Events (Copy)
~ EVENTS ~
Developing Your Studio
A Five Part Series with
Patricia Hunter-McGrath and Christina Bianchi
2020
Please join us for a very special workshop series that focuses on how to develop a studio/Atelier at school or at home. During the five sessions we shall explore in depth a wide range of materials, tools and techniques that can be introduced and integrated into your unique setting.
Through designing the atelier, to the introduction and organization of materials, to training your teachers and Atelieristas, Branches Atelier would like to bring this innovative, creative and educational resource into your homes and schools.
1) Introduction to Materials and the Atelier and Creating a World of Colors: Palettes that Connect us to our World
Saturday, February 1st, 2020 9am - 3 pm $110.00 (Includes the cost of materials)
2) Innovations in Clay
Saturday, March 7th, 2020 9 am - 12.30pm $65.00
3) Line Tools, Pastels and Watercolor
Saturday, April 25th, 2020 9 am-12.30pm $65.00
4) Mixed Media, Bringing The Materials together
Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 9am to 12pm $65.00
5) Creating an Atelier in Your Space!
Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 1pm to 3pm $50.00
All workshops are held at:
Branches Atelier
11359 West Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90066
For more than 20 years, Branches Atelier has developed an innovative program that uses expressive media and materials as tools of the mind. We have researched and developed many different kinds of ateliers throughout our school.
We are happy to offer a series of workshops that will deeply explore the materials and organization that are essential for any atelier. Over 5 sessions you will also learn the philosophy, techniques and organizational strategies that are needed to create dynamic, creative, and innovative ateliers.
Unlike the traditional art studio that focuses on the production of art, Ateliers are beautiful, creative spaces designed to support and develop all areas of children's learning and development from math, narrative, and science to creativity and problem-solving.
Through the introduction of tools and techniques, you will learn how to use these amazing materials in your homes or classrooms with young children. We will explore how to organize these materials and create ateliers in a wide range of diverse settings and around specific concepts, from classrooms to homes, sheds to shelves, indoors and outdoors.
We invite you to attend any one, any combination or all of these workshops.
All tickets are to be purchased via Eventbrite please click here to purchase tickets.
We will start off our first workshop with a brief overview to the series exploring the thinking, history and organization of Ateliers followed by :
Creating a World of Colors: Palettes that Connect us to our World.
February 1st, 2020 9am to 3pm. $110
(A hands on workshop) Presented by:
Christina Bianchi and Patricia Hunter McGrath
Tempera Paint can be mixed in an infinitely nuanced palette, but how often do we end up creating colors that represent the vitality, diversity and beauty of the natural world? Join us as we consider how we can use this resource to bring attention to the richness of the environment including:
What are the tricks and tips to creating a wide range of beautiful palettes?
What are the techniques of paint mixing with children?
How can color support children learning?
How can a wide range of paint colors support children’s connection to nature?
What is the difference between a tone, hue, shade and tint?
How can paint and color support literacy and poetic language?
This Workshop includes the price of paint cups and paints that participants can use to create a palette that can be taken back to their centers. Participants will also create a paint recipe book that can be used as a tool to create beautiful palettes throughout the year.
Creations, Innovations and the Narrative of Clay
March 7th, 2020 9am to 12.30pm. $65
(A hands on workshop) Presented by:
Patricia Hunter McGrath
Join us while we explore the wonderful medium of clay. Clay is a powerful tool for transformation in the hands of children, it supports stories and narratives, mathematics and geometry. Its flexibility invites us to reconsider our ideas over and over again. Join us as we consider how to set up a studio where clay’s potential as a tool for representing children’s ideas can be realized. Together, we will explore:
What is the alphabet of clay?
How can clay support literacy?
How is clay used to represent children’s ideas?
How is clay introduced to the children?
What are the tools and techniques of clay?
How does clay become a tool for collaboration?
Line Tools Pastels and Watercolors
April 25th, 2020 9am to 12.30pm. $65
(A hands on workshop) Presented by:
Christina Bianchi and Patricia Hunter McGrath
When considering which materials to introduce, the fluidity of these materials and the nature of the relationship between gestures and lines make these line tools ideal for supporting a class of individuals in becoming a collaborative group. The creation of initial color palettes with an eye for how these materials can be combined and layered helps to draw children’s interests over long periods of exploration.
How are pan pastels, oil pastels and watercolor media introduced to the children?
What are the tools and techniques offered the children?
How are the materials used to represent children’s ideas?
How are these materials used to support narrative and communication?
How are they combined to create new possibilities?
Mixed Media, Bringing it All Together
May 23rd, 2020 9am to 12pm. $65
(A hands on workshop) Presented by:
Christina Bianchi and Patricia Hunter McGrath
Join us while we explore the possibilities of layering and collage. Combining many different materials and media is a very powerful tool for representation and meaning-making. Mixed media can support stories and narratives, scientific thinking, and problem-solving. Its power lies in the ability to endlessly combine and layer different types of materials to create theories, ideas, and new ways to communicate. The potential of different combinations of media invites us to reconsider our perspectives over and over again.
What are the techniques of mixed media?
How mixed media supports literacy?
How is mixed media used to represent children’s ideas?
How is laying of materials introduced to the children?
How does mixed media become a tool for reflection and collaboration?
Creating an Atelier in Your Space
May 23rd, 2020 1pm to 3pm $50
Presented by:
Christina Bianchi and Patricia Hunter McGrath
Together we will discuss many different kinds of ateliers; indoors, outdoors, on shelves, in cupboards, at home and at school. As well as where to start and how to create a beautiful atelier for your school, class or home.
What organizational strategies we used in creating an atelier?
How is the care of the atelier and materials introduced to the children?
How do you create a place for imagination, creativity and problem solving?
What kind of storage is best for the materials?
How can you design an atelier within your environmental constraints?
We invite you to attend any one, any combination or all of these workshops.
All tickets are to be purchased via Eventbrite. Please click here to purchase tickets.
About the presenters:
Patricia Hunter McGrath currently the Director/Atelierista of Branches Atelier. Over the past 20 years she has developed an innovated early childhood program inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach. From 2005 to 2007 Patricia developed the role of the atelierista at Bold Park Community School in Perth, Australia. From 1998 to 2005 she was the Atelierista at Evergreen Community School where she developed a unique approach to children's symbolic languages. Using clay, wire, paint, dance, etc. children enter into relationship with the materials and express, clarify and modify their ideas and theories. She also taught at the Growing Place in Santa Monica for 7 years. Patricia is an artist and has over 33 years experience in Early Childhood Education. Patricia has taught the Reggio Emilia Class at Santa Monica College and at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. Patricia graduated with a Masters degree in Human development from Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, California. She also speaks at conferences throughout the United States and abroad and has visited Reggio Emilia, Italy six times. She is also a contributing author of the book In the Spirit of the Atelier published by Davis Press and Insights and Inspiration from Reggio Emilia also published by Davis Press.
Christina Bianchi has been Pedegogista/Atelierista at Branches Atelier for the past 8 years. Prior to becoming an educator at Branches Atelier, Christina worked as the Program Director for The Children’s Nature Institute bringing her passions for teaching, children and promoting environmental literacy to the agency. In addition to overseeing both the design and implementation of all new education programs and curricula; Christina also worked with Development staff on grants related to program development, managed a staff of Environmental Educators and coordinated and implemented volunteer training. She has also been a California Mentor for the past two years, working in the classroom with college students, supporting the practical application of good early childhood practices.