WIDE RAINBOW CONNECTS

Our (free) educational DIY video workshop series. Meet artists in their studios or at home and recreate artworks inspired by their unique practice. Let’s make art with artists!

Allison Simon

Our beloved Meditation & Movement Instructor Allison Simon joins us from her studio in South Los Angeles and closes out the school year with a meditation on gratitude. Gratitude for simply existing. Let's all find a comfortable place, slow down, take a few breaths, and bring to mind something or someone that you're grateful for.


Wide Rainbow Wellness:

Meditation on the Breath w/ Alli Simon

Link to Share : https://youtu.be/6TnKtApDj1s


May you be happy

May you be healthy mind & body

May you be safe& protected

May you be filled with love & live with ease

- Alli Simon

Anna Sew Hoy

Artist Anna Sew Hoy joins us from her studio in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles with an introduction to her multifaceted art practice and look at some recent cage sculptures made of clay & found objects along with drawings and other transformative works of art... 

“I am Interested in freedom, and I am against boredom.”

– Anna Sew Hoy

Allison Simon

Our beloved Meditation & Movement Instructor Allison Simon joins us again from her studio in South Los Angeles. Alli invites us to notice the life and Sounds that are always happening around us. Let's find a comfortable place to rest and come to stillness with a deep inhale in, and exhale out…


Wide Rainbow Wellness:

Meditation on the Breath w/ Alli Simon

Link to Share: https://youtu.be/sdXmc7KUAXo

Lauren Spear ♫

Songwriter Lauren Spear of Le Ren and MAYBEL ♫♭♩ joins us this week from her studio and home in  Montreal, Canada for an inspiring songwriting ♫ workshop. Let’s follow along with the chords G, C, D and watch as Lauren  writes and performs a new song for us…

Allison Simon

Meditation & Movement Instructor Allison Simon joins us once again from her studio in South LA. Alli encourages us to be present and focus on the Breath. Let’s find a comfortable place to rest and start our practice with a deep inhale in, and soft exhale out…


Wide Rainbow Wellness:

Meditation on the Breath w/ Alli Simon

Link to Share: https://youtu.be/gCiVgFrKB5Y

Emma Palm ♫

Musician & multimedia artist Emma Palm (No Translation) invites us out west to the desert in Joshua Tree, California to do some field recordings and learn how she creates ambient soundscapes. Follow along and be inspired as Emma shares a special performance with us while she transforms the everyday into a beautiful piece of music.

MATERIALS

  • field recordings

  • synthesizers

  • voice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Record your surroundings

2. Use audio software to edit recordings

3. Get creative & add effects!

Listen to more of Emma’s music and ambient soundscapes : www.no-translation.bandcamp.com

Allison Simon

LA based Meditation & Movement teacher Allison Simon asks us to open our hearts, spread the love, and take a moment for a little self-care and Compassion with three simple words : I Love You

Wide Rainbow Wellness:

Compassion ♡ Meditation w/ Alli Simon

Link to Share: https://youtu.be/zvPHqd-WIWA

Shirley Villavicencio-Pizango

Peruvian born portrait artist Shirley Villavicencio-Pizango invites us to her studio in Ghent, Belgium where she finds inspiration for her paintings through the spontaneity of print making! Let’s follow along and learn how to make a monoprint together!

MATERIALS

  • glass plastic

  • block printing ink

  • paper roller

  • pen

INSTRUCTIONS

Let’s make a monoprint!

1. Spread block printing ink on plastic

2. Roll ink on glass

3. Place paper on the glass

4. Write (in reverse) and draw on the paper

5. Lift the paper to see your monoprint!

Try making a card with the same technique ;)

Allison Simon

Let's take a deep breath and calm The Mind with LA Based Meditation & Movement teacher Allison Simon.

Wide Rainbow Wellness:

Mindful Meditation w/ Alli Simon

Link to Share: https://youtu.be/kAaekRxoN_I

Frida Orupabo

Artist Frida Orupabo welcomes us into her home & studio in Norway where she shares her collage practice with us moving from digital source material to sculptural works of art. Let’s follow along and create our own collage inspired by Frida.

"My work is a way of sorting things, sorting emotions and thoughts I have. It's a way of speaking..."

- Frida Orupabo

MATERIALS

  • source images

  • scissors

  • printer

  • paper

  • pins

INSTRUCTIONS

Let’s make collage works of art!

1. Collect images

2. Use a digital collage as the base

3. Print it out & tape a base

4. Layer pieces with rolled tape

5. Pin pieces together

Alli Simon

We are thrilled to welcome back meditation & movement instructor Alli Simon who joins us this new year from her studio in South Los Angeles with a special series of guided meditations each month through the rest of the 2021/2022 school year. From January through June, we will tune into our mind, body, & breath with sound, compassion, and gratitude… 

Let’s take a deep breath and become more aware of our bodies while we follow along as Alli moves us through our first meditation on Body Awareness

Wide Rainbow Wellness:

Body Awareness Meditation w/ Alli Simon

Link to Share: https://youtu.be/zhwioAeTYCc

Akiko Jackson

Visual artist Akiko Jackson welcomes us into her Philadelphia studio and shares her large scale sculptures & installations made of wool! She invites us to create with her fabric medium and takes us step-by-step through a simple ‘wet-felting’ workshop…

MATERIALS

  • wool

  • soap

  • empty water bottle

  • plastic or packing material

  • fine mesh aka tulle

  • bucket of lukewarm water

INSTRUCTIONS

Let’s get creative with wool!

