creative children at Two Rocks Primary School

A big thank-you to teacher and TRYCAN member Renae Spowart, who arranged my visit last  Tuesday to Two Rocks Primary.  I had a busy time, talking to seven classes of attentive and appreciative students about the family heritage of making-do which inspires my work.  Best of all was the final talk, to Ms Spowart's Year 3 class, where I had time to include a brief activity.  Inspired by my family collection of old rag dolls and the sock dolls made during the residency, the children created a wonderful range of dolls and sock puppets using pegs, socks and a variety of scraps.  I managed to get photos of some and also a few descriptions.  I hope to have the whole class's dolls on display, with their stories, at the residency exhibition at the end of November (more on that in a later post).  What a wonderful talented class! 

 A cotton ball red-back spider, and a sock puppet horse

 

A crazy-haired, googly four-eyed monster

Happy family in the making - Dad was missing from the group only due to the lack of a third sock! 

 

Mr Money, a robber

  

A grandmother, and a masked Ninja

Pop-up museum - sneak peak

Sunday Nov 10th, from 2 till 4 pm, at Capricorn Community House, 73 Lindsay Beach Bvd, Yanchep (in air-conditioned comfort on a hot day!) I will be sharing some favourite items from my collection of examples of making-do and mending. These include some family toys such as a train made from a tin can and a piece of wood, some rag dolls, and a small wooden kangaroo. I also have two small Japanese-made dolls, an elderly couple constructed with love and care from available resources including scraps of recycled fabric. Here is a sneak preview of these little treasures, as there were seen when first exhibited back in 2003 in my exhibition Memoirs and Mementos.

I invite you to bring along a treasure of your own and share its story, whether it be an improvised garden tool or a mended kitchen item or perhaps a hand-made sewing project passed down through the family. These objects and their stories will contribute to a brief “pop-up museum” display for everyone to enjoy on the afternoon, before dispersing back home with their owners. One such treasure has already been delivered for your viewing pleasure, a bucket shower from a now-demolished beach shack but full of fond memories for the owner. Come along and find out who it belongs to and hear its story!