FRONT ROOM STUDIO 5519 BLACK STREET HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA B3K 1P7 902 943 3433
Winter /Spring 2021
ARTplay
Thursdays 6:30-8:30 Atlantic time on Zoom
Winter Hive January 14th / 21st / 28th February 4th / 11th / 18th (No session Feb. 25th) Spring Forward March 4th / 11th / 18th / 25th April 1st / 8th (No session April 15th) Spring Budding April 22st / 29th May 6th / 13th / 20th / 27th Everyone can play if they let themselves.
ARTplay is for the creative in you! Whether you identify as an artist or not we can all benefit from playtime! It works for both the experienced and aspiring creatives. It is not a traditional class. It's more of a team of people who want to put creative play back into their lives. It's a sharing of making, side by side. Every session starts with a check in, a quiet contemplation (5 min), intention setting, time for play/making, ending with show and tell.
Testimonials ‘It’s a gift of time I give myself each week to simply “make” without expectation, in a supportive and inspiring online community. It’s joyful! The facilitator holds the space beautifully, is a skilled communicator and an inspiration. There is no restrictive definition of what “art” is. Every time I attend I learn something new! Collage, ink, combining media, etc The trust and friendship that has evolved in the community is a highlight of the experience. As well as learning and being inspired by my fellow Artplay friends.’Julia Creighton Artplay participate since 2020 ‘Besides enjoying the experience of making Art by playing, I like that it’s getting me to approach art making from a different perspective, maybe even from a child’s perspective which encourages me to have fun, explore and take the pressure off so that I don’t feel like I have to get it right.’ Jo-Anne Brown 2021
Suggested donation: Drop in $15 6 week session $60 ($10 per session) 1st session free
Let me know if you're interested in being a regular participant. If some weeks you will be missing please let me know by Tuesday before our Thursday session. I will limit the session to no more than 8 participants. Drop in's are always welcome!. It will work on a first come basis so that means you should email me as soon as you know you want to join and I will let you know if there is room. Each week I will put out an email with the zoom link together with a inspirational theme. If you want to be on that list let me know.
About the fasilitator Odessa Spore I've been making art since I was a child and my goal is to try not to stop! It's just so much fun. Although I have studied art and I have BFA from the NSCAD, I still believe strongly in the value of play as a means to discover one's natural talent. I’ve also been a meditator since I was 16. Meditation and Creativity complement each other! Our senses bring us into the present moment and help us connect to the raw spontaneous energy alive inside of us this in turn can fuel our creative spirit.
Summer 2020
Stitching as Prayer
Front Room Studiois excited to welcome artist/fashion designerAya Dror. Aya will be teaching us a simple beginning embroidery practice inspired by the Japanese culture of "Semamori“, which literally means “back guardian, or protection”. In the old days, when infants had a low survival rate, mothers would sew the symbol of the spell on the back of their maternity clothes in hopes of their baby's health. We are praying for someone's health, especially at this time, thinking of family, friends, and essential workers... Let's put that thought into our embroidery. Let's pray for the health of our loved ones, wish them all the best.
We will meet on Zoom the next two consecutive Sundays June 21st and June 27th At 4pm Atlantic time Sessions will be about an hour long. You can do both or one session.
On June 21st you will need:
Embroidery thread (various colors)
A needle
Pencil
Masking tape
Any transparency paper (parchment paper, wax paper, tissue…)
Paper (as thick as postcards)
On June 27th
Embroidery thread (various colors)
A needle
Pencil
Masking tape
Any transparency paper (parchment paper, wax paper, tissue…)
Any kind of cloth except for knit
Suggested donation is $20 drop in Or $30 for both sessions We can accept Paypal or etransfers! Please pre register by emailing odessa at frsodessa@gmail.com
Please share with your friends… This is a very auspicious time to start this practice. We hope you can join us!
