New Year of Artful Community...

Six years ago FLOCKworks was started as an nonprofit aiming to strengthen the creative spirit of community.  What that really meant or what we would exactly do wasn't quite clear; but the intention was to find ways to pull community together through the arts and to have fun doing it.

Masks with AVID 7th Grade class at Ft Bragg Middle School.

• Mendocino Stone Soup was our very first project... With ceramic, culinary, music, and hospitality arts, we focused on our Community Center of Mendocino and marshaled funds that ensured every child could participate in after-school programs regardless of family finances. In 2007, 400 people came; 2008, over 600 people. After waiting 5 years, things are set for another Stone Soup on February 2, 2013.
• OPEN DOOR ARTS @ Odd Fellows began in Spring 2007: our 1st exhibit was with the Mendocino Figure Drawing Collective followed by an Exhibit with the Mendocino Coast Audubun featuring 340 Children's Drawings kicking off their 6 year Save Our Shorebirds Citizen research project.    Since then, over 70 exhibits have been part of this amazing community series. Exhibit number 72 will be FLOCKworks' Open Door in January 2013.
• Children's Banner Project began in 2008 with art making during lunchtime recess on the Mendocino K-8 school playground;  Banners, murals and other art projects have since engaged thousands of children at schools, on the soccer field, at community events and more.   Hands-on Mural Making is a regular part of Noyo Food Forest's EARTH DAY celebrations. Water Tank, Work Shed and Garden-in-reach now host unique Murals created with hundreds of Earth Day participants...fun, bright and artful!   Murals created with all 450 k-2 children at Redwood School now hang at the CV Starr Center, Harvest Market and School's own multi-purpose Room.  
• Creative Collaboration has been key in how we have worked with over 40 local groups and organizations on important community themes and projects.    Mendocino Coast Children's Fund is our partner in our COMMUNITY BUILDERS Award, one of many ways we pull together in supporting the creative spirit of community.

Little by little, we developed a sense of what our mission actually means... And we can't wait for the coming year of creative projects, partnerships, hands on art with kids and much more! 

Quiet @ Odd Fellows

For over 6 years, monthly exhibits have filled the historic Odd Fellows with local arts of all kinds...Over 2,500 adults and 3,000 children have been part of this unique community art series. Locals and visitors come out to see what's up, opening parties are lively and fun, and the art is rich and diverse. Artists themselves host the exhibits, giving a glimpse of creative passion and a different experience of art itself.    

This month, December, the space sits quiet.  No group asked to use the space and so it sits...waiting for the 2013 year to begin.

FLOCKworks opens the doors January 12th to celebrate our 6 years "supporting the creative spirit of community".  During this incredible 6 years, we have fostered use of this amazing space in this OPEN DOOR ARTS series, creatively worked with children, teachers and organizations in hands-on art, banner and mural making,  and collaboratively engaged with others in addressing important themes in our community.  Artists friends will join us with their work, STONE SOUP bowls will be gathering and art work with children will be shared.   We will even have some films to share during this special month!  (Weekends only).  We look forward to seeing you!

CENTERING COMMUNITY!

Mendocino Stone Soup gatherings in 2007 and 2008 left more than 1,000 bowls are in the hands of community members that attended. Each bowl or mug hand crafted by a local potter, each piece a work of art.

Have you ever thrown a bowl on a potter's wheel...?  

Begin with a nice lump of clay, wedged, smooth and shaped.  Steady your arms as you strongly place the clay in the center of the wheel.  Carefully place your arms, your hands on the clay and start the wheel spinning.  As things go 'round, your hands feel the clay, shaping into that circle, gently firming towards the center point of the mass...

In one instant, you feel the magic as the clay centers on the wheel.  Close your eyes to be certain.  And then there it is.  THE CENTER.  The beginning point.

For Mendocino Stone Soup, tables full of bowls and mugs, created by community potters, generously given, will be there for each person to choose from. Each bowl becomes a lasting token of this special gathering.  For those who already have a Stone Soup Bowl, bring them back to the Community Center of Mendocino on February 2-- to either trade in or refill! Together, we are working to Center our Community.  

Mendocino Stone Soup, February 2, 1:30 to 5:00, Community Center of Mendocino, in the historic old school house on Pine and School Streets.  If you want to help, stop in to sign up.

If you are a potter, your generous addition of some bowls or mugs would be greatly appreciated.
 
  
  

Finally Time for Mendocino STONE SOUP again!

Finally after waiting 5 years, it is time for another STONE SOUP Gathering to celebrate our COMMUNITY CENTER OF MENDOCINO!

Experience Art...OPENINGS @ Odd Fellows

Ceramics by 11 POTLUCK artists

Tie on notes to the "Web of Remembrance"

Meet 760 local "children" in WE THE PEOPLE installation.

Assemblage, paintings, and more

Some work from Pacific Textile Arts

"OPENINGS" Exhibit...Opening party Saturday!

Soccer, kids & Art!

Photo by Keith Wyner

COAST YOUTH SOCCER KICKED off with 350 children ages 4 to 14 playing on 33 teams.  Every Saturday, all day long, families gather to cheer their kids on and visit with friends.

On the chain link fences, 33 kid-made banners surround the playing fields, recognizing community sponsors and celebrating the weekly gathering of kid-focused energy.

FLOCKworks' Banner making was part of opening day. Each team came through the banner making station and 7th grade students from Ft Bragg Middle School's AVID class worked tirelessly to make the process fun and flow quickly for all the kids.
Parents and coaches helped things run smoothly and everyone had a great time.

After the work on the fields,more days were needed to complete the set, include sponsor names and get them ready to fly.   Colorful banners spread from one end of the yard to the other!

