Hand it down, Pass it on!

At the beginning of the summer, I proclaimed that I would set aside most of my time for glass casting, my new love. I had hoped that this would be the chance plunge in, push form, and creatively indulge. Plaster will have none of that! It screams my continued 120%. So there I troweled.

My trowel led me toward a bright, vivid, and secretly wished for path…the chance to share my love for earth plasters with others.

TEACH....Over the past few years, this word has been popping up in my head behind the scenes. Then the door boldly bursts down.

In early August, I received a phone call from YouthCare http://www.youthcare.org/ . They were starting a pilot apprenticeship program to train at-risk young adults in the construction field. More importantly, they were also educating them on sustainable building practices and wanted me to teach an earth plasters workshop in a matter of days. Due to funding issues, the program had almost fallen through but the community rallied to make it happen.

Inspiring others, Promoting sustainability, Being creative!!!

...Coming True.

All I could do was give it my all. I quickly developed my first "lesson plan". Pencils and notebooks bought. Diplomas signed. I wanted to give these 14 kids all I had.

So there they were, all eyes on me and ready to learn. I taught them the basics first in several "rounds" of lecture followed by hands-on time. An "all you can create" buffet of lime washes, waxes, tools and trowels was setup in the afternoon to let it rip. Suddenly, all this expression was literally coming to the surface for them. Trowels, brushes, forks, and hands..all used to sculpt clay!

Fate had it. During the most heightened time of our creative session, my class received a surprise visit from Denise Fairchild, Ph.D, one of the leaders in promoting sustainable, "green collar" jobs. Denise is the inaugural Executive Director of the Emerald Cities Collaboration. http://emeraldcities.org/?q=staff . She was visiting the Center for Apprenticeship Excellence at the South Seattle Community College campus to learn about and show her support for this pilot green building training program. A few weeks later regional professionals and political leaders gathered to show their support of the new program and share their belief in these graduates!

They WERE forgotten, blending into the urban texture. Then they were students, seeing light in new ways. Suddenly, they ARE graduates...standing in contrast. On one of the first pinnacles in their lives, smiling proudly.

...And they need hand-painted "green collar" shirts...And they need to wear their texture with pride...And they deserve to have someone fuss over writing their name in poorly done, but well intended calligraphy...And they need cake!

Creativity is richly selfish. To follow your own artistic instincts and act on them is molten. Self-intensity is the fire that keeps us moving. (hmm...maybe this is why I like glass so much?!)

We have intensity, we have to share it. Summer 2010 has given me the gift of giving back.

Hand it down, Pass it on!