MakerSphere News

June 1, 2021

The MakerSphere Board of Directors thanks Winterfest for our grant award! 
Thanks to you we now have a tent for an outdoor classroom space, a
document camera, a projector, and scholarships!! Thanks for all of your support!

Bonus Summer Camp Week Added August 9 - 13!

In addition to the current kid's summer camp schedule, a bonus camp week has been added:  

 

August 9 - 13

5th - 8th Grades - 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Art with a Global Perspective 

 

  • Instructor - Julio Desmont: Go treasure hunting to learn about the rich culture and colors of Haiti. Treasure hunting is a source of inspiration for Julio becoming an artist. We'll look at the people, objects, and places that tell the artist's story. You'll explore the basics of color, lines and shapes in painting your own story.
     

  • Instructor - Ali Beddoe: Learn the stories of ancient artifacts; their geographic regions in the world and the culture those artifacts represent. You will work in clay to create an artifact that in the end we hope is utilitarian art. Though the shape/form/function will be based on the ancient item, the design/glaze/pattern will represent modern time.
     

  • Instructor - Marlena Tucker Fishman: Learn about Stepping; the art of making percussion music using one's full body to stomp, clap, and chant. You'll journey from the lines of South Africa to US universities and communities to learn about the history and culture of this form of dance. Participants will collaborate to create unique step routines that will help build confidence, and spark creativity in a supportive peer environment. 

Other camps on the summer schedule:

July 5 - 9

4th - 8th Grade

9:00 am - 3:00 pm 

        Building a float for the NQID         
             Community Celebration
 

Be an active part of one of Waterbury’s most well-loved public events! Collaborate with others on designing and building a parade float!  With direction from counselors in the use of tools and paint, you’ll have fun with the process and top it off with taking part in a fabulous event to be held on July 10th.                                                                         

July 19 - 23 Camp

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Stories in Art & Art in Stories

Kids will explore the ideas of story telling with Jenni Bee in the mornings and with MK Monley in the afternoons. They will read stories and then draw, build and paint characters and scenery from the books. There will be plenty of active play time to act out the stories as well.

 

 July 26 - 30 Camp

3rd - 5th Grade

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Mythological Creatures 

Join Jenni Bee to create and explore a whole new world of your own making. From puppets to treasures to dragon’s eggs, kids will envision and create ridiculous and outrageous mythological creatures and their habitats! 

  

REGISTER HERE FOR KIDS CAMPS

MakerSphere Meets the Challenge of Virtual Classes

This month, MakerSphere completes its second academic year of online teaching. For the most part, the transition to virtual classes was a smooth one. Previous experience with Zoom proved very helpful as many kids were already computer savvy.

 

We met the challenges of first determining the topics best suited for online learning, identifying what kids were interested in, and providing an interactive and social activity during a very difficult time period.

 

The kids had great fun together trying many new art tools and techniques! We used small project-based art to teach new skills and then challenged kids to design and make their own from provided art packs. We are told that the excitement of opening our art packs rivaled just about any birthday present!

 

As we excitedly look forward to in-person teaching this summer and fall, we look back a bit wistfully at our years in Covid and what we made of them.

Phoenix Rising Public Art Installation to Commemorate Tropical Storm Irene

 

Waterbury Arts is halfway to its goal of raising funds to install a new piece of public art. "Phoenix Rising" will commemorate the 2011 flood and  celebrates our community's resilience. Please contribute if you can.

 

For more info or to donate visit one of the following sites:


https://www.waterburyarts.com/
 

Go Fund Me - Phoenix Rising

Clay Studio - Monthly Memberships Available

(Adult Class) $100 for 4 weeks - Self-schedule and access with key code

 

Our 4 X 4 open studio format is for clay workers to self-schedule 4-hour blocks of time, with a maximum capacity of 4 people in the studio using both rooms. We encourage you to schedule several blocks each week if your life allows it! Registrants will receive a new key code to the space, plus our simple protocols outlining individual responsibilities for opening and closing the studio. Members get access to a private scheduling calendar where potters will be able to see who is enrolled and when. Studio rental fee is $100 for 4 weeks and clay is $37 per bag. Register here.

MakerSphere Annual Meeting

Save the date:  Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 6:00 pm

Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors 

MakerSphere site at the Green Mountain Seminary Building

201 Hollow Road in Waterbury Center.

 Socialize at 6:00 pm. Business meeting starts at 6:30 pm.

We will meet outdoors in our summer classroom/tent and
our facility will be open to tour
.

Details to follow soon!

MakerSphere is a 501(c)3 nonprofit which depends on support from people like you! Please consider helping us to continue our mission to build a community of artists and makers and to provide opportunities for people of all ages to grow and to build skills. Please click here to visit our support page to learn ways that you can help. Thank you for your support!

Calling All Teaching Artists & Makers!


MakerSphere is seeking teachers for our virtual and in-person programs for children and adults. Want to try teaching for MakerSphere, but not sure how it works online?  No worries! We have educational mentors to guide you through  the new teaching formats in the time of Covid-19. Teaching and preparation time for each class is approximately 2 1/2 hours/week. We have day, evening and weekend opportunities as well as after school programs. Please send your resume/letter of interest to makerspherevt@gmail.com

Staying in the loop is easy: 
Like our Facebook page

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or send us an email: makerspherevt@gmail.com

Our mission is dedicated to fostering creativity in our community by providing educational opportunities and workspace for all ages. We help people share their knowledge and build their creative skills in the arts, crafts and trades.

MakerSphere PO Box 114 Waterbury, VT 05676
(802) 272-6557

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