Education and Community Programs

In anticipation of the launch of the Elia Mini Chair (a functional kid-size cardboard chair) happening at next week’s Free First Saturday “Escape to the Suburbs!”… yes, kids can customize one to take home!!… I talked with Michael Gross, Canadian architect/engineer and his wife Rey Tabarrok the creative duo behind this completely recyclable piece of modern furniture.

Tell us the history behind the Elia Mini Chair. How did you come up with the concept? What inspired the name?

MG: The genesis of the Elia Mini Chair was a studio project in my first year of architecture school that challenged us to design a sturdy, comfortable and good-looking chair using only cardboard. The arm chair that my partner Denis Gregoire and I designed was very well received and that got me interested in translating the project into a summer job. In 1994 I evolved some of the principles that Denis and I used in the arm-chair to create a more efficient dining chair. I actually manufactured and sold about 500 of the dining chairs before returning to architecture school for my final thesis year. Even though the chair served as a dining chair and desk chair in our own home for the many years that followed, it was only after persistent interest and encouragement from friends and my wife Rey, that I revisited the idea with the eye to manufacture it again. I think the world is obviously more concerned about sustainability now and definitely, or should I say hopefully, more receptive to cardboard as consumer product. I also think I have a fresh perspective now that I am a parent.

RT: This (parenthood) is definitely the most important element that informed our approach to creating a kid’s product. We were inspired by, and therefore named the brand after, Elia our crafty 6 year old daughter. Not only were we aiming to produce a product that was interesting and engaging, but also one that expressed our sense of responsibility towards our environment, which we try and impart to our daughter all the time. All of this, plus, it had to jive with Michael’s design and aesthetic sensibility.

MG: Yours too.....

RT: I agree. We are (for the most part) on the same page on the ‘less is more’ approach, both in terms of design, and certainly in our philosophy on consumption. But we digress....

MG: Our decision to launch a kid’s version of the chair also addresses our belief that there are few options out there that encourage creative interaction between kids and their parents, that exercises the artistic vision of the child, and are, at the end of it all, functional.

RT: .....and a good looking piece of modern furniture that is not an eye-sore. Add to that the fact that it does not contain lead, is manufactured locally, and is completely recyclable, and you have an overall feel-good experience. Which is, incidentally, why we felt that the Walker was a natural place for the launch of this product....art, modern, and social responsibility and making it all accessible through the Free First Saturday events which we’ve been great fans of and avid participants in over the years.....

Every member of your family has contributed to the development of the Elia Chair in one way or another. Can you talk a little about the role each of you has played?

MG: By now, you’ve guessed that my wife and partner Rey, has not only been a great supporter of the chair and my chair-leader (chuckles) over the years, but she also brought her great experience in marketing and advertising to the development of the concept and the brand.

RT: My biggest contribution is my perspective as a mom and as a consumer of all things crafty. I have engaged in (bought) so many craft and activity kits over the years, I know what I love in a craft project, and what is a source of frustration for both my child and me, not to mention waste...Elia obviously has been the inspiration for the brand and has actually been a very good critic during the creation of the art of the package.

Out of curiosity, do you often work on creative projects as a family unit? If so, can you share a favorite memory?

MG: We work together often, whether it is building stuff with Legos, making all kinds of variations of beaded bracelets and necklaces. Elia and I spent a good deal of time in our front yard last weekend making a snow monster with what was probably the best packing snow of the year.

RT: I can vouch for Michael’s amazing patience and enthusiasm in beading. Both Elia and Michael are also into pottery. My creative juices are exercised in finding the right place to display (or not!) the end result of these creative outputs.

The Elia Mini Chair is not only super fun to assemble and customize with your own look, but it also seems like there’s a built in learning lesson about sustainability, design principles (marriage of form and function), etc. What do you want families to get from their Elia Chair?

MG: The fact that cardboard is ubiquitous in consumer culture and is the most recycled of all consumer products makes it a great vehicle for helping kids understand issues about sustainability and the environment. I think corrugated cardboard is a really brilliant invention. It was developed as a less expensive and lighter alternative to wood and plywood as a packaging material at the end of the 19^th century. It has enormous structural strength given its light weight and this, of course, is a result of the way it is made - layers of fluted liner (paper) sandwiched between flat liner. The flutes are like roman arches in that that they resist compression and transfer load efficiently. Cardboard also behaves like a structural column when it is edge-loaded. So the Elia Mini Chair is also a great way to teach young kids about basic engineering and geometric principles like the arch, the triangle, compression, tension, beams and columns. And hopefully children will come away with an understanding that good design is a marriage of art and engineering.

Sustainability is definitely the buzz word when it comes to contemporary design and architecture. Are there any designers in the field that have inspired you? Any other cardboard furniture makers that you admire?

Frank Gehry’s cardboard furniture is really beautiful and sculptural. I also really admire the De Stijl cabinet maker and architect Gerrit Rietveld’s work. Of all contemporary architects, I think I am most inspired by Shigeru Ban. His novel use of materials (including cardboard and paper), his sensitivity to the environment and his social activism make him one of the most important, and increasingly influential, architects.

