Creativity Explored hosts workshop for Creative Arts Charter School teachers
On Tuesday, January 3, Creativity Explored welcomed a group of educators from Creative Arts Charter School for an afternoon art workshop.
Teachers from Creative Arts Charter School drawing an “Exquisite Corpse.”
As CE reintroduces more and more in-person programs, launching the new year with Creative Arts was a treat!
The workshop was led by teaching artists Michael Napper and Laura Figa, assisted by our Program & Development Associate Zoe Chotzen-Tsuruda, Director of Programs Paul Moshammer, and CE artists Yang “Buurin” Yu-Zhen, Joseph Omolayole, and Gerald Wiggins.
The theme for the workshop was “Chance,” and the art activities were designed to “unlock people’s artistic voices, or just encourage them to not use such linear logic or thinking when it comes to producing something,” according to Laura Figa. The group, 38 teachers from CACS, had the chance to participate in two different activities: an exquisite corpse drawing and a cut-up poem.
An exquisite corpse is a collaborative group project, usually done as either a writing or drawing exercise, that was popular during the Surrealist movement in the 20th century. Participants take turns drawing on a shared piece of paper, folding it to obscure what has already been drawn before passing to the next person. The entire drawing is only revealed at the end, after each person has contributed to the piece.
Exquisite Corpse drawings made by teachers from Creative Arts Charter School
Participants drew exquisite corpses in teams of four, with each person drawing part of a creature - be it human, animal, alien, supernatural being, or a combination. Every drawing was unique and imaginative, uniting each participant’s distinctive style in a cohesive picture.
The cut-up poems were made using old magazines as collage material. The theme of “chance” was embodied by rearranging and reinterpreting the words, phrases, and images found in the existing media. Joseph Omolayole shared an example of his own, a poem titled “Love to Pose” that was constructed from magazine clippings,
A cut-up poem by Creativity Explored artist Joseph Omolayole
The workshop also allowed time for visitors to explore the CE studio, gallery, and shop. Zoe Chotzen-Tsuruda spoke with several teachers from CACS about how inspiring the art work around the studio was and how much they loved being in the space.
After the workshop, Michael Napper shared that he felt “everyone was delighted by what they came up with together,” and that the group “jumped right in and were fearless.” Figa echoed this sentiment, reflecting that the CACS teachers were “gutsy” and “willing to dive in” to these collaborative projects.
Thank you to the amazing teachers at Creative Arts Charter School for joining us to ring in the new year with this inspiring and fun workshop! CE looks forward to hosting many more workshops and community events in our studio this year. Interested in working with us? Contact info@creativityexplored.org.