1. Set up your waterproof surface

2. Pull apart wool

3. Crosshatch the fibers

4. Lay fine mesh on top of wool

5. Fill water bottle with water and a little soap

6. Cover your project with the soapy solution

7. Push mesh down onto the wool

8. Rub!

9. Roll up the wool and fine mesh

10. Check your progress and roll again

11. Rinse

12. Rip away the mesh

13. Rinse some more

14. Slam felt against working surface

15. Flatten fabric

16. Air dry the fabric!

Chantal Joffe

Renown figurative artist Chantal Joffe invites us to her studio in London to follow along as she creates a special collage self-portrait. Let’s take inspiration from Chantal as she realizes a simple, beautiful, and inspiring work of art. All you need is glue, scissors, and paper!

“There are no rules and that's the beauty of it!”

- Chantal Joffe

MATERIALS

  • photo

  • glue

  • water

  • paint brushes

  • color paper

  • newsprint

INSTRUCTIONS

Let’s make a collage portrait!

1. Choose paper and size 

Draw with the scissors

2. Start by cutting out the head shape

3. Glue down your head

4.  Add the eyes

Let my mind float free of the image

5. Add the nose

6. Cut out pieces for hair

7. Place & glue down hair

8. Add a line for your face

9. Add eyebrows

10. Start working on the body too

11. Add an arm

I prefer the randomness of shapes  

12. Add a mouth

13. Continue to look back to your image

14. Add clothes for the body

15. Add your hands

16. Finish up when you think you’re done. It’s endless…

Have fun!

Leslie Diuguid / Du-Good Press

Leslie Diuguid of the first and only Black female owned fine art screen printing business in New York, Du-Good Press invites us to Brooklyn to share her personal history, printing practice, and community driven business supporting artists, designers, and sustainability that all began in her bedroom...

Learn more about Du-Good Press and how you can support Leslie’s extraordinary vision & expansion by visiting her GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/support-dugood-press-expansion

*Special thanks and shout out to Waylon Bone & Greg Navarro for the making of this video

Aya Takano

Japanese painter, illustrator, sci-fi writer & manga artist Aya Takano opens her heart and her studio with us for an intimate tour of her new paintings as she prepares for her upcoming exhibition in Hong Kong…

Ad Minoliti

Artist Ad Minoliti (and her dog Max) join us from Buenos Aires, Argentina for a simple, but whimsical gardening workshop where Ad invites us to go outside, consider the native plants we have around us, and to rethink every day advertisements while we create our own artful objects and gifts for others!

MATERIALS

  • can

  • nail

  • hammer

  • plant

  • soil

  • paper

  • ruler

  • pencil

  • stencils

  • markers

  • cut-outs

  • tape

INSTRUCTIONS

What if some rules of society are different?

1. Hammer holes into the bottom of a can

2. Fill the cans with soil

3. Trim the ends of a plant and put in water

4. Place the clipping in the soil

5. Add some more soil

6. Water the plants

7. Measure the height of the can

8. Draw a line

9. Add designs

10. Cut out your new packaging & tape it to your can!

What can you imagine?

What do you want to give to others?

Louise Bonnet

Artist Louise Bonnet joins us from her studio in Los Angeles for a special drawing workshop. Let’s follow along as Louise draws an example of a water drop by playing around wiht light, shadow and her own surreal touch.


MATERIALS

  • colored pencils

  • pencil sharpener

  • eraser

  • paper


INSTRUCTIONS
Let's draw a water drop!

1. Draw the shape of a drop on a surface and one falling

2. Add light reflection on drops

3. Add a background

4. Shade in the drop

5. Add a shadow

6. Draw around the point of light

7. Add color of reflecting surface

9. Add a background

Monica Bonvicini

Artist Monica Bonvicini and her wonderful studio invite us to Berlin for a collage workshop inspired by Monica’s 'Legscutout' series. Let's find discarded magazines, cut-out body parts, and create cool conceptual collages that encourage conversation surrounding beauty, diversity, and our own surroundings…

MATERIALS

  • magazines

  • newspapers

  • scissors

  • paper

  • glue

INSTRUCTIONS

Let’s make a collage!

1. Go through the magazines

2. Tear out images

3. Cut-out images

4. While arranging, pick the outer form

5. Move cut-outs until you like what you see

6. Fix the cuts with glue

7. Appreciate your self made artwork!

Alli Simon

Meditation & Yoga Instructor Alli Simon joins us from her studio in South LA and guides us through her own practice. Let's all calm our minds, remember a breath, and be present together with each other.


