Residency- Talking Suitcases, Burnsville- Susan Armington- 4 Hrs
Last Monday Susan and I continued our work at the Ebenezer Care center in Burnsville. I was running a little late today, but made it in time to help Susan set up for our first session. We quickly loaded the cart and were on our way. The group started by discussing the boxes they started two weeks ago. Many of them remembered the stories and were excited to finish their boxes. This is the third week they worked on one specific favorite place, so many of the boxes were elaborately thought out. Some finished their box including a title and description of the scene. It has been really rewarding to see them finish their boxes.
Susan and I had our mini lunch conference to re-energize and discuss the workshop. We often speak about our own practice as well. I've learned a lot about how she juggles teaching artist responsibilities with her personal art projects. Afterwards we get set-up for our second session. This session was the same as the first; the group worked on their boxes from two weeks ago. Something amazing happened though. I met an interesting woman who didn't feel up for starting a box, but loved to share her cherished memories of a cabin in the woods. She visited it with her family every summer since she was a young girl. She brought her children when she was older. This cabin was place where she could go and get away from the city. I was enthralled to hear so many memories from a single location. Susan overheard the two of us talking and suggested that she start a box. To my surprise, the woman decided that she could start one, so we worked together for the rest of the session.
Our third session was a busy one. We had a couple new joiners who were ready to start their own boxes. I worked with a man from Chicago. He had a lively spirit and seemed happy to share a story with the group. His most memorable characteristic was an ability to listen. He respectfully engaged with the group as they described their box. I hope I'll see him next week. This was the most comfortable week so far. I feel more connected and capable of doing this work.
Residency- Talking Suitcases, Minneapolis and St. Paul- Susan Armington- 3 Hrs
I did't have class last Tuesday due to spring break, so I joined Susan for a couple different workshops. The first was at another Ebenezer Care center five minutes away from MCAD. Susan had already set-up in the basement. I helped her fold cardboard suitcases as she introduced me to the group. There were two workers that were really helpful during the workshop, which allowed me to work individually with someone. She had attended the workshop before, but we weren't sure if she had started a box. I helped her gather materials, but she did all the drawing, cutting, and glueing. Her personality was as colorful as her box. I was pleased to have chance to work with her. I'm sad I won't be able to attend this workshop since classes are starting back up.
The second workshop was held at The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Susan had been working with a group of honor students for some time now. They already made a series of small objects and were prompted to store them in their own suitcase. This session, they were all prompted to share their suitcases with the group. The structure of this session was very different from the ones at Ebenezer. They had in-depth prompts to reflect on with each handmade object or box. They were encouraged to share each story in a fluid manner. I was impressed with how well they adapted to the idea of fluidity through presentation. They shared their suitcase individually and walked around the room to present each object. Even though the class had already heard many of the stories, they learn new facts about their peers just by listening to them present. For me, all the content was new. I was grateful that they let me pop in, especially on presentation day. It was nice to see talking suitcases in a different light.
Residency- AVIVO, ArtWorks- Jes Reyes- 5 Hrs
Last Thursday I started my day in the ArtWorks studio by designing a flyer for my workshop in April. It took some time to fit all the information on one sheet. I included ten sign-up lines for members. Once it was printed, Jes put it by the other flyers. As I saw a couple members sign up, my heart raced. I felt excited, nervous, curious, unprepared, and prepared simultaneously. I talked with several members about the workshop through out the, which was reassuring. I'm happy that i'll be teaching in the ArtWorks studio. Over the course of the semester, I have connected with the group in ways I never imagined.
The Flyer.
The rest of the day went as usual. I talked with artists, met new people, and engaged with members as they continued working. Each session here leaves me with a sense of fulfillment and mindfulness. I won't deny that i'm nervous about the workshop, but I am also eager to be doing it at AVIVO. This is the right place for me to learn and grow. It has been wonderful to work with such supportive artists and I look forward to working with them more over the summer. I'm happy to announce that I spoke to Jes about interning in the studio and will be speaking with career services to confirm the placement.