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Free Artmaking Workshops and Demonstrations for Water=Life Project

August 19, 2019

The month of September brings change, new schedules and back-to-school events. Amidst the seasonal shift, City of Mesa departments will offer a series of free artmaking workshops and demonstrations as part of the Water=Life project, a collaborative public art process focused around the history and future of water in the Valley of the sun.

 

The series of workshops will be led by a team of artists collaborating to create a nine-day temporary art installation in Mesa’s Riverview Park November 16-24, 2019. Participants in the workshops are invited and will have the opportunity to contribute through ideas, personal reflection or artmaking to the creation of the culminating installation.

 

Workshops include a variety of mediums in both performing and visual arts and are led by renowned artists on both a local and national scale, including five-time World Champion Hoop Dancer Tony Duncan. Each workshop is free and open to people of all ages.

Workshop dates and descriptions are included below. Registration is available at www.mesaartscenter.com/waterlife or by calling 480-644-6500.

Monday, Sept. 2, 6-8 p.m., Mesa’s Artspace Lofts
Artmaking Workshop and Demonstration with Tony Duncan

Five-time World Champion Hoop Dancer Tony Duncan will demonstrate and teach hoop dancing techniques and share Native American flute playing. Participants will also experience and participate in storytelling and story generating activities around the role of water in our lives.

 

Saturday, Sept. 7, 10 a.m.-noon, Save the Family Conference Room
Artmaking Workshop and History Presentation with Bruce Nelson and Travis Ivey

Curator and film-maker Bruce Nelson will talk about the importance of water to the historically African-American Washington Park/Escobedo neighborhood in Mesa, and create a mini-exhibition of community water stories. Participants are requested to bring small items or photos related to their own history or relationship to water in any aspect of their lives to contribute to a community collage. Collage artist Travis Ivey will lead participants in creating their own collages to take home.

 

Monday, Sept. 9, 6-8 p.m., Mesa’s Artspace Lofts
Artmaking Workshop and Demonstration with Therosia Reynolds and Katharine Simpson

Music and spoken word artist Therosia Reynolds will lead a spoken word workshop and multidisciplinary visual and performance artist Katharine Simpson will lead participants in creating small pieces out of different textiles.

 

Saturday, Sept. 14, noon-2 p.m., Arizona Museum of Natural History Auditorium
Artmaking Workshop and Demonstration with Tony Duncan and Katharine Simpson

Five-time World Champion Hoop Dancer Tony Duncan will demonstrate and teach hoop dancing techniques and share Native American flute playing. Multidisciplinary visual and performance artist Katharine Simpson will lead participants in creating small pieces out of different textiles.

 

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Mesa Main Library Saguaro Room
Artmaking Workshop and Demonstration with Tony Duncan

Five-time World Champion Hoop Dancer Tony Duncan will demonstrate and teach hoop dancing techniques and share Native American flute playing. Participants will also experience and participate in storytelling and story generating activities around the role of water in our lives.

 

Saturday, Sept. 21, 6-8 p.m., i.d.e.a. Museum Atrium Classroom
Artmaking Workshop and Demonstration with Danielle Wood and Rich Littlefield

Ceramic artists Danielle Wood & Rich Littlefield will lead participants in adding their own designs to pottery pieces to contribute to the Water=Life installation.

 

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 6-8 p.m., West Mesa CDC
Storytelling Workshop with Liz Warren

AND

Saturday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m.-noon, Mesa Arts Center’s Music Studio
Storytelling Workshop with Liz Warren

Liz Warren, Director of the South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute, will lead participants in a storytelling workshop around the role of water in our lives.

 

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