"You belong here."

- Alli Simon

Why we meditate:

  • To calm our minds

  • To remember to breathe

  • To focus on right now

INSTRUCTIONS:

Let's begin our mediation practice.

1. Wiggle into your seat

2. Look around your space

3. Notice what you hear

How are you feeling right now?

4. Take a deep breath in
5. Exhale and close your eyes

What do you hear?

How are you feeling?

What are you thinking?

6. Let your attention rest on your breathing

7. Notice sensations in your body

8.. Slowly breathe in and out

9. Slowly bring your attention back to noticing your breath and body

10. Take 3 deep breaths

11. Bring your hands together over your heart

Offer gratitude for ourselves

For each other

For the practice of slowing down

Being present

♡

Alli regularly leads classes at The Underground Museum, Everybody Gym and The Yetunde Price Resource Center. Outside of facilitating meditation + yoga, she’s Co-founder/Executive Director of South LA Wellness and serves as Board Chair for ProjectQ.

For more free mediation course classes visit Alli’s IG Live: @OMgirlAlli

Michelle Ishikawa & Friends

Today we follow along with floral designer, gardener and plant lover Michelle Ishikawa of the Queens based creative studio Okimoto and take a journey into the world of floristry here in New York City, Brooklyn, and beyond. Let's meet with all the wonderful artists and creatives behind the scenes of each beautiful bouquet while learning about flowers, plants, and "natures art" along the way!

What are the different ways to be a florist?

Some ideas to think about...

  • flower shops

  • weddings

  • flower markets

  • fashion

  • nonprofits

  • grower

  • studio

  • account flowers

  • delivery

  • restaurants

  • businesses

"I think it's always important to remember that a big part of making art is just living and observing the world around you so that you have inspiration and things to make art about."

- Michelle Ishikawa

Much love to all of our floral friends featured...

Kim from Hautau & Sons, Roland from J.Rose, Keith Pierpont from Pierpont's Blossom Farm, and Suzanna & her team at Stems Brooklyn. You are all so inspiring!

Special shout out to Dena Kopolovich for filming & edited this special video with Michelle in time for Mother's Day!

Mie Yim

Artist Mie Yim invites us into her studio in the Bronx, NY for a fun pastel workshop with lots of laughs. Let’s follow along with Mie Yim and draw together!

INSTRUCTIONS

Let's draw with pastels!

1. Start making marks and shapes

2. Blend for a softer finish

3. Pencil in sharper lines

4. Spray with a fixative

5. Cover with glassine or wax paper

MATERIALS

pastels
pastel pencils
paper
wet paper towel
glove
fixative spray
glassine or wax paper


“Every drawing is a fresh start.

I always try to surprise myself.”

- Mie Yim

Naama Tsabar

Performance and installation artist Naama Tsabar invites us into her studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn and introduces us to her interactive 'works on felt' while inspiring us to create our own playful sculptures our of paper and string!

MATERIALS

  • paper

  • (small and large)

  • basswood

  • rulers

  • (straight-edge and right angle)

  • measuring tape

  • x-acto knife

  • blue tape

  • thread

  • sewing needles

  • pencil

  • eraser

  • hot glue gun

  • pva glue

INSTRUCTIONS

How can a work on paper become sculpture?

Part 1: Playful Studies

1. Thread a needle

2. Use a ruler to mark 2 points on the paper

3. Punch the marked holes with the needle

4. Thread through the entry hole

5. Tape the thread to the back of the paper

6. Thread through the exit hole

7. Pull the thread to create a curve

8. Tape the loose thread to the back of the paper

It's play, it's about exploring. It's not about being perfect.

9. Tape your work to the wall

Part 2: Cutting Sculptures

1. Cut the paper

2. Thread from the back

3. Tape the thread

4. Thread a second point

5. Pull thread to create a "leg"

6. Tape the thread down

7. Tape your work to the wall

Part 3: Final Artwork

1. Cut an L-shape in the corner of the paper

2. Thread upper part of inner corner

3. Tape the thread

4. Thread the lower corner

5. Fix the thread with tape

6. Hang the work on the wall!

Michelle Stuart

Artist Michelle Stuart has been creating powerful works of art inspired by the environment since the 1960s and is known for her large-scale Earthworks, collage, drawings, photography, and sculpture. Today she joins us for an intimate tour of her studio in Soho, New York sharing a behind-the-scenes look at her decades long practice, connection to nature, and "wonder above all!"

Christina Quarles

Artist Christina Quarles joins us from her studio in Los Angeles and shares a DIY stencil activity using old magazines & painter’s tape. Let’s follow along with Christina as she gives us this special tutorial and we explore new painting techniques together!


MATERIALS

  • x-acto knife or scissors

  • painter's tape

  • magazines

  • paper plates

  • sponges

  • containers of water

  • paint

  • colored pencils

  • sharpies

  • pens


INSTRUCTIONS

Let’s create DIY stencils!


