for Upcoming Project in Chiang Mai between March & April 2012

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 Holiday Smile 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!!

ArtSpeak spent 2 delightful afternoons with the children of Hilltribe In The City drawing with colour pencils, painting on wood and canvas on 17 and 18 Dec. Thank you to the lively children and founders, Greig and Stu, for a fun time.

Thanks to all who donated money towards the cost of the brushes and paints as well as those who donated in kind (Stuart Anderson, John Pellegrino, Akha Ama Coffee, Martin, Robyn Stewart). Thanks you also to Ally Taylor (for helping with the Foundation’s website) and of course Jessica Gould, Kimberly Bryant and Tom Cannon for your time and help on Saturday.

Contact Stu or Grieg at this address if you wish to donate or assist the Foundation.

The T-shirt is up for auction. The money will go directly to Stratton. You may also wish to consider donating the tee to Stratton because the children really love it! Contact ArtSpeak or John Cope at Stratton ABC Foundation.

My friends, Kaitlyn Rhyme, Jessica Gould and Kimberly Bryant came along to Mae Sot to help with painting murals on more walls at Mother Josefa Alzua Home on 26 Nov. The children are wonderful artists! Here are some lovely photos (by Kimberly) of that enjoyable day.

Come 17 and 18 Dec 2011, ArtSpeak will be painting wood panels and/or canvases with the children of Hilltribe In The City run by Stu and Grieg in Chiang Mai. This foundation seeks to provide their children with

• the best possible education
• a nutritious and balanced diet
• a safe and affirming environment in which to live
• an attitude of compassion, care and honesty led by our example
• an opportunity for physical exercise and development
• medical treatment when necessary

We welcome any volunteers or contributions (acrylic paint, panels of wood that can be recycled and treated for painting, brushes etc)! Contact us if you want to help!

Mother Josefa Alzua Home in Mae Sot is run by Dominican nuns for Burmese migrant children and other Thai and hilltribe children that need a warm home, proper meals, a chance to study English and go to school.

To stay as self-sufficient as possible, the Home has started growing its own vegetables and fruit. It also bakes bread for sale at Borderline Collective’s cafe. Borderline Collective also conducts toy-making and sewing workshops for the older children.

There are various walls along the boundary of the home and elsewhere in the orphanage that could do with some art to further brighten up the place and to give the children a free hand to express themselves through art. Weeks before ArtSpeak started the actual painting at the Home, I asked the children (via Sister Marcela) to think about themes they want to paint. When I arrived, they were eager to show what they had done. I brought art supplies and we continued to draw more and play with paints and colours before we actually started on the wall. Here are some photos of the talented and eager children creating art on paper and on the walls:

If you wish to help the home in any way, please contact Sister Marcela at kaminohaha@yahoo.es.

With thanks to Patrick from The Puzzlebox Arts Studio for his time, transport, some photos and of course helping to paint an awesome wall with the children.

Just a little update: will be painting with the children from Mother Josefa Alzua Home in Mae Sot (Thailand) with the help of friends from Youth Connect/Puzzlebox and Borderline Collective. Watch this space or go to our FB page for any updates!