Because Kids Need Fibre Too!

Last night I met with a group of artists who are being hired by the Children's Discovery Museum thanks to a grant from the SaskArts Board - me being one of them!  This is so awesome!  Later this year, the Children's Discovery Museum will be hosting a program called 'Young at Art'.  Nearly every Saturday from September to the end of November there will be Artist-led workshops for kids aged 5 to 10.  The Saturdays will alternate with contracted artists and CDM staff.

There will be sculpture, mixed media, face painting, collage, pastels, watercolour... and would you believe that almost half of the artists are fibre artists!?   Each happen to be Craft Council Members as well.  That's pretty cool!  Heike Fink of Feltastic Fibre (linked) will be doing a children's wet Felting project.  Allison Brandt of Who New Creations (linked) will be doing puppets - she makes fantastic puppet theatres.  I will have the kids create an art banner (like the traditional Prayer Flags) to display at the museum.  Each child will hand stitch their own flag & embellish it with their hopes and dreams.  I'll also have an interactive 'yarn bombing' project in the room.  FUN.  I really look forward to this!  It's such a great opportunity.

an idea of what the banner will involve but on a much larger scale

The CDM is still sorting out some details and then later when they have a formal invitation / event poster, I'll let you know more including the entire line up of artists and activities.  I think kids will need to be pre-registered but spaces are not up for grabs quite yet.  There will be about 100 spots each art day (split into five 1hr long activity times that can accomodate a maximum of 20 kids).

...that means I need to put together one hundred kits.  : )

If you didn't know, the Children's Discovery Museum in Saskatoon is fairly new.  We haven't had anything like a science centre here.  Our version was started out in a van as a mobile interactive children's display.  For the past several years, they have been in a space at Market Mall where they have lots of educational and interactive areas.  They have HUGE dreams, and are on the preferred list to be considered as the new tenants of The Mendel Art Gallery space (linked to brief news article).  Our beloved Mendel - everyone is so sad that it will come to an end as the art space moves to the new Remai Gallery a little further up the river bank.  Still, if anything is to move in to the Mendel space, I'm excited that it will be filled with children, art, science, and discovery.  It will remain a buzz of activity.  The Conservatory will stay, and the children have the new Kinsmen amusement park being built right across the road in City Park.  It's down right perfect - free splash park and paddling pool too!

It's all good.