1. Cut out your stencil from a magazine

2.. Dab & paint with your sponge

3. Play around with different colors

4. Use painter's tape to create a new stencil

5. Paint inside your shape

6. Try new colors & different techniques

7. Get creative with your tape to make shapes

8. Draw with colored pencils

9. Use your magazine to draw a new stencil

10. Remove your tape

11. Experiment and have fun!


Opaque: you can't see through the paint

Transparent: you can see underneath the paint

Gradient: two colors that mix together to form a middle tone, moving from light to dark or vice versa

We are peeling back the layers with this special stencil bonus video ★彡 behind-the-scenes with artist Christina Quarles. Take a look at her process creating large scale stencils in the studio and how she incorporates layers (and layers) of paint into each work of art!

Cafe Forsaken / Moonui Choi

Artist, cook & co-founder of nonprofit Cafe Forsaken Moonui Choi shares a video dairy with us from her kitchen and studio in Brooklyn. We take a behind-the-scenes look at her sourcing, cooking and delivering food to the community. After, she shares a recipe for a yummy gluten-free cake and shows us how to get creative while we decorate it…

MATERIALS

  • cake

  • filling

  • frosting

  • food coloring

  • kitchen utensils

  • piping bag

INSTRUCTIONS

Let's decorate a cake!

  1. Create a base layer of frosting

  2. Add color to the frosting

  3. Decorate the cake

  4. Pipe some squiggles and dots

  5. Enjoy!

MOONUI’S GLUTEN FREE VANILLA CAKE

Cream 230g of unsalted butter together with 230g of granulated sugar

Beat until fluffy and pale

Slowly add-in 4 eggs, one at a time

Add in 1tsp of your choice of extract (vanilla, orange, etc!)

Sift together 230g of gluten free flour, 1tsp salt, 1tsp baking powder, and 1/4tsp xanthan gum/agar agar/cornstarch (whatever you have on hand)

Combine dry mixture with batter.

Gently fold until homogenous.

Bake batter in lines baking tin of choice at 350F for 20min or until top is golden brown and inside is cooked through

Cool, then enjoy!

Anna Pipes

Artist Anna Pipes invites us into her Brooklyn studio to take a look at her collages as inspiration for a special workshop making Valentines!

MATERIALS

  • recycled cards

  • scissors

  • glue (rubber cement)

  • sparkles

  • glitter

  • stickers

  • doilies

  • origami paper

  • swooshes of paint

  • magazines

  • old encyclopedias

  • candy wrappers

  • museum pamphlets

  • old children's books

  • etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Use an old card as a base

2. Cut out words, images and shapes

3. Choose a background paper

4. Paste down & arrange your cut-outs

5. Write a special note & give it to someone you love!

Sandy Davis / Pecas

New York based musician & producer Sandy Davis (aka Pecas) invites us into her studio and teaches us how to record a song with a simple iphone & free garage band app!

MATERIALS

  • phone

  • Garageband

  • headphones

INSTRUCTIONS

Let's make a song!

1. Find the tempo of the song

2. Set the bars

3. Start your beat

4. Record the beat

5. Record vocals

6. Record harmony

7. Add bassline

8. Add some tsh tsh

Esther Choi

Multidisciplinary artist Esther Choi invites us into her Brooklyn studio to create cool sculptures and take photographs of our artworks while we explore different compositions playing with light, form and color!

MATERIALS

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup table salt

  • 1 ½ cups water

  • Parchment paper

  • Kitchen utensils

  • Oven-safe molds

  • Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Let’s make salt dough!

Part 1:

1. Add & stir flour and salt

2. Add 1 cup water

3. Mix

4.Knead ball for 5 minutes

5. Grease molds

6. Sculpt around molds

7. Put sculpture in the oven at lowest temperature

8. Paint your sculpture

Part 2:

1. Find or create a backdrop

2. Experiment with lighting

3. Play around with compositions

4. Take photos!

Rachel Eulena Williams

Today we have a special weekend edition with artist Rachel Eulena Williams coinciding with the last day of her exhibition here in downtown Manhattan at Canada Gallery. Rachel shares a special mobile making activity inspired by her own practice. Let’s take a virtual walkthrough of her gallery show too!

MATERIALS :

  • Wire

  • Scissors

  • Thumbtack

  • Pliers

  • Colorful Cardstock or Paper

INTSRUCTIONS:

1.          Make a big circle with your wire

2.         Nestle the wires together

3.         Pull the wire to create a crossbar

4.        Clamp the wire at meeting points

5.         Create a hook on top of the wire stem

6.        Take the paper & cut out fun shapes

7.         Punch holes in the shapes & thread the wire through

8.         Add wire shapes to base

9.        Decorate your mobile!

Visit 'Tracing Memory' by Rachel Eulena Williams @ Canada Gallery

Annie Hart

Musician, Composer & Songwriter Annie Hart invites us into her Brooklyn studio to ring in the New Year with a little synth demo, a drum machine, some fun instruments and a lot of inspiration!

