Humans create such a variety of material cultures but there are so many things we all have in common.
Culture Craft
Crafts to inspire curiosity about the past, the present
and human expression.
A look at our many and varied cultures though craft and art.
Inspirations for the projects span the globe, history and prehistory.
Culture Craft PROJECTS
Stand Alone projects inspired by a wide variety of times, places, and cultures. Projects take about 45 minuets and provide basic information about the time and place that sparked the idea.
Culture Craft in Depth
Introduction to world history through arts and crafts. These classes includes an academic aspect, with more information about each culture. Created with homeschooling or as a addition to an existing curriculum in mind to add a hands on, arts based, dimension to world history, art history, and social studies.
The subjects below can be either the simple stand alone projects or expanded and tailored to a more academic setting. Ask about your favorite expression of material culture. I may already have a project for it or just need an excuse to create one.
Examples
Lunar New Year:
Dragon Dance puppets, rattle drums and Red Envelopes…..a few of the many traditions of this important, vibrant, family focused holiday. These crafts look to both the past and the present. The Lunar New Year’s Celebration brings family and friends together throughout Asia and around the world.
Goblins Teeth and Fairy Wings:
Create your own mythical creature with roots in Iron Age Europe. Tolkien’s iconic Lord of the Rings trilogy is among the many tales that spring from this rich soil. Learn about the stories and the storytellers whose tales are still with us today.
Rangoli:
Decorative sand paintings using images ages created using a traditional grid and often passed down through generations. Rangoli bring good luck and prosperity and are used in many celebrations throughout the Hindu the calendar. Though they are meant to be temporary pieces of art we will create ones you can take home.
Make like an Egyptian:
Go back in time to ancient Egypt. Cobras, vultures, scarab and even dung balls all have meanings. Learn a bit about what these symbols meant and meet a few of Egypt’s leading citizens from it's long history. Prepare for the Land of the Dead with canopic jars used for mummification. Create a Cartouches (royal name plate) using hieroglyphics. Learn just a few of the ridged rules for artist back in the day and about the Pharaoh who broke those rules.
Mesoamerican calendar:
Working calendar with moving parts that can track the days according to, not one, but two interconnected calendar systems. Versions of this calendar have been used from ancient times from the Olmec (or before) to Aztecs. The most amazing version was used by the Mayan who integrated a third calendar, the legendary 'Long Count' into system, creating something so visionary and complex that there is nothing like it in the history of the world.
Storyteller figures:
In 1964, Helen Cordero, a ceramic artists at Cochiti Pueblo created a figure of her grandfather telling stories to children. She became famous for her storytellers and started a new tradition with roots in the older arts of Puebloan ceramics.
Storytellers can take many forms, but all celebrate the power of storytelling and the connections between the generations.
Tribes of the Great Plains:
A tipi is one of the most recognizable items used by the people of the Great Plains. Decorations varied by tribe and by status. Learn how people keep themselves warm and dry when the environment demanded that everyone move to a new location from time to time.
Swords and Shields:
This project is not for everyone. War is something of a universal constant, sad to say. Looking at the varied approaches to weapons is interesting. Shields are a canvas for cultural expression. What do you use for a sword if there is no metal more rigid than gold? Viking swords were legendary, where did the metal for those come from? I really like this project, it covers so much ground, but weapons are the subject. The swords and shield are just strong enough to wave around a bit but not to do damage. Still expect the kids to want to swing them, it's human nature.