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.