Saturdays at Mind's Eye Exhibition: Communicating with Children and Parents

In a world that is oftentimes moving too fast, we Arts Administrators from CSN take the time, during the month of February, to run FREE Saturday Community Workshops in conjunction with our exhibition at Cork Vision Centre @ St. Peter's. This year, we have themed the weekends on the title of the show "Mind's Eye". Emphasis is on creativity and the genuinely wonderful work that can be produced, by art students and our young visitors alike, by taking quality time to sit down on the floor, with "free and found" materials, to see what happens.

Music is also a part of the themed sessions to create an atmosphere where the arts can thrive. Musicians from CSN's Music Management and Sound course graced the workshops with the lilt of a guitar - when Colin Deady played songs and even sang with his young son, Benjamin during the first workshop "There's no Space Like my P{lace". The Mandola's created a surreal and even medieval backdrop for the Portraiture workshop "Facing You and Me!" 11.2.12 where young children and their families had a tour of the exhibition, a story "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and took inspiration from the paintings and drawings, textile design and ceramics. One project involved little muslin aprons that the girls and boys wore while working with glue, then decorated in their own way at the point where the portraiture was finished. Zuzana Tabacikova's green silk apron and Liela Donerty's 4 domestic paintings ("Cinderella", one child said, about Leila's work ) provided inspiration.

The 3rd workshop is called "Ground Floor Explorers", happening Saturday 18th February 2012, 11 AM - 1 PM, with music by Colin Deady. The children will look at the many works of art that have been influenced by looking at nature: "Giant Conkers", by Nicolaas Bester; flowers and a natural landscape made from wire and embroidery thread by both Fiona Cotter and Zuzana Tacacikova; crochet by Karin Kempf and Angela Jordan. Colour, simple materials and the youthful enthusiasm of the children merge for a magical experience, giving Arts Administration students a hands-on" teaching and learning experience" in city centre. Planning and Organisation are imperitive in running a successful project for a "Walk-in" audience.

CSN has supported the off-site exhibition for 11 years now - making it 11 years of Saturday workshops organised by students on the Arts Administration course at Cork Vision Centre @ St. Peter's, N. Main Street. Many former students have gone off into the world of work, in arts organisations, taking this valuable experience with them to the UK, Italy the United States and all over the country in Ireland. Tour Guiding skills are taught (by an AAM trained tour guide) on this hands-on practical course.

The success of this exhibition, as with all quality endeavours in arts event management, is down to fine team working within the class. Mind's Eye Project Managers: Christine Shinkwin and Anthony Kelly; PR and Marketing: Lucia Creedon and Michelle Twomey; Interpretive Planning and Education: Aoife Murphy; Holly Darragh-Hickey and Mairéad Finnegan.

On-line applications are welcome. Places on the courses are determined by interview and overall course numbers.

For further information, contact: Carol White, Arts Administration, Course Director. (021) 4961020 or c.white@csn.ie www.csn.ie

*photo by Arts Administration student, Lucia Creedon. Photo Releases were signed by all parents of children who appear in the newspaper and on this BLOG.