| Aboriginal Creation myths tell of the legendary totemic beings who had wandered over the (Australian) continent in the Dreamtime, singing out the name of everything that crossed their path – birds, animals, plants, rocks, waterholes – and so singing the world into existence.
| | Bruce Chatwin, The Songlines |
| Our world has existed for thousands of years, but in the past few years we have been warned that much of it is threatened – primarily through the burning of fossil fuels which we use to run our homes and cars and produce the goods we consume.
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| My challenge was to find a way to use my art to generate conversations with all sorts of people about the threat global warming poses for humanity – such an enormous topic to bring up with strangers! Creating images of wild beauty which could be worn out into the world seemed the best way to lure people into conversation, to maybe move them outside their busy lives to act.
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| James Endredy’s ECOSHAMANISM guided me to understand our need to reconnect with the natural world, living as we do in a manmade, paved over, hectic, wired environment. And Bruce Chatwin’s The Songlines, describes the walkabouts Australia’s Aboriginals periodically take which bring them in creative contact with their ancient ancestors – honey ants, bandicoots, wallabies -- who sang the landscape into existence. Two vital connections to think about in the age of Twitter.
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| Workshops with teenagers at the Codman Square Health Center and Boston Asian:Youth Essential Services and adults in my studio told me that people felt a strong connection to a spirit animal and gave them artistic skills which amazed them.
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| We invite you to borrow one of the robes on the pegs to go out on Walkabout and engage people in conversation. Each robe has a pocket with some handouts – there are extra handouts in the plastic folder on the wall. If you are not ready for the streets, take a moment to put on one of the robes, inhabit the animal spirit and write your thoughts in the book provided.
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The tri-colored heron
The African elephant
The brown bear
The Panamanian golden frog
Clouded leopard
Aboriginal animals
Ocelot(in collaboration with Boston Asian: Youth Essential Services)
Eagle(in collaboration with BOLD Teens from Codman Square Youth Center) |
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Ecoshaman Robe Workshop
Create Your Own Ecoshaman Robe |
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when:Wednesday, March 19th, 6-10pm
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where:United South End Settlements 566 Columbus Avenue (corner of Mass Ave.)
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what: Create your own EcoShaman Robe. Work with the artist to create your own fabric collage of endangered species.
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| Participate in the "Parade of the Robes" at the closing ceremony of the exhibition Sunday, March 30th 3-5pm at the Mills Gallery.
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| Materials provided. Participants leave with a fabric collage robe which must be stitched down afterwards. Sewing machines available for use at USES, and sewers are available for hire if needed.
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| Teenagers from Boston Asian: Youth Essential Services and a young German visitor leave the Mills Gallery for a walkabout in the South End |
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| Posing in a Playground |
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| Before leaving for the Walkabout |
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