students created a background wash on watercolor paper and then selected images to use in their collage.  they planned out their composition before gluing everything down.  the 3rd week, students were asked to tie their composition together a bit more, make connections, and emphasize background and foreground, by adding more collage imagery, drawing and painting.  the results were fabulous.

join us for the next round!