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s follow along with musician Annie Hart’s synth demo and express ourselves through music!

1. Start with a pattern

2. Write a drum part

3.  Add other instruments (optional)

4. Get creative!

MATERIALS:

  • Synthesizer

  • Drum Machine

  • Other Instruments (Optional)


“It’s all about, any kind of art, which is playing, enjoying and expressing yourself!” - Annie Hart

Jackie Mendoza

Singer & songwriter Jackie Mendoza invites us into her recording studio in California for a special songwriting workshop. Let’s follow Jackie’s  creative process and watch the production of her newly released singled Let U Go just in time for the holidays!

"Let U Go"

I’m trying not to think of you tonight
my eyes are swelling from holding in the waterworks
Works fine for me but I can’t sleep
And if I cry I fear the tears won’t ever stop, ever stop

Let me let you go
Let me let you go
I miss the winter snow
I miss the New York snow

Mistletoe above the door
What’s it there for?
No ones coming over time soon
Don’t wanna catch a deadly cold
This will be a lonely Christmas without her oh without her

Let me let you go
Let me let you go
I miss the winter snow
I miss the New York snow
California dreaming is a nightmare without her
I’ll leave cookies for you out by the fire

Déjame soltarte
Déjame soltarte
Extraño tu sonrisa
Extraño tu calor
California se congela con tu ausencia
Es mi primera navidad sin ti, sin ti, sin ti, sin ti. ~

Released December 16, 2020

all rights reserved

www.jackiemendoza.bandcamp.com

Baseera Khan

Artist Baseera Khan takes us behind-the-scenes for a sneak peak of her TV Pilot 'Blind Faith' that was recently filmed at the Kitchen performing arts theater here in NYC. Let's follow along as Baseera reads her treatment while we explore her experimental film in progress...

Beau Bree Rhee

Artist & choreographer Beau Bree Rhee invites us into her New York City studio to explore her practice through movement and drawing with two fun workshops that channels our creativity while encouraging us to get moving with just a few simple words!

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s join artist & choreographer Beau Bree Rhee for a movement and drawing workshop!

Part 1: Movement

1.Create a phrase with at least 4 words

Ex: Circle, Line, Square, Thread

2. Warm up

3.  Use your imagination, close your eyes and think of ways to turn your words into movement or shapes with your body

4. Add more words and more movements to create your own piece of choreography!  

Part 2: Drawing

1. Use the same 4 words (or more) from your movement

2. Get creative and draw each word on one piece of paper

3. Use a pencil and paper or any other materials you like (paint, ink, color markers etc)

MATERIALS:

  • Your Body

  • Pencil & Paper

  • Optional: Paint, Ink & Brushes

FOLLOW UP:

What words did you choose? Why?

Did you enjoy the process of turning your words into movements?

Which word was the most challenging to transform into a movement? Which was the easiest? Why?

What changes did you make along the way?

What did you think about your finished movement? How did you feel after you shared (performed) your movement piece?

What do you think a Throughline Practice means?

How did you draw each word?

How different was your drawing from your movement?

Which activity did you prefer the most? Why?

Maria Usbeck

Songwriter & musician Maria Usbeck invites us into her NYC studio and encourages us to go outside, explore and record our own 'field recordings' while giving us a music sampling tutorial so we can create our own interesting beats with everyday sounds.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let's go out into the world to record interesting & unusual sounds to layer into music!

1.Take a handheld recorder or phone outside into the world!

2. Listen for unusual sounds and look for interesting textures to make new sounds to record.

Ex: Record the leaves blowing in the wind or your hand breaking a tortilla chip

3. Look around your house to record and discover new sounds too

Ex: Water rushing from the faucet or a saltshaker

4. If you have access to a computer and software like Ableton or Garage Band (Free) upload your favorite recordings

5. Add affects like reverb, synth, chorus etc.

6. You can play around and layer in real instruments too

7. Create a loop and your own beat with all the sounds you collected!

MATERIALS:

  • Handheld Recorder or iPhone

  • Found Objects (Sounds)

  • Access to Computer w/ Ableton or Garageband

FOLLOW UP:

Did you like going outside looking for 'Field Recordings'?

What was the most interesting sound you discovered? What sound most surprised you at home? Why?

Which sounds did you end up working with? If you had access to a computer what effects did you layer on to your sounds or samples?

Did you add any real instruments? What is a loop? What is a beat?

How did you create your own beat with the sounds?

Did you have fun playing around with this process of making music?

Jordan Casteel 

Harlem based painter & artist Jordan Casteel invites us into her Bronx studio for a special color mixing tutorial. Let's explore her practice and process in creating her beautiful portraits of friends, family, neighbors and strangers here in NYC!

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let's mix colors together with artist Jordan Casteel!

