By: Jeannette Pomeroy Parssi
It’s hard to believe that my residency here at Ignite Studio is more than halfway finished! I have made so many great memories already, and I look forward to seeing what the rest of my time here will bring.
We kicked things off with an opening reception, generously sponsored by The Friends of the Hamilton East Public Library, a non-profit organization that supports the library through fundraising and advocacy. We had a wonderful assortment of food and light refreshments, which were enjoyed by the dozens of people who stopped by to visit.
During the reception, visitors learned how to make a mandala, an ancient Sanskrit word meaning “circle,” and some beautiful work was created for a temporary installation in the maker space. We have them hanging from the ceiling now, and they look great!
March and the first half of April have been filled with fun and interesting art projects, which Ignite has made available to the community at no charge. We have journeyed around the world in art, with stops in the Western Desert Region of Australia, where we explored and emulated the Dot Paintings of the Aboriginal people; and spent time in Kenya and Tanzania learning about the Maasai culture and its fascinating Bead Art.
We also honored the late, great artist Wasilly Kandinski, with a “Watercolors Musical Chairs” activity that had everyone smiling, painting and tapping their feet to the music. Some of the artists who took part were kind enough to leave their creations behind, and we have displayed them on a big board in the maker space. Be sure to drop by to see them. They truly are one-of-a-kind. Kandinsky would be proud!
Our “You-Me” blind contour activity took people outside there comfort zones, which is a good thing, and in the end we saw some really cool works of art, reminiscent of Picasso himself. It was Picasso who once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up,” and this exercise brought out the young artist in all who participated – moms, dads, and kids alike.
Coming up in the second half of April, we’ll travel to Namibia to learn about the Bushmen and their Egg Shell Art, and we’ll create some eggshell art of our own. We’ll close out the month of April with an in-depth workshop on the art of oil painting.
Visit the library’s calendar for a look at all upcoming events, in the maker space and the library in general. NOTE: some activities in the Ignite space require registration and have limited class sizes, so be sure to take a look.
Thanks to everyone who has stopped by to chat while I paint. It’s always good to meet people who are interested in what I’m doing. If my door is open, no need to knock. Just come on in!
I’ll see you at the studio,
Jeannette
