Stored away

New sign direction

I really connected with these collaged metal pieces made by Fabio Zanino. Reconstructed out of existing signage, they really make great use of the bold lettering and rusting surface. Check more of his work at http://www.zanino.com/index.html

Teaching artists at KQED

Recently I worked with Megan Simmons of ISKME, facilitating at the KQED Media in the Classroom: Performing Arts workshop. It was very exciting to be with 18 teaching artists from around the Bay Area. These artists inspire others at a variety of venues including: a children’s museum, in the public and charter schools, through organizations, as individuals going into schools, and in communities. The professional training was provided free of charge.

Telling an ancestor’s story

Telling a story about an ancestor can be a gift to oneself and to one’s family. It is powerful to have your stories heard. It is a great community building experience too, because it allows others to think about their own ancestors and stories.

Here is how Lisa Petrides and I created “Grandmothers from far lands” together.

Capturing the memories

We did a meditation to ask our grandmothers what they wanted conveyed in our storytelling. Then we both took some individual time to write down some of the things we remembered about our grandmothers. We thought about their history, things we liked about them, some hardships, our relationship with these women.

Collaborating – the similarities and contrasts

We got together and shared these stories and discovered that there were similar veins, for example, both our grandmothers had arranged marriages. It was through these marriages that they came to America. We also began to notice how different their lives were in America. Lisa’s grandmother lived in a city and my grandmother lived in a houseboat. Culturally their temperaments and styles were also a contrast we worked with.

Following the flow

We used the time line as the flow of the story. We started in their native countries and traveled over the ocean to America. We walked, following the shape of an infinity sign, to tell about the long ship journey. We brought in props which anchored their stories and clued viewers into where they were and what they were doing. As we took turns speaking, the other person swept the floor behind them. Lisa spoke in her grandmother’s voice as she washed dishes, and I was my grandmother as she washed the rice.

Practicing in the space

If at all possible practice in the space you will be performing in. This allows you to be more familiar with the sound level, lighting, seating, etc. If that isn’t possible, envision the space as you practice elsewhere.

Invite critiques

Before two shows we invited some folks in to critique our performance. We got some great feedback about background music and adding movement. We were able to make some changes which improved the show.

Promote

We did some advertising and promotion through the local newspapers, email, postcards, and posters. After doing all that preparation, it is nice to have an audience! Of course that all took some advance planning since the pr had to be out almost a month ahead of time.

Performing it

On the day of the performance try to take it easy so you will be at your best. We passed out brief programs so the audience could have something to read and follow what we were doing. We did a little introduction and then went into the 15 minute performance. At the end we invited the audience to participate by standing and speaking their own grandmother’s name and many did so.

Allow for transformation

Lisa and I have changed the performance each time we have done it. Sometimes it depended on the venue. We have told our grandmothers’ stories in an art gallery, a senior center, and at a yoga center. It is important to keep in mind who you are telling the story to. For example if I were to do it for seniors again, I would invite them to have a sharing session afterwards so they could share their own tales.

Sometimes the stories change themselves, revealing more memories to incorporate in the performance. Sometimes we change in the way we want to speak. Allow for fun, change, and mystery that evolves with memories and storytelling.

Suggested educational uses

Provide your students with a list of questions and possible ancestor they can research. Have them bring in photographs and stories they have gathered. The students will break into groups based on which ancestors they selected. They will meet and discuss similarities and contrasts. Have them write up a 15 minute script and practice their performance. Document their presentations using video and photography.

There are many overlapping tie-ins:

• history
• theater
• social studies
• language
• culture
• arts

Cute as a button house

This is a great place! Right up my alley. I especially like the mobile aspect.

My mother’s gifts

As some of you know my mother, Doris Shintani, left this earth on August 13, 2009. She had Alzheimer’s disease for about 12 years leading up to her death. Recently I spoke about the many gifts she gave me at a community memorial and at the United Methodist Church in Lodi.

As a healing and an honoring of her, I decided to make art around these gifts.

The first small piece I made was a red chair drawn and sewn on to a piece of birch bark. I wove the red thread hanging from the chair into a braid and at the end of this I tied a red envelop. Inside the envelop I placed 3 needles. I wanted to convey my sadness and the empty place in my heart. And I wanted to convey the gift she gave me – the ability to always create my path and to stand on my own two feet.

The other piece I am working on is a real meditation. When I was going through my mother’s photos I found the pictures of her

classes. She taught first through fourth grades. I thought about those 23 years she had been a teacher. She was very dedicated to her students. My mother had touched so many of their lives. Some students even sent her letters through the years. I decided to make a bead of each student’s face and to string them together. I have made about 150 beads and have 500 more to go. The core of each bead is made of joss paper which is used for funeral rituals. The art making has helped me through my grief. I made beads sitting in waiting rooms during my father’s surgeries. I made more beads on plane trips. I continue to make beads in my studio. They are keeping me connected to the impact my mother had on my life and on the lives of others. The gift to make a passionate difference in others lives is a gift I want to keep giving.