Quite often, well-designed modern-looking furniture is accompanied by a big price tag. What I love most about the Elia Mini Chair is that it’s super affordable, retailing at $29.99. And the kit includes six 12″x12″ custom color stickers to decorate the chair with so it is an incredible value. The Elia Mini Chair kits are available at the Walker Shop, at Creative Kidstuff stores, and at www.eliafun.com, and this Saturday at Free First Saturday they’ll be free while quantities last.. Michael and Rey have kindly donated several hundred Elia Chairs for local families to decorate and take home with them. Please no pushing.

Ed note: The chair is now available in the Walker shop and the link has been updated.

I’m not heading to NYC anytime soon, but if any of you art-loving Minneapolitan families are, the Cai Guo-Qiang exhibition at the Guggenheim looks like a great show to check out with the kids. Trey Ellis, author, screenwriter, film professor, blogger on Babble.com, and father of two just posted a sneak peek at the artist’s series of exploding cars seen in the atrium of the museum. How cool! Check it out!

I’ve had my own favorite animal and car sitings in the gallery!

P.S. Trey, I have already purchased my copy of Bedtime Stories, and I can’t wait to read it!

My niece is turning 3 at the end of the month which means I get to indulge in my favorite auntie task, shop for her special birthday present.

K lives in Pennsylvania, so photos are the only way I can see her on a regular basis. I keep this one of her in her lamb costume posted at my desk- it makes me smile, as does the ‘Bite Me’ cross-stitch (compliments of Morgan Wylie).

For a long time I’ve been eying this metallic, airplane-shaped kids backpack by Zid Zid Kids for her at the Shop and today I broke down and bought it. I hope she likes it! I only wish I could be there as she opens her birthday surprise.

I was recently asked to shed some light on the many amazing art resources available to Minnesotan families for mnartist.org’s e-journal, access+ENGAGE. Be sure to check out the MASHUP collection to see which art organizations spark your child’s curiosity.

Raising a creative kid must sound daunting to any parent. Isn’t there enough pressure just raising a kid? I’m a non-breeder myself, but seeing the pace of life my sister keeps between taking care of her two girls and holding down a career makes me wonder how much time parents really have to research and plan for an outing to an art center or museum.

Any parent, whether they're an artist or not, can find simple and easy ways of enjoying the arts with their kids. There are so many exciting,varied, and (most-importantly) cost-free opportunities here in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota available for families--you just need to know where to look. This MASHUP collection reflects a wide-ranging sampler of art organizations that welcome families to learn and engage in an artful experience.

Here are some tips to getting the most of these arts resources: Pace yourself. The number of things to see and do can be overwhelming, so take in bits at a time. First, you might select from a variety of free family events that cross over multiple disciplines to find what interests your children most. Museums like the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and Rochester Art Center offer free family days each month (typically related to exhibitions), while smaller institutions like Highpoint Center for Printmaking and Minnesota Center for the Book Arts occasionally offer free and more specialized art-making workshops for families. An additional bonus to these programs is they're led by some of the most talented local performing, visual, and teaching-artists. Be aware however, that free family days are popular, so arrive early to beat the crowds.

If you're looking for a less hands-on adventure, try Childish Films--a program of classic, independent, and new world cinema (for ages 3 and up) held once a month at the Minneapolis Central Library. Avid theater-goers don't have to sacrifice their ticket when they can't find a sitter: bring the whole family along to any one of the internationally-acclaimed theaters in Minnesota. The Children's Theatre Company is a favorite for families--showing wildly popular shows like Disney's High School Musical; and the Guthrie Theater invites kids 4-11 to partake in play dates and discount matinee family tickets. Looking ahead to next June, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts showcases a bonanza of international performing artists at the annual Flint Hills International Children's Festival. Smaller theater and dance organizations not to be overlooked include Youth Performance Company, Stepping Stone Theater, Zenon Dance Company and School, and Young Dance.

Once your little one decides he's/she's going to be a puppet-maker, sculptor, circus acrobat, filmmaker, musician, or photographer, then its time to invest some time and money into classes, equipment, and a studio space! Good luck parents, and don't freak out if you see a lone 30-year-old woman without kids looking like a tourist at the next Baby Loves Disco. It's probably me doing "field research".

One of the highlights of this year’s Summer’s Cool program–studio classes for kids ages 3-14, was the D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) Director class. Considering that even short films can easily take months to shoot, edit, and produce, it was impressive to see 14 young filmmakers complete a video project in a mere 15 hours. Below are two of my favorites:

To Be Named Shortly: A Documentary
by Emma and Hannah

Vanished
by Zoe and Sierra

Recreate Yourself:
An activity to build on your visit to the Picasso and American Art exhibition

A great way to wind up a family visit to the Walker is to reflect on the artists you saw by making some masterpieces of your own. The Picasso and American Art exhibit shows a wide variety of portraits by both Picasso and many American artists, like Roy Lichtenstein, Jackson Pollock and Max Weber to name a few. What you may notice is the way that these artists divide, rebuild, and fragment the figures in their portraits.

