Our July 25 public hours are jam-packed with programming! Join artists like Janet Warner for an open studio visit, or participate in any of the workshops/events below!
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Cyanotype Workshop with Leah Caroline
Thursday July 25, 5 PM weather permitting*
Cyanotypes, also known as sun prints or blueprints, is an early form of photography. The process, which utilizes sunlight, is relatively simple and very rewarding. Participants will create their own cyanotype using plants, objects, or acetate negatives. All materials will be provided.
Leah Caroline, a New Haven artist, was raised in the Chassidic community of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. She works with cyanotype printing, digital media, and installation—documenting nature and Jewish texts. Her exhibits include solo exhibitions and a commission by Artspace Inc. for site-responsive work for City Wide Open Studios in New Haven, CT. She was an artist in residence at Weir Farm in Wilton, CT; Art Kibbutz on Governors Island; and currently at ECOCA in New Haven. I also worked on a collaborative video animation with Jeremy S Horseman, which was exhibited at the Jerusalem Bienale in 2017.She is the co-founder and artist teacher of the Connecticut Artists’ Beit Midrash and leads art workshops. Caroline lives and works in New Haven, CT with her husband and five children.
* rain date, Thursday August 1
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Barbie’s Wardrobe: A Communal Story Cloth Project with Marsha Borden
Thursday July 25, 5:30 pm - 7 pm
Introduced at the New York Toy Fair on March 9, 1959, Barbie was supposed to represent the idea that women had choices, to tell “the little girl [that she] could be anything she wanted to be,” her creator, Ruth Handler, has said. By dressing and styling Barbie, we could become many things – a fashion model or a homemaker, yes, but also an astronaut, a world traveler, an Olympic athlete or a rock star.
In her original form, Barbie was a white female with large breasts, tiny waist and impeccable features. Her clothes fit perfectly. Newer versions are more diverse – curvy body shapes, 7 skin tones and 33 hairstyles (including an afro), but Barbie still retains a taint of controversy. What of the objectification of women? The unattainable body image? The stereotypical “rules” about who gets to play with Barbie? Do we need to resolve our feelings about any of this or can we simply enjoy Barbie with all her contradictions and complications?
On Thursday, July 25, 5:30 – 7 p.m., join Marsha Borden to discuss, reminisce, play, and weave a story cloth with vintage Barbie clothing. Dolls, clothing, and accessories provided.
Marsha is a visual artist who is currently experimenting with cloth, stitch and vintage textiles. Her work applies needle and thread to repurposed fabric and is slow and contemplative. She is interested in the individual story narratives hidden within cloth and clothing.
If you have a trove of Barbie, Ken, and/or Skipper doll clothes that you would like to donate to a project that pays homage to Barbie, please speak to Marsha or email marsha@marshmakes.com. Feel free to also bring your own Barbie clothing to add to our communal weaving project.
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Fruitage of The Spirit with Saron Garnes
Thursday July 25, 5 -8 pm
A clothing swap & collection for Garnes’ summer residency project, complete with art & refreshments! A brief fashion show of selected garments will be presented in the backyard at the end of the swap.
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The Gorilla Campaign Project with Stephanie Lush-Mastriano
Thursday July 25, 5 -8 pm
The goal of “The Gorilla Campaign Project” is to get younger and older artists/ audiences to connect through the history of 80s and 90s hip-hop and punk rock music and art culture, recognizing and appreciating its influence on modern pop culture today, while embracing the Gorilla as a marketing mascot. Related art-based activities will be available.
