sete pecados sociais/seven social sins: collaborative art workshop
The teenage art students
I intended to write about this almost a year ago now. The museum’s community art education department also hosted their usual youth art workshops thematically related my Seven Social Sins exhibition at the Angra Museum from February 23-June 9 of 2013. However, life happened, and I was only able to help with a couple of the workshops.
Ana and I wanted to the students to have the opportunity to play with mixed media, collage, and found objects/imagery. In preparation for the workshop, we used seven large vinyl banners from previous museum exhibitions. I sketched basic conceptual imagery on each, reminiscent of each social sin. From this point on, the young artists were able to add the banners however they liked. It was fascinating to observe the group dynamic of the Portuguese children and teens, and how they were open and creative and accepting to the ideas of each other. The other interesting component to this project was the fact that all age groups work on all banners during different sessions. The results were truly collaborative works of art.
Assisting with these workshops was a unique experience for me as well, due to the language barrier. I speak very, very little Portuguese and some of the students spoke a little English–however, I was still able to fully enjoy the processes of watching and helping these young artists explore the mixed media collage.
Angra art workshop 5, 2013
Angra art workshop 7, 2013
Angra art workshop 3, 2013
Angra art workshop 10, 2013
Angra art workshop 8, 2013
Angra art workshop 4 (detail image), 2013
Angra art workshop 4, 2013
Angra art workshop 6, 2013
Angra art workshop 6, 2013
Angra art workshop 2 (detail image), 2013
Angra art workshop 2, 2013
Angra art workshop 2, 2013
Angra art workshop 9, 2013
Angra art workshop 6, 2013
Several months ago, the museum displayed the students’ collaborative works at an event held in the museums gorgeous courtyard. Due to a scheduling conflict, I was unable to attend the event. However, I couldn’t have been more proud and amazed by the students’ combined creativity.
Their final mixed media banners on display at the Angra Museum, 2013 Photo/copyright: Angra Museum
Their final mixed media banners on display at the Angra Museum, 2013 Photo/copyright: Angra Museum
Their final mixed media banners on display at the Angra Museum, 2013 Photo/copyright: Angra Museum
Carly Swenson is an intuitive painter originally from northern Montana. She spent more than a decade working primarily as a mixed media artist before shifting to acrylics. Swenson received a BFA in Visual Arts with an Art History Minor from Bemidji State University. During and after university, she traveled and lived abroad, this included studying in China, traveling throughout Europe and living both in England and the Azores.Swenson’s work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions throughout the US and internationally. Her freelance writing and mixed media journals have been published in nationally distributed art magazines. She has facilitated art workshops for various age groups. Swenson’s work is also included in the permanent art collections of Angra do Heroismo Museum and Bemidji State University (Bemidji, MN). Currently, she lives in St. Paul, MN with a smart little dog and a weird little cat. They’re nice.
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2 Replies to “sete pecados sociais/seven social sins: collaborative art workshop”
Thanks so much. I was really proud of them. I wish I could have seen all their finished works in real life, but from what I saw, they just did a fabulous job.
Carly Swenson • Intuitive Artist 
These are fantastic! Would love to see each one.
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Thanks so much. I was really proud of them. I wish I could have seen all their finished works in real life, but from what I saw, they just did a fabulous job.
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