Connections is a public project produced for the Southern California Children’s Museum by the nonprofit Drawing Together in collaboration with four artists: Karen Godfrey and Mary Duman from Wrightwood and Amy Bauer and Emily Gallagher from Los Angeles. The exhibit and workshops aim to explore our connection to each other and the planet and address social isolation. Research has found that nearby nature can help us feel connected by offering socially isolated people an alternative way of feeling connected and overcoming the effect of low social connectedness. Join us for several workshops and an exhibit that brings nature, imagination, and connection for little ones together! This project is made possible by an Impact Grant from the California Arts Council, a state granting agency.
Exhibit: Life Web on view from March 29-May 1
A project collaboration between artists Amy Bauer and Karen Godfrey, Life Web explores our connection and inherent sense of belonging through the narrative of our reciprocal relationship with the living Earth and all beings. Each and every being has an equal and important seat, gift, and responsibility in our connection with the Earth for the holistic health of all.
Exhibit: Whispering Woods on view from March 29-May 1
Immerse yourself in the magic of nature at the Southern California Children’s Museum’s “Whispering Woods” installation. Inspired by our deep-rooted connection to nature, this exhibit intertwines with ancestral mythologies, particularly the spirits of nature like fairies. Experience the soothing whispers of the woods created during workshops with children and engage in interactive play with fairies. Join us for an enchanting journey that bridges the gap between the natural world and ancient mythologies, fostering a profound connection with both.
Workshop: March 24th at 2:00 pm – Fairy Creation
Does your little one love fairies and nature? This workshop is for them! Children will craft their own enchanting fairies using soft pinecones, acorns, and felt as part of the art installation, “Whispering Woods.” Children can immerse themselves in interactive play within the enchanting forest setting after the exhibit installation.
Workshop: March 24th at 3:00 pm – Whispering Woods: Fairy Songs and Music of the Forest
Immerse your child in the soundscapes of nature while also having an opportunity to become part of the audio exhibit. Children will learn the rhythms and melodies of nature-based songs. The audio from the workshop will be recorded (only audio recording, no video). The sound will be edited to create a shimmering soundscape of fairy voices to be played as a part of the installation “Whispering Woods.”
Workshop: April 27th at 11:30 – Interconnected Wonders
The Interconnected Wonders workshop offers cooperative activities to experience a felt sense of our place in the larger web of life with Earth. Children will be invited to connect through a community connection action and imaginative play dress-up activity.
About the Artists:
Karen Godfrey: As a mixed media artist, I am richly inspired and intrigued by the raw wild beauty inherent in the immense and minute wonders of Life itself. I am informed by the vast sensuality of the rhythmic seasons and cycle of Nature: The Spiral Dance of Birth, Life, Death and Rebirth.
Amy Bauer: A lifelong maker, Amy Bauer is an artist, designer, educator, creator of Fun-A-Day-LA and Creative Corps Grantee 23-24. Amy explores environmental themes, and ties them into an investigation of the likenesses and frictions between her urban life and her folk art aesthetic.
Emily Gallagher: Emily Gallagher is a soprano and community based artist living in Los Angeles. She has performed in the United States and Europe and works to unite communities through the arts through programming that is accessible and engaging for a diverse audience.
Mary Duman: Mary Duman is an experienced ceramics instructor and artist for over 30 years, who currently serves as a resident artist at Cobb Mountain Art and Ecology. Drawing inspiration from nature, ancient Celtic symbols, and the Wheel of the Year, her sculptures act as portals to ancestral wisdom.