1. Choose your colors

2. Mix thoroughly

3. Use your intuition :)

4. Match your colors

5. Start again!

MATERIALS:

  • paint

  • gloves

  • palette

  • tape

  • recycled

  • rags

  • color samples

  • your reference

  • palette knives

FOLLOW UP:

Did you enjoy the process of color mixing?

What colors did you make?

Was it helpful to start with a color sample?

Did you like to mix the colors or match the colors? Why?

Mina Stone

Beloved Chef Mina Stone takes us behind-the-scenes for a tour of her newly reopened restaurant Mina's at MoMA PS1 in Queens, NYC and teaches us how to make a simple olive oil cake from her cookbook : Cooking for Artists

MINA STONE’S

OLIVE OIL CAKE

Ah, olive oil cake. It is the only reason why my friends are friends with me, and why new people start to like me. This recipe creates a cake that is dense, orangey, and spicy with cinnamon and cloves. It’s is not light in the olive oil and that is really the way it should be.

Serves 10-12

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, plus a tablespoon to sprinkle on top

1 1/4 cup of milk

1/4 cup of fresh orange juice + zest of 1 orange

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil 10-inch round cake pan and dust with flour. Whisk the eggs with the olive oil in a bowl until combined. Add the sugar and whisk well to incorporate. Add the milk, orange juice, and orange zest and whisk again. In a separate large bowl, mix the other dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt), and make a well in the center. Pour the olive oil mixture into the dry ingredients, and whisk, starting from the center and working outward, until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle another tablespoon of sugar on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. The cake is ready when the top is crusty and dark brown and a skewer or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Variations: After the cake has cooled, dust the tile with confectioners sugar and cinnamon. Add 1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts to the batter for a nutty taste and texture.

Kelsey Lu

Musician Kelsey Lu gives an inspiring and uplifting performance to celebrate our Wide Rainbow Community and the end of the 2019/2020 school year.

Louise Despont

Bali based artist Louise Despont invites us into her studio in Indonesia to teach us how to make stamps and beautiful geometric prints out of vegetables.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s make prints using vegetables!

WORKSHOP:

  1. Gather your vegetables. You can use carrots, potatoes, radishes or any root vegetables

  2. Using a carving utensil, cut vegetables into halves and carve out shapes. They can be geometric shapes or organic shapes

  3. Using a brush, mix up your paint colors. Make sure the paint is not too thick or too watery

  4. Organize your station with your paper in front of you, your vegetable stamps and mixed paint colors

  5. Using a paintbrush, coat the paint onto the carved face of the vegetable stamp. Stamp once on a test paper to remove excess water

  6. Coat the paint onto the carved face of the vegetable and begin stamping your paper

  7. Create your own print using multiple vegetable stamps and colors

MATERIALS:

  • root vegetables

  • carving utensil

  • paint

  • brushes

  • plate for mixing

  • paper

FOLLOW UP:

What vegetables did you carve?

Did you carve geometric shapes or organic shapes?

What colors did you choose for your print?

What shapes did you create while printing?

Did you make your print symmetrical or freeform? Why?

Emma Soucek

New York based artist Emma Soucek invites us into her childhood home in Maine to teach us how to make paper pulp collages.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Tear or, using scissors, cut out images that inspire you from newspapers, books or drawings

2. Arrange your images onto a window screen or glue images onto a cardboard base

3. Make your paper pulp

  • Fill a blender 1/3 to 1/2 full of water

  • Tear up construction paper and cut into small strips to make it easy to blend

  • Add in some glue - Blend until the mixture is the consistency of oatmeal

  • Pour your paper pulp into a container

  • Repeat with different color papers

4. Press paper pulp around the images on your base

5. Continue to create designs using different colors of the paper pulp until your base is covered

6. Let dry for 24 hours. If you used a window screen as your base, press gently on the back to pop out the dry collage from the screen

MATERIALS:

  • construction

  • paper

  • glue

  • scissors

  • window screen or cardboard

  • containers

  • blender

  • collage materials

FOLLOW UP:

What world were you inspired to create using images and paper pulp?

What colors did you blend together? Did they make new colors?

How did the paper pulp feel while you were working with it? What was the texture?

Love Uffot

Creative Director & Producer Love Uffot invites us to participate in a self-healing creative writing workshop.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s take a moment to heal w/ some breathwork and creative writing

  1. Curate a playlist to create a vibe or mood for yourself

  2. Before any writing process take a moment to engage in Yin Yoga

  3. Yin Yoga is a 5 minute stretching exercise to help let go of the weight on your heart and shoulders

  4. Take a moment to breathe and relax

  5. Start writing down your thoughts, ideas, inhibitions, details of your environment

  6. Do this just for yourself

  7. Keep going, don’t stop

  8. Remember your heart, your chest, your shoulders

  9. Let go of the things that are weighing you down

MATERIALS:

  • pen

  • journal

  • music

FOLLOW UP:

What is going on in your body & mind?

What anxieties and triggers are forming in your body?

Where do you feel them?

After the breathing and stretching exercise, do you feel a physical difference?