During a Summer's Cool class called Paint like Picasso students learned to emulate Picasso by creating several self portraits and then cutting them apart and reassembling the pieces to create a new work of art. Here's how it works:

Step 1: Grab a mirror and make faces (lots of faces); the more variety in the faces the more variety in your final work of art. After studying your face, make several (4-5) black outline (contour line) paintings of those faces you can make. Let them dry. (Black markers or crayons will work too if you can't make a mess!)

Step 2: Add Color. Fill in the white space with creative colors. Think about Picasso’s palette; in his paintings people certainly weren't limited to natural skin tones and realistic colors. Let them dry.

Step 3: Cut them up, yes, cut them up. These can be in various shapes and sizes, but it seems to work well to cut each face into 5 or 6 average size pieces.

Step 4: Put them back together. Use a larger piece of paper to reconnect your shapes in a new way and there you have it your very own Picasso inspired masterpiece!

Many thanks to artist Jennifer Nevitt for teaching the class and developing this fun project; to Ariane Smith our fabulous Family Programs intern, for assisting the class and writing up this post; and to Antonia Ukofia, yet another wonderful Family Programs intern, who made the images above.

Here are some example projects made by kids in the Paint Like Picasso class:

Leah Nelson leading a hip-hop dance workshop at Free First Saturday.

One of the highlights of my job coordinating family programs is working with local artists to develop creative and engaging learning opportunities for youth. Leah Nelson, a Minneapolis-based dancer, choreographer, producer, and teaching-artist, has been an amazing educational resource not only to the Walker, but the local art community. I asked her to talk about her role as a teaching-artist:

My relationship with hip-hop education and the Walker was reinforced after the Hip-Hop Moves Festival in 2003 and has continued over the past three summers when I’ve taught the Hip-Hop Moves dance class to youth.

With the youth classes it’s been great to see the progress young movers have made after returning each summer for an intensive week of hip-hop and funk dance and culture. The encounters between the students and teaching-artist team I work with in my company Nubia, (a performing arts collective), have created exciting environments encouraging strength, stamina and creativity as well as some excellent dance moves.

My interest has always been to encourage learners of all ages to find access to the depth of culture that hip-hop has to offer. Unfortunately the current media-driven images and highly charged environments portrayed today do not give due props to the richness and community-oriented beginnings hip-hop has to offer.

I love any opportunity I have to bring this understanding and increase my own knowledge - to participate with potential b-girls and b-boys, grafitti artists, DJs and MCs. As often as I can I organize and mostly collaborate to reap the socially jubilant rewards of programs like B-girl Be : A Celebration of Women in Hip-hop at Intermedia Arts and workshops like Hip Hop 101 happening at the Walker in April. Hip-Hop 101 is for young ones who don’t often have access can try out their skillz at the turntables, on the mic and on the dance floor … they can even get some writing technique … the idea is that these morning sessions are infused with all the tools representing the elements - and understand that its more than a “bling” thing.

Many thanks to the young artists and families who participated in the Cinema Evolution art lab activity at the March 3 Free First Saturday. Thanks to guest filmmaker Michelle-Mehri Mousavi, who documented the kids and their artwork, we now have a video collage of the fun.

At the March 3rd Free First Saturday art lab activity, families created their own film still using collage and drawing materials. Guest filmmaker, Michelle-Mehri Mousavi captured kids and their artwork on camera and produced this short video. (A high-res version is coming soon!)

walker-art-center-ci_180e3c.mov

Looking for a creative way to engage the kids at home on these cold wintery days? As you await the first snow, try this simple collage activity using a tape transfer technique. Kids ages 3 and up can do this, and because they look so cool you might even be able to talk your teenager into trying it too.

PACKING TAPE TRANSFER-COLLAGE

What you need:
Clear packing tape (the wider the better)
Magazine or photocopied images

Stick the packing tape over the front of your image. If applying in strips to cover a larger image, put another strip over the join to reinforce the project. Apply pressure to the tape with your hand or the back of a spoon to get rid of any trapped air. Soak the image in warm water for approx 5 minutes. Remove from water. Remove the backing paper of the image by gently rubbing with your finger. The backing will come off in layers. Be gentle and patient.

You should have a semi-transparent replica of the original image transferred onto the packing tape. Now you can layer multiple images, and create a collage. Try combining images of different scale and opposite meanings (in one example below I placed a beach scene overtop a snowy mountaintop).

Most of us have made a collage at some point in time that has involved cutting and splicing together magazine clippings. This process of borrowing, reusing, editing, and exploiting existing images to create new meanings, images, or objects is called appropriation. Artist, Andy Warhol is one of the best-known appropriators of pop culture. His work often contains familiar images like Campbells’ soup cans, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis, which are taken directly from newspapers, advertisements, and mainstream media.

If you are brave enough to leave the house on one of these frigid week-ends, stop by the Walker and visit Gallery 3 to see Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Tomato Juice Box.

As you look at this artwork, think about how this sculpture is both a replica and an original.

• Has the artist changed the original? How? (Hint: look at how it was made and what materials the artist used)
• Where have you seen this item before?
• Does the meaning of this object change when seeing it in a gallery?