Wisemaker of The Geek Group is partnering with ArtPrize this fall to lead free, family-friendly Pop Up Workshops at The Hub every Saturday during ArtPrize. There will also be two open drop In studios at both The Hub and All Access Studio during the event.
"It's the first time we've collaborated with ArtPrize in this way. Last year, we opened the Wisemaker shop on the first day of ArtPrize," says Kelly Allen, Creator and Director of Wisemaker.
Wisemaker has collaborated with Becca Guyette, Education Manager at ArtPrize, on a series of workshops for ArtPrize. Each week's activity will correspond with one of the ArtPrize categories, first 3D, then 2D and finally Time-based. Volunteers will be there helping people with all the materials.
"Each week will have three projects to pick from. Inspired by last year's winner, Intersections, for one of our 3D projects we'll make a luminary together. We have all sorts of this thin plastic donated on which we'll draw all sorts of designs with markers and then cut them out. After cutting ovals for the top and fixing the sides together, people can then shine a light inside to make the luminary," says Allen.
For the 2D week, one of the projects will be an experimental portrait drawing project. The person drawn will hold a Sharpie marker and the drawer will be moving the substrate around as one of 2D projects. One of the time-based projects is a version of a growing sculpture.
"We'll take a bits from a pair of tights, and sawdust from a local furniture maker and decorate it. Inside the sawdust will be grass seed and the whole thing is set in a jar of water and it changes as the grass grows," says Allen.
Allen says she's looking forward to about the collaboration.
"This collaboration brings attention to what's happening here at Wisemaker of the Geek Group and helps influence people to have a unique art making experience that they wouldn't have on their own," she says "It's another way to participate in ArtPrize. We come down here and look at so much art for days; it can be visually over stimulating. This is an opportunity for people to release some of that creative energy and participate in an active way. I'm also hugely excited to put our reclaimed materials to use! We get a lot of donations and to see them get used is great... We have so many great materials, it will be a very tactile experience for people. There's manufacturing scraps, designer samples from places like Herman Miller, paper, fabric, foam, wood, plastic, yarn... so many. It's going to be great!"
The Pop Up Workshops are every Saturday during ArtPrize from 11-2 p.m. at The Hub (41 Sheldon SE) on September 26, October 3 and October 10.
The two open studios for ArtPrize visitors will be at The Hub, while the other is an All Access Studio at 50 Monroe Ave NW, on the second floor above TGI Fridays.
Keep up to date with the ArtPrize Education Blog.
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