After writing in your journal, do you think some weight has been lifted from your mind and body?

Sofia Leiby

Berlin based artist Sofia Leiby invites us into her studio in Germany to speak about what inspires her and to give us an intimate look at what she has been creating.

Claire Christerson

Artist Claire Christerson invites us into their home in Brooklyn for a special studio visit w/ hand-made postcard activity that we can share with our friends & family.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let's make handmade postcards!

  1. Cut out any shape (it doesn’t just need to be a rectangle) from recycled paper

  2. Decorate one side with markers, pens and crayons

  3. Create a line for name & address on the other side

  4. Make sure you have an empty space to add a stamp

  5. Mail it to your best friend, family member or someone special

MATERIALS:

  • recycled paper

  • markers

  • pen

  • crayon

  • stamp

FOLLOW UP:

Who are you writing to? Why?

Were you inspired by Claire’s studio visit and artworks?

What do you think mail art is?

Have you ever made a postcard before or mailed it?

Do you like the idea of creating something special and unique for someone to receive in the mail?

What do you think you will receive back?

Farah Al Qasimi

New York based artist Farah Al Qasimi invites us into her Brooklyn studio and shows us how to make hand puppets!

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS: 

Let’s make a hand puppet!

  1. First cut out a circle out of cardboard for the mouth and fold in half

  2. Trace around the cardboard and cut out a circle on felt

  3. Stick them together with glue

  4. Cut out a 12 x 16” piece of fabric

  5. Fold the wide seam down by 4”

  6. Cut out a semi circle, and when opened should fit the mouth

  7. Glue the felt side of the circle onto the hole in the fabric

  8. Cut out a loose M shape above the mouth (for a snout!)

  9. Wrap the fabric around, and with the cardboard circle facing out, align the seams of the rectangular fabric

  10. Sew the seams together using thread and needle

  11. When seam is sewn all the way to the snout, flip the puppet inside out

  12. Add any characteristics to your puppet - add a nose, eyes, eyelashes, dimples, make up, hair

  13. Think about who this puppet is, and what their personalities and characters are.

  14. Play!

MATERIALS:

  • recycled fabric (12 x 16”)

  • cardboard box

  • felt

  • hot glue gun

  • scissors

  • buttons

  • thread

  • needle

  • markers

FOLLOW UP:

What is the character of your puppet?

If you made more than one puppet, are these puppets friends? Family? Classmates?

Can you create a fun scenario for your friends and family?

Tamara Edwards

Meditation & Wellness Instructor Tamara Edwards invites us back to the jungle in Costa Rica for a relaxing 5 minute meditation.

Carmen Winant 

Join us as we explore artist Carmen Winant 's studio in Columbus, Ohio where she gives us an intimate tour and insight into her process of art making with found images.

Emma Kirby

SHoP Architects artist Emma Kirby invites us into her New York City home to create imaginary buildings with recycled materials. 

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s make buildings from recycled materials!

  1. Collect recycled materials from your home

  2. 2. Imagine and brainstorm what type of building you would like to create

  3. Start putting together recycled boxes, papers, miscellaneous objects with your glue gun

  4. Use watercolor or markers to decorate, you can add windows and textures

  5. Think about where this building exists and who lives in the building

  6. If you are inspired to, you can create a story, play or poem related to the building you created

MATERIALS:

  • recycled materials

  • cardboard box

  • paper bag

  • toilet paper tube

  • watercolor

  • brush

  • glue gun

  • buttons

  • scissors

  • markers

FOLLOW UP:

What type of building did you create?

Is it imaginary or based on something that already exists?

If you built more than one structure, how do they exist together in the space?

Would you live in this building and why?

Dena Yago

New York City based artist Dena Yago invites us into her home Upstate New York for a natural dye workshop with onion skins!

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:  

Let’s learn how to natural dye with onion skins!

  1. Save up your onion skins in a quart size container

  2. Fill a large pot of water halfway and bring to an almost boil

  3. Put onion skins into the pot and let boil for 1 hour

  4. In a separate pot place fabric or garments into warm water

  5. Let the fabrics soak for 1-2 minutes

  6. Once the onion skins have boiled for an hour, take the onion skins out

  7. You can tie up your fabric if you want to create a tie-dye look

  8. Place the wet fabrics into the onion skin dye

  9. Let sit for 10-30 minutes

  10. Take your fabrics out and hang to dry

* For a pinker dye, use red onion skins!

* For a yellow/rusty dye, use yellow onion skins!

MATERIALS: 

  • left over onion skins

  • fabric or clothing

  • large pot

  • big spoon

  • string

  • water

FOLLOW UP:

How many meals did it take you to fill up a quart size container with onion skins?

What kind of garments did you dye?

Using waste to make art is a resourceful way of creating! What else can you save to make art?

Sarah Nsikak

New York City based textile artist Sarah Nsikak invites us into her home and studio in Brooklyn to teach us how to mend and bring new life to our old garments.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s bring well loved garments back to life!

