TumbleWeed Expressions ignites playful improvisation, inspired intuition, creative connective curiosity and integrative solo, family and community based transformative experiences. While being mindful of our presence of self, we encourage the importance of participation and relational experiences. Within our community collaborations we hold a flexible and genuine container for personal evolution, deepening into the wisdom of the expressive and healing arts, along with diverse layers of enrichment, as we emphasize a spirited and respectful collaboration of connection with Each other and the Earth.

As we pay close attention to our unique individuality, we as well inspire a common sense of connection, as our combined facilitation is infused with a heartfelt passion and deference for all life. We strive to impart keen opportunities to listen, create, deepen, heal, include and express, through substantial and supportive avenues, which are precious and critical to the health and well being of all life.

❖ Loving art for it’s healing and heartfelt aspects, creative exploration, sound inquiry, and multimedia, multi layered potentials in expression

❖ Developing patience and collaboration in community held within such elements as, presence, practice, passion and play

❖ Believing in the value of investigation, inspiration, imagination while honing traditional skills and diverse techniques

❖ Enjoying offering projects that develop over time, support our life in general, that are process oriented and experiential in focus

❖ Valuing curricular integration of multimedia arts education to inspire learning across the spectrum, while witnessing and being part of the cohesion of diverse elements Dedicated to infusing techniques for proper care of all tools and materials, wile sourcing found materials and being aware of conscious concern for the environment Equal and unequivocal dedication to each and every student’s timing, process and learning style, voice, feelings and needs

❖ Providing intragenerational classes where children, parents, grandparents and community members of all ages can participate within inclusive experiences, while participating in the richness of wholesome, holistic community projects

❖ Creating a healthy environment where everyone is encouraged with respect, kindness, patience and joyful humility

❖ Welcoming the opportunity to learn from each other, from elders in our community and wholistic connections and responses to the world around us

❖ Fostering integrative engagement to encourage a deep listening, respect and sensitivity to each other and the world around us

❖ Developing potentials for public art installations and the richness of interactive expressive arts experiences within community

❖ Hands on learning and Curriculum integration

❖ Inspired art appreciation and Encouragement of imagination

❖Technique and skills development

❖ Experiential project based engagement

❖ Troubleshooting and Problem Solving for the development of the whole person

❖ Site specific environmental connection activities and thematic field trips

❖ Expanding awareness and interconnectedness to our environment Multi-Generational approaches to connect with creative process and each other Nurturing threads of spontaneity and improvisation in a creative learning environment Support for customized, organic and authentic learning experiences

❖ Responding to the individuals and collectives needs, feelings and sense of self Enriching engagement as we weave and find sources to join the fibers of our community together

Large Scale Hand-Made Ceramic Tile and Mosaic Installations- Designed to offer a long lasting, deeply committed, collaborative process for public arts enhancement and enrichment. We will pursue and follow through with: choosing a location, developing imagery and sketches, executing hand-made tiles and glazing, adhar tiles and mosaic components, grout and then finally install the panels in their chosen locations. This is a wonderful project to inspire and awaken participation in community collaboration with the promise to express lifelong memories, develop positive traits and offer beautification to our communities.

All Ages, All Abilities, Visual Arts Lessons- Offering individual and group contexts that focus on a customized curriculum to ground and advance your knowledge to enhance your sensibilities, explorations, skills building and tool use for the Visual Arts, creating a nurturing environment to enhance your wisdom in the process and practice of a wide range of techniques.

Instrument Making- Enjoy a multimedia experience of instrument making. Project potentials of: Diddley bows, Shekeres, Rain Sticks, Drums, Claves, Maracas and Sound Mobiles. In collaboration, we will inspire explorations of instruments, exploration of sound, voice, and improvisation.

Mask Making- Bring stories and characters to life. Multimedia masks will be developed in a series of mediums: using clay, cardboard, paper mache, paper, yarn, fabric, paint and found materials. This is a wonderful medium to proceed with an integrative share to bring the masks to life with story, music and poetry.

Handmade Paper Making- Explore the ancient, tactile medium of paper making. We will learn techniques of: pulp preparation, sheet formation, pulp painting and wet collage. Drawing from a vast area of plant fibers, pulp linters and recycled paper sources. This medium is quite delicious, playful and vastly experimental.

Book Making- Piggy backing nicely onto our handmade paper unit. Using found materials: including a wide variety of papers, mat boards, and simple binding techniques, we will create books for poetry, story, journaling, painting, drawing and collage.

Print Making- Engage students in a wide variety of printmaking techniques. We will explore: stamp making, block carving, mono printing, and layering techniques. As well, we will work back into the projects with painting and drawing techniques to highlight, and enrich the original prints.

