SATURDAY ART JAMS in Riverside Park
Through a variety of programs developed by local artists, neighbors will be given a strong voice in the changes they would like to see take place throughout this small community that has been so cut off from New London center. These artists will each participate in one of six Saturday ART JAMS in Riverside Park, beginning July 14 (see full Saturday ART JAMS schedule below).
The Saturday ART JAMS are ideal for families and fun for all ages. Admission is free for all events. Each Saturday has a theme and offers unexpected chances to explore and express new ideas. Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and participate and experience arts projects, performances, exploration, games, movingmurals - ending with a “Big Bang” on August 18
The local artists who will be participating in the Saturday ART JAMS are Connecticut HOT School Master Teaching Artists. They include Derron Wood, specializing in performance art and Director of FlockTheatre; L’Ana Burton, Director ofCDC- Creative Dance Continuum, who uses dance and body movement to explore the wider physical world; Mark Patnode, whose Master Teaching classes explore the visual arts of color, movement and their relationships to the world around; they are joined by Dr. Roger J. Tremblay, another Hot School teaching artist who uses the computer, mathematics and visualization of fractals to inspire interest and understanding of mathematics; and Elizabeth Tyler, a sculptor who encourages thinking and creating in three dimensions with found, natural objects discovered in the park.
EVENT DATES:
July14, 21, 28; August 4, 11, 18 - 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
DERRON WOOD, FLOCK THEATRE – JULY 14
All-encompassing events for all ages. Become acharacter in Arap Sang & the Cranes . . . create a mouse mask . . . “How do they move? “. . . Parade with the Pied Pipers. Bubbles & Puppets & More
L’ANA BURTON – JULY 21
Explore the Park with Movement! Dance and Motion follows the wind and the trees as L’Ana pulls the history of the park from her dance toolbox. All ages will be surprised as they share site-specific dances with all who gather in the park.
ELIZABETH TYLER, SCULPTOR – JULY 28
Creating wholeness in three dimensions with all manner of objects begins a morning of discovery. . . find and connect with nature…with the neighborhood… and devise object in three dimensions reflecting diversity in this beautiful park.
MARK PATNODE – AUGUST 4
Painting flows through the park with Mark’s “Moving Murals & Banners”. Blank canvases fill with color and life as he encourages all ages to find self- expression with color on canvas.
ROGER TREMBLAY – AUGUST 11
Math origami? Polyherda? Fractal Trees? Well . . . learn about repeating patters . . . seek and find and learn to create amazing patterns found in nature . . . and gain a new insight to mathematics.
THE BIG BANG – AUGUST 18
The final day brings all activities together in one giant festival to all the arts projects that have been on-going through the summer . . . then add some mob dances . . . some Street Parades . . . some Moving Murals . . . a Giant Puppet or two . . . and celebrate all that has been created together. . .
CREATIVE PLACEMAKING for the Riverside Park Neighborhood is led by New London Landmarks, with the City of New London and a coalition of Friends of Riverside Park, the Neighborhood Alliance and all who care about Re-Connecting this area of New London with the City. This project is made possible by a grant from the Connecticut Department of Economic andCommunity Development (DECD) and the Office of the Arts.
For more information about the Creative Placemaking Project or about the SATURDAY ART JAMS in Riverside Park, call 860-442-0003 or visit www.NLRiversideArt.org or www.newlondonlandmarks.org.
