Help Us Make Papier Mache Sculptures

Feb 282012
 

Recycle and re-use when we can!

Update on ArtSpeak.org Project with Kids Home Foundation

 

What: Kids Home Foundation Smile Holidays Project

When: During the Thai School summer holidays, starting on 26 March to 11 May 2012, inclusively. Closed for Songkran: April 13 -16. Our art session are likely to be on the weekends, spread out between 26 Mar – 4 May. Expect about 5 sessions (eg. 1 – 2 hours per session, sorting dates/times now with the Foundation).

Where: Kids Home Foundation premises in Chiang Mai city

First of all, THANK YOU to all who have written to me via this website/blog and on ArtSpeak’s FB page with your ideas, volunteering time etc. I will contact you once I have worked out the final  schedule with the Foundation (it should all be signed off by the second week of March).

Main Art Activity
(anyone with the will and passion, some free time, can help*):

ArtSpeak will conduct the following main art activity with the children cared for by the Kids Home Foundation (est. 30 children will take part):
Make papier mache animals (we may make a menagerie of animals or let the children vote on 1 ) that are fairly large sized (at least about 20 – 30inches and much larger) that are still portable for ‘traveling’ exhibitions and also a main final exhibition for the parents, friends of the children and the public to enjoy and learn more about what Kids Home does.

We hope to work together with the children to create a large-sized papier mache sculpture towards the end of the project.

The children will learn how to recycle everyday things like newspapers and cardboard boxes. They will work together in groups to make, paint and adorn their creations in their unique styles (paint, fabric wraps etc).

Materials needed for above

  • Used large salad bowls and pots for mixing paste, ladles, whisk or short branches
  • Flour
  • Glue
  • A lot of old newspapers plus those pesky newsprint brochures you get in the post
  • Rolls of masking tape
  • Pairs of scissors (I have 2 pairs now, need more! you can take them back when the project is done)
  • Used mineral water bottles for recycling as containers for paints and water
  • Cardboard boxes
  • Cardboard paper towel, tissue/toilet roll tubes
  • 3 tubs of water-based white wall paint, Acrylic or tempera paints and paintbrushes (new or old as long as there are usable)
  • Sponges and rags for cleaning
  • Glossy varnish to protect the painted artwork

Other Possible Concurrent Activities:

There may also be a few other smaller projects (eg. painting T-shirts, used glass bottles & making clay animals).

Materials needed for above

  • Plain T-shirts (prefer children sizes or small to medium)
  • Fabric paint & paint fastener to protect fabrics
  • Clay
  • Used glass bottles
  • Used mineral water bottles for recycling as containers for paints and water
  • Paint brushes
  • Tempera or acrylic paint, paintbrushes
  • Cardboard

Please contact me (Li Li) if you want to donate materials or help, entertain or perform for the children (singing, music, magic shows). THANK YOU!

 

*To protect the children, all volunteers will need to give Kids Home Foundation a copy of their ID or passport and fill up a simple form. Thank you.

  •  28 February 2012

Help Wanted For New Project!

Feb 182012
 

Volunteers And Art Materials Needed

for Upcoming Project in Chiang Mai between March & April 2012

ArtSpeak working with children from Hilltribe In The City

ArtSpeak.org with volunteers: working with children from Hilltribe In The City (previous project). Photo by Stu.

ArtSpeak.org is planning a series of creative activities for Kids Home Foundation (Chiang Mai) during the Thai schools’ 1-month summer holidays (tentatively bewteen 22 Mar – 22 Apr, exact dates to be confirmed). This is for their Smile Holidays Project to keep approximately 30 migrant children gainfully occupied during their school holidays. What better way than to have fun with art?

Details about exact dates/times/place (probably school premises at Wat Jed Yod, Superhighway, not far from Nimmanhaemin Road/Huay Kaew Road). Details are being worked out but I would like to first share some thoughts on what the project may need and how you can contribute:

a. Activities once or twice a week during that period (between 9 – 5pm) 

- painting on cards/small canvases/glass bottles (portable, simple, not too time-consuming for children with short attention spans);

- origami crane making (there is now one volunteer, more are welcome);

- making clay figures

- t-shirt painting

- making costume jewellery or other ‘simple’ handicraft

- may also have a magic show by a friend at some point.

We don’t have to do all activities at once in a day; we can rotate them within the month within the day. Each activity can be in blocks of 1 – 2 hours (more or less) throughout the day. Flexible hours/time: to be worked out with volunteers.

b. What we need

- Volunteers for the activities above or anyone with some creative ability to teach drawing/painting/sculpting/origami and so on (suggestions are welcome!) AND/OR anyone with time on their hands and want to work (and play) with children for a while. You don’t have to be an artist to help; just need people with a little free time, commitment, passion and the will to help underprivileged children have some creative fun.

- Art materials such as

fabric paint, clay, acrylic paint, watercolours, colourful paper, small canvases or hard matte cards/paper (eg. 15cm x 10cm or slightly bigger), drawing paper, jam/coffee/glass bottles that can be recycled as vases/colourful coin containers etc (anything imaginative!), paint brushes (various sizes), plain t-shirts, colour pencils etc (they don’t have to be new; just in good condition and useable).

If you can help in any way, please contact me here. Do check our FB page for updates too. A BIG THANK YOU!!


  •  18 February 2012