Saturday, February 16, 2013

Workshop, Voice and Faces of Plainsboro

Today,after much planning and organizing, I taught the Voices and Faces of Plainsboro art journal workshop,and it went off well, participants very bravely trying everything I suggested, creating their own xbook then designing the contents to reflect their own lives and their part in the town. It was a long time in the creating, my idea being that participants make a book, which will then be shown with all the other books, quilt style, on a backing, so that they are seen as individuals and as part of the community.




Materials, some of them, ready for action! not shown are the tables of other items, papers, maps, stamps, handmade papers.


Participants getting ready to work, excited!





Most people needed to take home the book to finish, this being a lot to complete in one session of two and a bit hours also a lot for their artistic stamina  to handle, most of them not being artists.  And, as always in this sort of community workshop, new connections were made, as people found they knew each other, or had mutual friends, some caught up after years of not seeing one another, one person commented that she'd seen another acquaintance on Antiques Roadshow recently! this is really one of the values of this kind of undertaking, this one funded by the county Cultural and Heritage Commission.   The culture of the township is changed and improved, and this is a Good Thing.   Old friendship renewed, new friendships started.

This is a significant day for me, too, since it would have marked my Golden wedding anniversary, if Handsome Partner had not left us a bit early. When we planned the date, I mentioned that, and Donna S.,the organizer worried in case that would not be a good date, but I decided it would be an excellent time to be busy all day, occupied in my work, and getting on with my own life.

And as the participants worked, I noticed one who was thrilled with the bag of stamps from a collection, which she was selecting for her own use to reflect her travels. And I realized she was getting such a charge out of the collection of Handsome Partner's stamps I had donated to the library after his death, for use as art materials. She closed that circle for me very elegantly. And I think Handsome Partner would have been happy,too.



Donna S. sent me home with a bouquet, however! and one of these days, I'll make my own xbook, to join the collection, and I expect today will feature in it.

4 comments:

  1. This looks like it was a wonderful day. What a special way to remember your Handsome Partner and pass on art through him too, and a suitable commemoration of 50 years and so many happy memories. It's a brilliant community and artistic idea as a project, too, and how lucky those participants were to pass through your lovely facilitating hands, Boud :)

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  2. Lovely flowers and it looks like a great day would have been had by all.

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  3. sounds like a good day was had by al. I so admire the talents of others who can work in this way, I can do nothing without a needle.
    So brave to hold the class on such a special day but as you say it was good for you and wow those flowers given to you are a lovely reminder of a time with friends new and old.

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  4. Looks like a fun workshop and I'm spotting some gorgeious papers too!

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