small worlds two

small worlds

is a pita-pata gathering

in autumn and winter

in the natural playscape

at the Creswick Neighbourhood Centre

lead artists

rebecca russell

ken evans

small worlds two

we created creatures and decorations 

for the tree trunk

one day we want to cover 

all the trees

and 

all the walls

and 

all the logs

with creatures and decorations

like Kusama covers with dots

the berries are hawthorn berries

they are everywhere here

growing on the side of the road

Yonke showed them to me

they don't lose their colour

the creatures have such personality

they seem to be 

characters in search of an author

the creatures, creators 

and other creations 

spread beyond the tree trunk

and my prediction has proved totally incorrect

the parents and children who have begun creating together 

have consistently continued to create

with a break for food

for nearly two hours

they work side by side

they work independently together

they continue to share

chat and fossick together

it's beautiful to see

pita-pata

it seems we have a resident possum

he or she

hard to tell 

made a dash across the garden

then appeared in our tree

with a friend

some more pictures from 

the gathering

looking forward to the final gathering in this series

Friday 22nd June 2012

10.00-12.00

Creswick Neighbourhood Centre

scribble cat

inspired by william kentridge

jude 4

and 

rebecca mama

played 

DRAW ADD*

we drew

scribble cat

scribble dog 

and 

scribble dingo

*DRAW ADD

a game jude and i 'invented'

and 

jude named

where someone begins a drawing

and the other adds to it

we take it in turns until it's done

rules:

NO looking while the other person is drawing!

more on scribble cat

i went to the gallery

and

inspired by William Kentridge

i thought about

creating with jude

we will draw

WILLIAM KENTRIDGE

scribble cats

together

charcoal black

a different black

on sheets of

black and white

news print

stuck together

jude loves working with

different blacks

he called them that

--------------------------------------------

sometime later...

i showed him scribble cat

we both liked 

william kentridge

we looked at his lines

and

what he drew on

we made paper

we looked at 

scribble cat

again

we looked at charcoal

then we played

DRAW ADD*

we drew

scribble cat

scribble dog 

and 

scribble dingo

*DRAW ADD

a game jude and i 'invented'

where someone begins a drawing

and the other adds to it

we take it in turns until it's done

rules:

NO looking while the other person is drawing!

small worlds one

the sun was shining
the ground was damp
the leaves are still crunchy

we had perfect weather for building small things
it was warm enough - or not cold enough
to enjoy sitting and making
with -
clay
gumnuts
acorns
sand
and sticks

parents
children
and
artists
creating together

pita-pata

the results...
heart warming


















































































































we learnt a lot too...

on any given day
some kids
are happy to sit with the detail
create small things
chat with their parents
and make side by side





































some kids
want to run
play with their old friends
and new friends
make up their own games

on any other day
it might be the same
it might be different

sometimes it's about age
sometimes it's about gender
sometimes it's just that day
sometimes it's a mystery


on this particular day
it was a group of four year olds boys
they wanted to run

they had fun

maybe we need
big worlds
and
small worlds
something to think about...

looking forward to the next gathering

Friday 1st June 2012

10.00-12.00

Creswick Neighbourhood Centre

small worlds
is a pita-pata gathering
in autumn
in the natural playscape
at the creswick neighbourhood centre

lead artists
rebecca russell
ken evans

SMALL WORLDS

introducing the inaugural 

pita-pata program

taking place in Creswick this winter.

after building the natural playscape and then spending half a year 

playing in it

observing what happens

how the kids play and interact with it

how the parents inhabit the space 

and how it changes with the seasons  

I'm now ready to begin experimenting with hosting more structured gatherings

the sessions will begin with parents and children making and creating together

with a few skills and techniques for building 

and some interesting materials

we will make around our giant log tables

in the sandpit

and around the trees

the kids will inevitably lose interest in the detail

they will wander off and play elsewhere in the playscape

the parents will keep making

(this is my prediction)

one of my favourite observations in the playscape has been 

how much adults love to make things with their hands 

in a non-threatening

playful environment

the kids seem to enjoy their parents making things too

after a while we will gather to have a look at was has been made

we will have something to eat together

then the children continue to play

while the parents have a chat

we'll see how this goes

looking forward to it

below is a flyer

with the text following because it's tricky to read on the flyer

CRESWICK NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

TERM 2 2012

In the Natural Playscape

Between the house and hall

Working with sticks, clay, miniature mud bricks, gumnuts and ideas.

Create small worlds of huts, stone walls, pathways and forests.

Over four sessions parents, children and artists will play with materials and ideas in the winter playscape.  Each session will respond to the weather and may even include a walk in the rain collecting sticks.  Dress weather prepared with raincoats and gumboots!  What fun!

Bring a dry change of clothes and finish the session in the cosy house with a cuppa.

Lead artist Rebecca Russell

Session 1: Friday 18^th May 10.00 - 12.00

Session 2: Friday 1^st June 10.00 - 12.00

Session 3: Friday 8^th June 10.00 - 12.00

Session 4: Friday 22^nd June 10.00 - 12.00

For pre-school children and parents

Cost: $5.00 per family