Introducing The Purpose Prize, winners 50-70+ years old

Unwilling to stuff envelopes or go off quietly to the sidelines, thousands of innovators in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond are combining their creativity and experience to address big social problems. These change-makers are taking matters into their own hands and fashioning a new vision of the second half of life, one in which the expertise and talent of a lifetime is refocused on finding solutions to challenges in our communities, our country, and the world.

The Purpose Prize, now in its fourth year, provides five $100,000 and five $50,000 awards to social innovators over 60 in encore careers. It is the nation’s only large-scale investment in social innovators in the second half of life. Rather than a lifetime achievement award, however, The Purpose Prize is a down payment on what these 60-plus innovators will do next. Read more by clicking here.

Organizing for creativity is a different kind of order

I’m not ashamed to admit it, I hired an organizer. Sometimes I think it is just best to get some one to help me do a job I haven’t been able to tackle.

The professional I brought is a local coastside gal named Jeri Dansky. I met her through twitter believe it or not! Jeri is a pleasure to work with. She never made me feel like a bad girl who hadn’t cleaned her room.

On her first visit she walked around my art studio with a thoughtful look on her face, not saying a word. I followed behind her jabbering about why this area was a mess and why that was on the floor, etc. She stopped and turned to me and asked, “Do you like to have your stuff out?” I kinda thought it was obvious by the different piles I had. But what really surprised me next was when she said, “because we can organize things to be out so they can give you inspiration.” This was a totally new concept for me! Then I remembered going on tour through a Reggio Emilio preschool room. They believed in having materials out for kids to interact with throughout the day. They felt having access to art stuff allowed kids to incorporate art into their everyday life. I was in love with this idea!

What we did to organize things to be ‘out’ was to put like things together in open plastic boxes. My categories so far are: natural materials, ribbons and strings, different papers, found stuff, collage materials, seashells, metal things. We threw away a lot of stuff that was just junk and made a pile to shred. We went through 5 big shelves.

In a big heavy cardboard box on a top shelf I found my POPAI (Point of Purchase Advertising International) Indians, all eight of them. After looking at the awards and talking about what I could do with the mini statues, I decided to put them on display on my bookshelf. Why you may ask. Well because they represented the best part of my hi tech merchandising career, the recognition by the industry of great store design, innovative merchandising, and hard work. The awards also remind me of how these skills can be helpful in my new interest in pursuing public art opportunities. Now looking at them I wondered why I had hidden them away.

Well I have much more to do, but I’m actually looking forward to organizing now!

Here’s Jeri Dansky’s info, and she loves working with artists.

www.jdorganizer.com/

http://jdorganizer.blogspot.com/

Artful Abode Art Show for Drs Without Borders, reception 11/7

“We had such a wonderful turn out for the Second Doctors Without Borders Silent Art Auction we just have to do it again. The event is getting a reputation for the terrific art and the well attended reception.” said Judy Shintani, artist and organizer of the event.

The show will be exhibited at M Coffee, November 2 – 30, with the reception on November 7, 6-8pm. There will be a silent art auction, refreshments, and live music. Silent auction bids can be placed until November 29.

Judy feels that M Coffee in downtown Half Moon Bay is an ideal location for this show because they have a loyal clientele as well as tourists that come in throughout the day who may want to help out Doctors Without Borders and see some great art.

Doctors Without Borders is an independent international medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from health care in more than 70 countries. “I think it is important that they are not affiliated with any specific country so they are not restricted by political issues when they do their work,” said Shintani. Last year the event had 16 artists and donated over $1,300 and this year Shintani is aiming for $1,500 for the Doctors’ organization.

The theme of “home” is being interpreted in many different ways by the artists. For example, Nancy Margulies watercolor reflects the idea that “home is where the art is”. Susana van Bezooijen expresses the idea of loss for many immigrants with her clay figure. John Donohue is carving a redwood altar which celebrates the goddesses of the hearth and artist Carrie Hollister is contributing a miniature fabric quilt.

“Part of my intention in curating this show, is for the artists to engage in art making during the month prior to the opening. It is powerful to have a group of us generating and engaging in the theme together,” says Shintani.

The artists committed to making new art for the show. Those exhibiting are: Carole Brehm, Rashid Bousellam, Kathy Bristol, Mauro Dinucci, John Donohue, Susan Friedman, Carrie Hollister, Clifford Hunt, Leslie Hunt, Judy Johnson-Williams, Richard Kirchner, Margaret Lindsey, Nancy Margulies, Pamela Martin Noyes, Deborah Penrose, Lisa Petrides, Randall Reid, Judy Shintani, Susana van Bezooijen.

There will be a wide variety of art including painting, photography, jewelry, and sculpture on display and available for purchase for a great cause.

Now floating wind turbines

I just read this interesting post:

The energy company Statoil has begun operation of the first full-size Hywind floating wind turbine at a location 10 kilometers off the Norwegian coast. What is remarkable about this turbine is that is is floating in the water, rather than being rigidly attached to the ocean floor.

Click here to read more: http://ecogeek.org/component/content/article/2952