My favorite class from last summer was the Tiny Toy Theatre one where these two stood out.

 

I had almost nothing to do with them except for some slight "problem solving" here and there.

                  

It was ring day at KBIA last Friday! and the pendant design  by Sophia, age  9, made me reassured about motor skills in the under 10's!!

 

 SUMMER AT KBIA !

It's coming right up and I have lots of jewelry and metal classes this year.

You can register at:

https://kbia.net/membership-registration/registration-and-required-forms/

Last month, I facilitated two classes for Acton Academy which were a lot of fun.

Jewelry making and pewter casting at the Kennebunkport Historical Society.

2nd Annual Spring Pollinator Festival!

 

The Bicyclist

I found this wooden part with the sweet little face when I was sorting out materials. I don't know if it was drawn by someone in the recent class or someone in an earlier class but I just had to give her a "life". Thank you unknown artist child. I hope you like our collaboration!

 

The Friends School Residency, March 15-17,2023

 What a wonderful three days I had with 13 students at the Friends School in Portland making Galimotos. These kinetic folk toys are made in Africa, especially Kenya, by children who use salvaged wire, cloth, and basic hand tools ingeniously to handmake models of bicyles and cars.

I decided to use 18 gauge wire in this class due to a number of very young children and a worry about their post covid hand strength. I also made new jigs for shaping the aluminum wire. Although the bikes were more fragile with the lighter wire, all the children were able to fabricate the basic parts.

They learned a simple manufacturing process for creating duplicate shapes of parts in the same size, how to use pliers and wire cutters, how to make a moving model, a brief history of bicycle design and facts about bicycle culture.  We also talked about how children worldwide make their own toys when they have few resources and how we have a wealth of materials in our own society waiting to be transformed into new items.

They were able to use their imaginations to create the riders for their bicycles, also with recycled material from a local business.  I was so thrilled to see their engagement, enthusiasm, creativity and curiosity. They problem solved and asked important questions! Great job kids!

Hashi

 So excited that Year 4 of the Hashi,Children's Maine/Japan Printmaking Exchange will be shipped to Japan this week!

I helped Lynda McCann Olson, President of Friends of Aomori https://maine-aomori.org/ , prep the prints from Maine school children for shipping yesterday and they are wonderful!

Watch for more news about this important exchange to come!

*Hashi is "Bridges" in Japanese.