Painting, Drawing and Collage- Expound upon an investigation of non-traditional as well as traditional techniques and materials. While experiencing the use of: pencil, pen, oil pastels, dry pastels, granite, charcoal, paper, decoupage, fibers, found 2 dimensional materials and more. We will develop a keen eye, explore themes and develop an outlook of being inspired by the world around us.

Mosaic- Focus on using a wide range of mosaic techniques. We will use: cement wall boards, stepping stones, wood frames, furniture and wood objects to inspire a surface for handmade tiles, metal, ceramic, glass, and found materials, in the execution of mosaic pieces from start to finish.

Ceramics- Explore various hand building and wheel throwing techniques for functional ware, sculptural forms and tile making. Dive into learning about layering, carving, design and construction through engaging in various techniques. Explore surface treatment with various underglazing and glazing techniques to finish projects.

Textiles- Explore painting and printing on fabric, weaving, fabric appliqué and sewing. Developing a sense and intuition about color, texture and form. Project development will include banners, flags, pillow covers, animals and soft sculptures, from fabric, yarns and more.

Sculpture- Delve into a broad spectrum of sculptural techniques. Sourcing a variety of found materials, wood, metal, wire, clay, paper mache’ and more, to express life within a playful and rich juxtaposition of multimedia expression, development and vision.

Multimedia Ancestral Investigations- Embark on an enquiry of self and family, exploring our heritage to deepen and celebrate where we come from, through artistic expression. Develop skills such as: self portraits, drawing the face, line, form and shading, creating picture frames and a multimedia Heritage Doll in honor of someone in our family history.

Reskilling Workshops- Relearn, reinvent, recycle, refinish and reskill to allow a newness to shine upon things that are worn out and in need of playful transformation and loving attention. From furniture to art and life itself, as we reweave and renew the threads of community.

Community Arts Jam Night- Time to gather, improvise, share, create and investigate the inspiration of self-connection, visual arts, sound, song and word play to ignite a supportive community context for unbridled sharing! Individuals, families, all ages, abilities and languages are welcome. Bring images, instruments, inspirations and open heart to playfully orchestrate and weave a living embodiment of the creative process.

InnerSelf - DeepWork - HonedExpression- Hosting and holding a container for a confidential, deep experience of inner process, self expression and intuitive healing through the visual arts, movement, personal story, breathe, sharing and witnessing as we drop into this fertile ground of self-awareness and expression. In this committed series, we develop the following: Getting to know ourselves and each other while being held and honored in a confidential space to explore deeper, more sensitive topics such as joy, loss, separation, communication, love, birth, life and death. Here, we embark with a variety of practitioners and practices to allow this expression to open our hearts, minds and creative process which supports us in our journies of wholesome reflection. We will journal, draw, paint, collage, sculpt, express, breathe, write, talk, listen, move, share stories and vocalize as we honor our histories, honing our expressions in a safe container of vulnerable ease.

Life's Transitions - Experantional Process Based Supportive Honoring- Participants will be part of a customized Creative Arts, Healing Arts Process, by partnering and collaborating within facilitation by appropriate Practitioners of: Holistic Visual Arts Making and Therapies, Movement Practices, Music and Sound Therapies, Final Passages, Alexander, Feldenkrais, Body Mind Centering and Somatic Experiencing Techniques, Social Emotional Justice, Emotional Process Therapies, Somatics, Sound, Song, Story and Vocal Release Work, Movement Expression, Story based listening, along with integrative witnessing, as we hold a container to celebrate and support wherever we are. Marking and moving within all the milestones, from birth to death and all life cycles in between.

Wellness, Positivity, Healing and Enquiry-

Within our consciousness of holding a foundation of inquiry within Social Emotional Awareness as we draw on and combine the elements of listening, creative thinking, adaptability, flexibility, presence, initiative, acceptance of difference, resilience and ethics of teamwork with co-operative leadership and citizenship skills. Most importantly, participants hone and prepare themselves to troubleshoot and problem solve within the collective mind, for positive interpersonal life and directions within connection to community, relationship and family.

Natural Medicine Making- Engage and ignite, learning about nature's best remedies to support our healthy lives. Gaining healthy principles as we realize and remember old world remedies of health and harmony for our bodies and the Earth.

Gardening and Nature's Cycles- Simply coming to understand through hands-on experience, the cycles of the seasons, within: pruning, mulching, sprouting seeds, planting, foraging, soil development and composting. Working in community as we feel the support of teamwork and accomplishment.