art4place was invited by the
Festuri multicultural festival organisers and the Sunshine Coast
Sister Cities Association to provide a day of community art that had an emphasis on multiculturalism and also the relationship between the Sunshine Coast and sister cities in Japan and China.
The art event was to be carried out from 10-30am-4pm on Saturday 8 October 2011. But that plan went awry slightly when unseasonal morning thunderstorms swept from the west and drench the Sunshine Coast hinterland and Caloundra where the festival was happening. The storms and rain cleared by midday; and with the promise of a fine afternoon
art4place artists set up in shade covers by 1pm and created art with children and parents until 4.30pm.
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Barry Smith © art4place-SC Sister Cities art station
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Children were invited to do a variety of free art inspired by Japan and China including making: Japanese inspired butterfly fans; Japanese and Chinese inspired headbands; dragon puppets; and the decoration of a large parading dragon - attaching scales and painting on and painted decorations. The dragon was created for an event earlier this year but got a real work over by children of all ages this year.
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| Barry Smith © Fans, puppets and headbands |
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| Barry Smith © Some children were very precise |
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| Barry Smith © Even the little ones got into dragon decoration |
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| Barry Smith © More dragon decoration |
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| Barry Smith © HMMM! Dragon scales? |
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| Barry Smith © HMMM! More dragon scales? |
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| Barry Smith © Exquisite dragon colour palet? |
Children could also paint ceramic dragon; but given that the dragons were hand made and fired parents were asked to pay for the unpainted dragons. Almost 30 children painted the ceramic dragons in their own unique colours.
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| Barry Smith © Biege dragons become exquisitely coloured |
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| Barry Smith © More coloured dragons |
The large dragon was paraded through the park twice in the later part of the afternoon. We were only going to do it once but children asked could we do it again; and of course 8 more volunteers went parading, growling and undulating the dragon.
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| Barry Smith © Dragon carriers at the ready |
And the dragon was left behind so it could be used in the Festuri parade on Sunday 9 October.
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| Barry Smith © Fearsome creature at sunset |
Even with the reduced time available about 100 children did one or more activities. The children ranged in ages from 2-12 years of age.
Big thanks to the
art4place artists: Christine, Edith-Ann, Carol, Noela, Fiona, Jenny, Kim, Mieke and Barry for their work in preparing for and on the day. Thanks to Festuri for inviting us to share art with children. Thanks to the
Sunshine Coast Sister Cities Association for sponsoring the
art4place community art event to promote the knowledge of the sister city relationship with Japan and China. And thanks to Fiona for most of the photos used in this post.
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