  1. Find a piece of clothing that has a tear or needs some love

  2. Measure the tear or hole in your garment

  3. Cut out a piece of fabric with that measurement

  4. Flip your garment inside out

  5. Using a running stitch, sew along the edges of the fabric onto your garment

  6. Flip your garment outside in

  7. Using a whipstitch, sew the frays of the tear onto your new patch

MATERIALS:

  • needle

  • threads

  • fabric

  • scissors

  • clothes that need love

FOLLOW UP:

Which of your garments have the most tears and holes?

Did you get creative with colorful thread and cool fabrics?

If we are able to mend more clothes, what will we be saving?

Breckyn Drescher

New York City based dancer and choreographer Breckyn Drescher invites us into her home to teach us how to choreograph a fun & intuitive Modern dance composition.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s dance and create our own moves!

WARM UP:

  1. Make circular movements

  2. Make shaking movements

  3. Use your eyes, take note of the objects in your environment

FIRST GAME:

  1. Create dance moves using a dice or a deck of cards

  2. Choreograph a movement phrase using numbers and colors from your dice or cards

SECOND GAME:

  1. Create dance moves with an obstacle course made with your household objects

  2. Choreograph a movement phrase using these objects

  3. Record your movements on video to check your movements

MATERIALS:

  • notebook

  • pen

  • camera or phone

  • music

  • costume (not necessary but fun!)

  • household objects

  • dice or deck of cards

FOLLOW UP:

What household objects did you choose to use?

What kind of ‘pedestrian movements’ did you choose?

And what kind of ‘abstract movements’ did you choose?

Joanne Greenbaum

NYC based artist Joanne Greenbaum invites us into her studio in Long Island to show us what she's been working on during the quarantine.

Emma Kohlmann & Charlotte Kohlmann

Artists (and sisters) Emma & Charlotte Kohlmann invite us into their home in Massachusetts for a whimsical DIY workshop creating colorful creatures, puppets and a stage for us to let our imaginations run wild! 

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s make paper puppets and a stage to play with!

To make your puppets:

  1. Draw any character onto your paper

  2. Add colors and details to your character

  3. Cut the paper character with a pair of scissors

  4. Tape a skewer or chopstick to the back of your paper puppet

  5. Create more than one puppet and your puppets are ready to play!

To make your stage:

  1. Find a recycled cardboard box

  2. Cut 5 pieces of cardboard - 1 long piece for the top, 2 side medium pieces, and 2 smaller pieces

  3. Cut incisions to the bottom of your two sides and to the top of the two smaller pieces

  4. Connect the smaller pieces to fit onto the sides so they can stand alone

  5. Finally add the long piece to connect the two sides with tape

  6. Decorate your stage with markers and crayons!

MATERIALS: 

  • construction paper or copy paper or sketchbook paper

  • cardboard box

  • crayons

  • markers

  • scissors

  • tape

  • skewers or chopsticks or straws

CHECK IN QUESTIONS:

How many puppets did you make? 

What are their names and characteristics?

Can you create a scene using your stage?

Jen Shear

LA based artist Jen Shear shares with us an intimate video diary of her artwork and studio practice.

Tamara Edwards

Meditation & Wellness Instructor Tamara Edwards invites us to the jungle in Costa Rica for a peaceful meditation as part of our Wide Rainbow Wellness programming.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s all find a comfortable seat, take a deep breath, and listen to the sounds of the jungle together during this very special meditation with Tamara.

Jennie Jieun Lee

Jennie Jieun Lee invites us to her studio upstate New York for a tour and DIY art activity inspired by her own sculptures made with everyday household materials.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s make a sculpture out of self-hardening clay (DOUGH) ! 

  1. Mix 4 cups of flour with 1 1/2 cups of Salt into a bowl

  2. Add water to the mix and start kneading the dough until it feels like soft clay

  3. Hand build a small sculpture out of the dough

  4. Let it sit on a flat surface and dry for 1 or 2 days

  5. Decorate and color your sculpture with paints and markers

MATERIALS: 

  • 4 cups of flour

  • 1 1/2 cups of salt

  • bowl

  • water

  • paint

  • brushes

  • markers

CHECK IN QUESTIONS:

What type of sculpture did you create?

By adding color did your sculpture change? 

Alexandra Jacob

Alexandra Jacob invites us into her New York City apartment for an introduction to beginners ballet and an informal DIY workshop video to get us all moving.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS:

Let’s learn basic ballet!

  1. Wear comfortable clothes and socks

  2. Find a sturdy furniture or wall to balance on

  3. Follow the warm up stretches

  4. Follow Alexandra’s directions for each ballet movements!

MATERIALS: 

  • comfortable clothes

  • socks

  • sturdy furniture or wall

  • music 

CHECK IN QUESTIONS:

How does your body feel after the workshop?

Does this workshop make you want to learn more about ballet?

As Alexandra says, ballet is all about the turn-out, how does this change your posture?