Creative Engagement Workshops
Custom workshops that bring creative play to an important topic.
Through these workshops, I aim to create memorable experiences that connect people to the places that support us. Education and first-hand interactions with plants (or other natural materials) are elements I often focus on. I hope that through these workshops, participants are inspired to strengthen their relationship with their natural environment and gain more awareness of environmental issues.
Below are some examples of workshops I have created. These are not to be considered a menu of workshop offerings, but rather show you a range and serve as inspiration as you think of how a workshop could be impactful for your audience. If you’d like to talk more, I’d love to discuss developing a custom workshop proposal.
Art & Science on the River:
A workshop series
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A workshop series created to explore several topics related to the health of the Mississippi River that blends scientific information with art-making, allowing participants to walk away with a deeper understanding of each topic and the importance of working together to protect and restore the Mississippi River and surrounding watershed.
Each workshop focused on a specific topic (salt, buckthorn and carp) and included a presentation and discussion with subject-matter experts as well as an art activity.
WITH MWMO, FMR, ANNIE HEJNY, AND MAISRC
Bite Back:
An invasive species potluck
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‘Bite Back’ was created to encourage folks to learn about invasive species and to interact with them while having a bit of fun. It was a one-night, free community event designed to include education and a hands-on activity. Participants were encouraged to bring a dish that included an invasive species ingredient. A presentation about invasive species followed a screen printing activity where everyone could design and print their own invasive plant on a handkerchief.
WITH FMR, WATER BAR AND EMILY SAUER
U of M Art & Ecology Class:
Buckthorn berry harvesting and ink making
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Partnering with the Mpls Park Board, I organized an event with University of Minnesota students, where we harvested buckthorn berries to make ink. We lopped the berries at a park near campus and then created ink with the berries. The students were given time to play with the newly-created ink along with additional natural inks made from plants sourced in Minneapolis.
WITH UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND MPLS PARK BOARD
Repair Cafe:
Emerald Ash Borer activity
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This activity was a part of listening and visioning sessions, created by Amoke Kubat, founder of Yo Mama’s House. These sessions were created for North Minneapolis residents to share their experience with Emerald Ash Borer. It was designed to be an engaging art activity that could help residents identify signs of EAB. Participants could create pencil rubbings of the “s gallery” markings that the larvae leave on trees, using a once-infested tree stump and then layer on a block print.
WITH YO MAMA’S HOUSE AND MSP LTER
Capitol Region Watershed:
A natural ink play station
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This was an activity for CWRD’s 25th Anniversay celebraton event. Prior to the event, I created inks from 20+ plants collected from locations in the watershed: Willow Reserve, CRWD office, Lake McCarrons, and the Mississippi River. These inks were available during the event to color in a custom 25th anniversary poster that I had designed with input of the CRWD event planning team.
Rambles with the Minneapolis St. Paul Long Term Ecological Research Project (MSP LTER)
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Working with the Community Engagement team, we developed monthly “Rambles” as a way to create space for conversations about important local ecological issues and current research related to these issues.
WITH JESSIE MERRIAM AND MSP LTER