FREE CHILDRENS' WORKSHOPS AT TRANSFORMER THIS MONTH!

Transformer is a Washington, DC based 501 (c) 3 non-profit, artist-centered organization that connects and promotes emerging artists locally, nationally, and internationally. I'm proud to have worked there for several years in the past coordinating exhibitions and programming, and can say with total honesty Transformer is a truly powerful springboard for emerging artists and emergent expression. Their mission is ambitious, and with a small (but very savvy!) staff, they accomplish more in a year than many larger organizations do in five. I've seen firsthand time and again how Transformer has improved the lives and careers of artists and art-lovers alike. They continually generate exciting and cutting edge programming and exhibitions that bring a fresh perspective to Washington, DC and beyond.  That said, if you don't already know Transformer, you SHOULD (get on it!), and if you have a kid in your life, this June is the perfect time to introduce yourself. 

Transformer recently secured a Sister Cities Grant from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and will be doing an artistic exchange with China ( !! ), traveling to Beijing with four DC artists who will be exhibiting, meeting fellow artists, and leading children's workshops. Before they leave, they're leading two FREE postcard-making workshops at their gallery space here in DC (1404 P Street NW). The aforementioned artists will be there with a stash of sweet postcard-making materials (I'll be there myself on June 9th, too), and kids are invited to create postcards to be exchanged with the children in Beijing. Please check out the information from their Facebook invite below, and get in touch soon to RSVP and take advantage of this very cool opportunity:


Transformer invites DC children ages 5-10 to participate in International Delivery - Capital Sister Cities Children's Postcard Exchange, a fun & creative workshop for children in Washington, DC to work with DC artists in making handmade postcards for children in Beijing. All materials will be provided, and the workshops are free-of-charge.

SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 10:30am - 11:30am @ Transformer, led by Chandi Kelley and Stephanie Kwak

SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 10:30am - 11:30am @ Transformer, led by Stephanie Kwak and Paul Shortt

Part of Transformer's upcoming collaboration with the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, DC artists Paul Shortt, Chandi Kelley, and Stephanie Kwak will be leading a series of workshops with children at both Transformer & the UCCA to create unique postcards from materials that reflect both cultures as a way to engage the participating children in a cross cultural dialogue that we hope will encourage global awareness among the children of both regions.

If you and your family are interested in attending the DC Children's Workshops and participating in this cultural exchange, please RSVP by emailing Stephanie Kwak at stephanie@transformerdc.org. 

VOLCANO ISLAND MANIA!!

Look at how beautiful these rainbowy volcanic eruptions are! Just look!

At Chevy Chase:

At the Langley School:

See more painterly Volcano Island Art Brains magic here.

Thanks to Art Brains buddies Raul and Emily for helping to snap pictures!

CAMPFIRE STORIES

For our Spring "Campfire Stories" project, students gathered around a pretend campfire (made of sticks, stones, and orange crepe paper) to tell each other stories, most notably, a collaborative tale created by each person contributing a part in sequence. Each student then illustrated his or her section, and we combined them all to make a book. At Chevy Chase, the kids came up with a mystery about a vampire on another planet that involves a candy factory and, well - I won't give away the twist that happens midway through - you'll have to read it for yourself!

This picture was taken after the circle had broken up and we'd moved the fire hastily into the shade, but you get the idea!

This photo provided by Reuben from the Oyster-Adams Campfire Stories class

HOLIDAY ICE CREAM

Happy Memorial Day from Make/Believe! Please treat yourself to one of the above flavors of the month from the Ice Cream Time Machine Parlor* at the LAB School of Washington. Thanks to Art Brains teacher Dawn Whitmore for making and passing along this sweet little menu!

*Note: Please place all orders via your nearest wormhole or FTL device.

SPRING PROJECTS AT CONGRESSIONAL & OYSTER-ADAMS

Thanks so much to Reuben for sharing these pictures from two of his Spring Art Brains classes! The top photos are from our "Holiday Animals" project at Oyster-Adams Bilingual School, and the bottom two show the "Ice Cream Time Machine" project at Congressional Schools of Virginia. Looking good, guys!!

Giant Butterfly Day

L: sketch for Plant Day holiday; R: the Plant Day beaver with his basket + seeds. Look at those teeth!

Sounds pretty great.

L: "gift to: Me! Time: right now!" Fair enough.

VOLCANO ISLAND AT BRADLEY HILLS

Hooooly moly, I love this project from last Friday at Bradley Hills, and I love the pictures from it, too! We made a good, old fashioned volcano island from homemade playdough and sticks/leaves/flowers/etc. found outside, and then created multiple eruptions of various colors (using baking soda and vinegar). The kids got a huge kick out of experimenting with different mixtures, adding glitter and other objects to the "lava" and also telling stories about each of the new lava overflows (e.g. "A rainbow fell into the volcano, and that's what made  the lava these colors"). I get to do this project two more times with other classes before the end of the Spring session, and I can't wait. On that note, Friday was our last Spring class at Bradley Hills, and I'm getting a little sad about Art Brains classes ending for the year. It's such a sweet deal to get to hang out with these cool (re: talented, creative, hilarious, smart, and sweet) kids every week, and I'm genuinely going to miss them over the summer!

In the meantime, feast your eyes on this gorgeous mess we made:

~ Fin ~

ICE CREAM TIME MACHINE PART II

As per this previous post, our Ice Cream Time Machine project involves students designing sundaes for people or creatures in either the past or future (and then transporting them through time to said recipients, naturally). After a week of gorgeous sundae creations, everyone's pretty in love with this project, and taken aback by how hungry for ice cream inedible modeling clay, paint, glue, and glitter can make us! Also, everyone is pretty covered with glitter (er...sprinkles). These pictures are from the Art Brains classes at Chevy Chase Elementary and the Langley School, and include sundaes for cyborgs, R2D2, a talking dog, future descendants, someone having a bad day during the Great Depression, and one of Santa's elves (in the future). Awesome work, guys!

L: for a student's brother's future birthday, R: for future Elves at the North Pole

L: for a talking dog in the future, R: for a horse named Yoshi

This one's for a student's great great great great great great great great granddaughter!

L: ice cream for a cyborg, including coal coated gummy bears, fossil fuel fudge, and battery-flavored vanilla

ICE CREAM TIME MACHINE

For this project, students work at an ice cream parlour called “Ice Cream Time Machine” that has the ability to transport ice cream sundaes backward or forward in time. They create sculptural treats they feel would be suited to the tastes of someone (or something) in either the past or future. It was a pleasure to look upon the pretty (or in some cases, gruesome) creations, just before space-time was bent to our will to transport these babies to their grateful recipients in days long gone or as-yet unknown. Unmelted and not a sprinkle lost in the wormhole, or your money back! That's our motto.

This one's for a vampire in the future. 

The one on the right is garnished with a scorpion tail

L: for a unicorn of the future; R: for a dragon of the distant past