ARTplay ON ZOOM
Tuesdays July 7th/14/21/27 4pm Atlantic time
All you need to participate in Artplay over zoom is a willingness to play and relax! Whatever supplies you have around... pen, paper, highlighters, magazines, glue or paints if you have them or clay if you like to sculpt! This is fun to do with your family too if you want to include them.
Artplay is not an Art class. It's a sharing of making, side by side. Every session starts with a check in, a quiet contemplation (2 min), intention setting, time for making and ending with show and tell. The idea is that playing is basically a healthy act. Its like exercise, so why not do it regularly? Children do it naturally and so can we, its part of of our DNA. Lets relax into play! Why not play with colors, shapes (images) it's a great opportunity to explore personal expression.
Many of us are intimidated by the idea of making “art”. Probably at some point in our schooling, we decided we were not an “artist”. We stopped letting ourselves play with art materials, stopped drawing our expressive line figures because they were “childish”. This is true for most adults. Our artistic, free, playful & expressive self got abruptly cut, creating a separation from our ability to play. I believe this is because we are taught to always be good at what we do and we are not encouraged to do things that show our weakness, our true selves. We often want to cover up our amateur attempts with something more polished. Surprisingly, we lose our personal expression as we try to get “better”. Play is the antidote. Play is light. It's about what you're experiencing and enjoying in this moment. I see play as the ultimate expression of compassion, a gift to be ourselves, enjoying who and what we do. Let us bask in that warmth.
If you want to participate all you need is the zoom link which I will provide to you after you email me frsodessa@gmail.com with an introduction! Or contact me through this website.
ARTplay is a donation based program if you enjoy the experience and get something of value from it please consider donating to help us keep it going! Thanks.
Winter 2020
ARTplay for adults
Why should children have all the fun playing making a mess? Adults need to play just as much if not more than children. Art making is a natural way to engage with our innate curiosity and sense of self expression. Allowing ourselves to play creatively is actually good for our health and well being! Getting out of our heads into relating with our hands and eyes with colors and textures we can allow ourselves to see the world in a fresh way and literally stimulates new brain pathways.
What I am proposing is that you treat “making” and “playing” as part of your self care routine the way you would go to a yoga class to stretch your body, ARTplay is exercising your creative potential. Playing making ‘art’ can be a natural part of your life, not a big expensive and scary endeavor.
Your first session is free! $60 monthly pass (4 sessions beginning Jan. 7th/Feb. 4th/ Apr. 7th) $20 drop in (come when you can) Each week there will be a demonstration of a material process, open play, conversation, tea and clean up. I will provide materials from my own studio supplies for us to play with but feel free to bring your favorite ARTplay materials as well. Front Room Studio is committed to creating a safe connected space for each of us to enjoy ourselves making together! Your ARTplay guide, Odessa Spore Space is limited to a max of 7 participants each week. Message or email me to reserve your spot 902 943 3433 odessaspore@gmail.com
Valentine matchboxworkshop Lead by artist Odessa Spore Sunday February 9th$40 1-4pm
Express your love for someone by making them a one of a kind valentine matchbox. By creating a little magic world with hidden truths and secrets, you’ll have the opportunity to say something with images and poetry that is not usually expressed in a conventional card. Through the use of shrinky dink, collage, paint and words, each matchbox will contain your unique and precious expression of love. Materials will be provided for each participant to make two matchboxes. Learn to make fun little art gems, treasured gifts/keepsake for others.
The Altered Book a five week class Ages 14 and up $125
Sundays 1-4 pm March 1/8/15/22/29th
Make a one of kind gift for a loved one or special personal piece marking a transformation or aspiration. In this 5 week journey we will transform an existing book into a new personal piece of art. This is done by cutting, pasting, painting and altering its original form into a new kind of book. Much like keeping a journal or sketchbook, making an altered book often tells us a new story we previously didn’t know we had in us. Books and materials provided as well as weekly demonstrations in different techniques such as printmaking & photo transfer.