ARTS EDUCATION

TAUNY’S Arts Education programs aim to pass on to multigenerational participants traditional history through arts and cultural practices that represent the regional identities of the people and places of the North Country. Led by professional arts educators, these hands on and interactive experiences take place in the form of workshops (1-2 meetings), residencies (6-8 sessions) and accompanying performances. [read more=”Read more…” less=”Read less…”] These hands-on educational experiences in traditional music, (drumming/dulcimer, fiddling/violin, guitar/banjo), dance (contra, waltz, etc.) and artisan based crafts (candlemaking, woodworking, ceramics) will give participants the opportunity to enhance their creativity, social skills and academic learning. Many workshops will be accompanied by live performances by these artists to give participants additional experience with and understanding of these forms. Programs build toward culminating presentations of participants’ work for invited family, friends, and the general public, to broaden the visibility of artwork they make to their respective organizational and local communities. [/read]

Join us at our annual Holiday Open House at The TAUNY Center for our engaging Gingerbread Workshop led by award-winning gingerbread builder, Sue Wilder! This program will include instruction, inspiration, and all materials (including a sparkling array of candies and decorations). Participants can work individually or in small groups and will bring home their decorated gingerbread house. There is no minimum age to participate, but children must be supervised.

The lively sound of the hammered dulcimer has been part of our musical landscape since at least the 18th century, and it still delights players, listeners and dancers alike! We have a very special opportunity to learn how to play this rare instrument from Adirondack musician and CRNY artist Dan Duggan, a nationally touring performer and of the finest dulcimer players and composers in the country. [read more=”Read more…” less=”Read less…”]

Lap Dulcimer Building – Children

Whether they are budding musicians or have never picked up an instrument before, the lap dulcimer is a fun, easy way for children to make music together. TAUNY staff artist Dan Duggan has worked in schools throughout the Northeast for over 30 years teaching students music on traditional instruments. He has put together a multi-day workshop to guide participants through decorating, building and learning to play their own lap dulcimer.

The dulcimers will be assembled from kits: No messy sanding and sawing required! The instrument bodies are made of sturdy cardboard, and the necks are wooden. Participants will paint the bodies, assemble them, glue the necks and install the tuning machines. 

In the first session Dan will guide the students through building their instruments and decorating them. In the second session Dan will teach them how to play their dulcimers. In the third session Kids will play a few tunes. [/read]

TAUNY has a long history of teaching and exhibiting around the artisan based craft of Barn Quilting. Over the past several years, hundreds of these colorful painted squares, inspired by traditional quilt patterns, have popped up on barns, homes, town halls, boat houses, and other creative locations around St. Lawrence County and beyond. [read more=”Read more…” less=”Read less…”] Ranging dramatically in size, patterns, and imagery, they are the creations of local artists and community members taking part in a grassroots arts and economic development movement. For many, the barn quilts they make or display say something about their interests, values, family life and history, or other personal experience. 

Our main teaching artist is Ruth McWilliams, who teaches presenting and demonstrating barn quilts and guiding through participants learning about the history, design and creation of these decorative artistic pieces. Often, making barn quilts is a way to celebrate local heritage, identity, and community, to nurture local pride, and to encourage investment in beautifying and maintaining local properties. They are also often part of organized community efforts to draw tourism to small towns around the region. There are two extensive, well-established Barn Quilt Trails already in St. Lawrence County in Colton and Hammond, with another underway in Wanakena. And whether on their own or as part of a community effort, people around the county and beyond are making more every day. The “St. Lawrence County Barn Quilts” exhibition showcases not only an array of remarkable barn quilts and related materials, but the story of this local grassroots arts and economic development movement and the people who have inspired and been inspired by it.

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The Creative Aging project focuses on bringing arts education workshops to seniors aged 55+ in various traditional arts forms (quilting, woodworking, ceramics, weaving, music). [read more=”Read more…” less=”Read less…”] Taught by TAUNY’s professional teaching artists and focus on seniors in are to engage and teach hands on art making and presenting in a supportive, engaging environment. The projects will take place at Senior Centers, public libraries and at the TAUNY Center. Each project typically lasts 8 sessions, giving participants the chance to an in-depth exploration of the art form and will culminate in a public presentation or event which showcases their learning and artistic creations. [/read]