Arts Learning Grant
Arts Learning Grant
Support to host two basketry workshops focused on different ways of working with birch bark.
Tara Makinen: Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, middle school art teacher; Tammy Mattonen: visual artists, co-founder of Crescendo Youth Orchestra; Kayla Aubid: Native American craft artist, writer, employee at MacRostie Art Center; Kathy Neff: musician, Director, Fine Arts Academy at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Ron Piercy: jeweler, gallery owner; Emily Swanson: arts administrator at Oldenburg Arts and Cultural Community.
Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, middle school art teacher; Kathy Neff: musician, Director, Fine Arts Academy at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Patricia Canelake: visual artist; Kendra Carlson: writing and theater instructor, University of Minnesota Duluth; Serenity Schoonover: writer.
ACHF Arts Education
With this work I seek to foster and encourage learning through hands on projects that encourage people to connect with their environment, eachother and themeslves. Measurable Outcomes: -Participants will develop skill in a variety of basketry techniques and the knowledge to pursue the craft on their own. - Participants will gain new perspectives of the world around them through working with their hands and using locally harvested natural material. Full classes and need for waitlists will indicate the general public's desire for this type of learning. To determine whether or not the workshops were a success in terms of the measurable outcomes, post-class surveys will be sent out. I have used surveys past settings, and presented it in a way that allows participants to feel involved in determining what kinds of things will be offered in the future, and to help reinforce their learning. Questions include things like ?How important was the material processing part of this class'? ?How confident would you be in doing a similar project on your own?? ?What could have made this class and your learning better?? Also questions about what kinds of things to offer in the future, what difficult, what worked and what didn't etc, in order to help me format future workshops based on class feedback. I have found that participants respond to these surveys thoroughly and it is extremely helpful in assessing success and critiquing my own teaching.
The project did give the public a chance to learn about the local plant materials, and the kinds of baskets that can be created with them. I was happy to have repeat students who are continuing to grow their skillset and knowledge base of birch bark basketry. I was able to offer these learning opportunities at low or no cost, making it accessible to all.
Other,local or private