The banners are unique, kid-made, full of energy and reflect the best of community. End of the season, Sponsors get a colorful reminder of the importance of their support!    

Remembrance Boxes

Open Art Project: Treasure Boxes of Remembrance
 
Transform a beautiful cigar box into a shrine, alter or memory box of a loved one as part an open community art project. Completed Boxes can then be shared in a Remembrance installation during the October Exhibit at Odd Fellows; or they can be part of the Day of the Dead weekend in early November in Fort Bragg.   

For the past few years, hundreds of simple cigar boxes become personal Remembrances.  Says Janet Self, “The response has been wonderful and even more important, people have crafted beautiful Remembrance Boxes with lasting meaning.  The project has helped people come to grips with loss of a loved ones, while others have pulled together special photos and memorabilia to make them into real 'family heirloom'.  Sharing these in a community creates an inspiring experience for all."

Boxes are available at Racine’s in Ft Bragg; a $5 contribution per box is requested.   

The October Exhibit will also feature a Remembrance Web where people can participate by simply tying on a special note or memory. 

BLOW OUT AN EGG...

“WE THE PEOPLE” project combines individual expression with what it means to be part of community. This month, local children transform hollow eggs into personal ʻcharactersʼ to represent themselves and identify values that help people get along together...values like honesty, kindness, tolerance and fairness. “Egg people” will gather for installation as part of the October Art Exhibit at Odd Fellows in Mendocino.   With 750 children involved so far, WE NEED MORE EGGS!  Can you help?

1. Use a sturdy safety pin, awl or needle

   
It is simple to blow out an egg...I blow them out rather than crack them, when I cook with eggs.  Here is how to do it!...

2. Hold the egg steady.  Poke on small hole at the end

3. Turn the egg around and poke the other end, making this hole bigger by breaking out some shell in a circle...

4. Put your mouth over the small end and blow steady... hold the egg over a bowl... the air pressure makes the egg squeeze
out the bigger hole.

Run water over the big hole, and blow out once more to clean the inside.  A
gentle rinse, let them dry and they are ready to use.    THEN DROP YOUR EGG CONTRIBUTIONS OFF in OUR COLLECTION BASKET AT RACINES in Ft Bragg on Franklin Street... 

Find your inner child...You are invited to make your own "EGG PERSON" to add to the installation... email us for more specifics: flockworks1@gmail.com

MANY THANKS!!!

WORKING ARTISTS @ Odd Fellows

New work by a new group of artists has just opened the Red Doors of Odd Fellows halls.  Amazing paper collage, beautiful stained glass, stunning oils, carved marble, delightful prints and more.  This group of seven WORKING ARTISTS have filled the hall and host the show Thursday to Sunday. Show runs through September 30th. 

Egg & Imagination

And the "people" begin to gather...

“WE THE PEOPLE” project combines creative individual expression with thoughtful reflection on what it means to be part of a community.  It is inspired by simple truth...”Treat others as you would like to be treated”, an ethical guide found in teachings world wide ...and further supported by modern research on the positive impact of altruism, compassion and connection to community.

It draws on the innocence of children to remind us that values like honesty, kindness, tolerance and fairness, are cornerstones for a just and sustainable world.  

Beginning with the simplicity of an egg, the project creatively balances our common origins and our unique individuality.  The idea is simple: readily accessible materials, do-able project and the collective impact of many into a creative whole.  Each child makes a “character” from a blown egg to represent themselves and identifies a “value” that helps people get along together.  All the "egg people" gather to be part of an installation in the upcoming Art Exhibit at Odd Fellows in Mendocino.

With support of teachers, after school providers, parents or others, children and youth can readily join in the project.  So far, about 600 children and 8 schools are involved with more to come!

And the DOOR IS OPEN... Anyone, any age is welcome to represent themselves and their key values.  On a simple blown egg, create a portrait, symbolic image or another creation...State your value and bring it on in. 

"Egg people" should arrive to FLOCKworks by October 1. flockworks1@gmail.com for more information. 

Altruistic Kids...ARTS

CHILDRENS ARTS EDUCATION fosters Altruism!  A new study from the University of Illinois at Chicago points to an important reason we need to make sure every school has a robust arts program: People who engage in the arts or watch others do so are more likely to be civically engaged, socially tolerant, and altruistic.  read more...Why Arts for kids: www.GOOD.is

FLOCKworks is committed to this in everything we do.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER!

Our May exhibit at Odd Fellows explores work fostered through group endeavor in workshop, class, open studio, collaborative project, community enterprise, citizen research and more.  Drawing, painting, mono printing, book making, paper cut, weaving, ceramics, photography, film, writing, and more plus interactive projects promise a rich and diverse experience.  

• The Prayer Lab....invites a deep moment of reflection.
  
• Conversations...explores line and color by two or more artists.
• Save Our Shore Birds...shares results of 5-year bird surveys on local beaches by community volunteers.

This FLOCKworks Exhibit celebrates those who tend the creative spirit of community! Among those included are Mendocino Coast Audubon Society, Mendocino Figure Drawing Collective, Mendocino Portrait Group, Mono Printing Workshop at Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino Film Festival, Mendocino Coast Writers Conference, Mendocino Music Festival,  James Maxwell's Classes/College of the Redwoods, AVID program at Ft Bragg Middle School, Mendocino-Miasa Japan Artist Exchange, Mendocino Eco-Artists group, and Partnership Scholars Program.

Opening Celebration is May 12th, Mendocino 2nd Saturday, 5-8pm with a special post party showing  "DARK LIGHT: The Art of Blind Photographers" , thanks to Mendocino Film Festival.  Odd Fellows, corner of Kasten & Ukiah Streets, is open daily 11-5 from May 10 to June 3.  937-2486