The talented kids from summer 2011 clay classes at Chetolah Pottery Studio. Amazing talent! Can't wait for this friday with a whole new bunch of young creators.

A few weekends ago I built this lake out of old plywood to bring to 11th annual Children's Festival in Minett.  This event featured hands-on arts workshops, performances by youth and professional artists, clowns, buskers, storytelling, face painting, etc. It was held under the Big Top at Minett Landing, beside Wallace Marina.  I participated in this event 2 summers ago and thought it was so fun I needed to return.  Kids sculpted things you might find in & around our lakes and left them for a collaberative project to be put on display later at Muskoka Place Gallery.  What a great way to kick off the summer! 

THURSDAY  1 - 4      Paint your own piece of Tara's pottery. Show up and choose from a variety of pieces including cups, bowls & plates.  Lots of inspiration is provided.
Ages 14 + Up

FRIDAY 10 - 12    Every week is a unique handbuilding project.
Ages 6 - 13

SATURDAY  10 - 12      Paint your own piece of Tara's pottery.
Ages 6 - 13

Contact Tara for more information about prices & private group offers.

This spring I got to work with some amazingly talented grade 7 split classes to create a project inspired by 'Images of Muskoka's Past'.  We went on a walking tour of parts of Gravenhurst including the Grace & Speed Boat Museum. Learning photography & photoshop skills and capturing images of Gravenhurst's history we then created clay relief sculptural tiles. Kaleidoscope organized funding and coordinated the artists, the teachers at GPS and the students themselves. As always....I learned lots & had a great time.  A more detailed documentation of the project is posted on the Kaleidoscope Arts in Education Programs website. What a great thing to be able to bring more art into the classrooms!    You can also check out an article in the local paper about the event here.

This is just a small example of the wildly creative pots being made by kids I've had the good fortune to hang out with this fall. I spent time in some schools in Toronto with grade 2's & 4's earlier this October.  Lots of fun and lots of learning for me and the kids. This experience also got me excited about all the fun to be had next summer with clay classes at the fresh air studio here in Dorset.