Outreachprograms

Tribal Rhythms Summer Arts
Camp at the Pigeon Street
Development Centerclick link to see article
in Asheville Citizen Times by Josh Boatwright

Tribal Rhythms Summer Arts
Camp at the PSDC
By Paula Bolado
Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery 86 Manager
and Visual Arts Coordinator

This summer the Haywood County Arts Council is teaming up with the Pigeon
Street Development Center for an agenda of art workshops and community
outreach programs (June 18-August 17). We have over a dozen artists and the
Horticulture Technology department at HCC working voluntarily to make this the
best summer art experience yet for the kids at the Center.

The Pigeon Street Development Center, also known as the Pigeon Community
Center, a former elementary school outside of downtown Waynesville, has an
affordable summer camp program that provides childcare alternatives for
working parents. Initiated by volunteer members and the community center
staff as a way to give the kids something to do for the summer, the camp is now
known as the Summer Enrichment Program encouraging kids ages 5 to 13
years old to make positive steps towards a better future.

Now under the direction of Lin Forney, the summer program is funded by private
and public donations. With a small staff and a team of volunteers, the program
has always had an educational component for the kids to continue learning their
math, reading and writing skills in their after-school program. This year the
summer curriculum is called “Tribal Rhythms.” This community based
curriculum teaches children to respect themselves as individuals and care and
respect others around them. “It’s like the phrase ‘It takes a village to raise a
child’, but it’s the kids who are learning it takes each other to be a village,” says
Ms. Forney. “Tribal rhythms” is a process that uses the themes of tribe and arts
to build community and satisfy the human need to belong. According to Ms.
Forney, the Tribal Rhythms curriculum taps the ancient power of the arts and the
primal need for connectedness to strengthen democratic values, raise self-
esteem, and foster multi-cultural understanding. The program’s activities
promote creative self-expression, cooperative learning, and critical thinking skills.

Since the arts are the vital building blocks of the program, the Haywood County
Arts Council will provide classes in art history, artists’ demonstrations, dramatic
multicultural plays, quilting, mural painting, pottery, landscape planting, and
glass bead making. The summer camp program kicks off with a walking stick
demonstration by Rainer Kushe. This stick, donated by Mr. Kushel, will be their
“talking stick”; any child holding the talking stick has command of the room. The
other children are to respect the speaker and listen until the speaker holding the
stick is finished. This is a unique aspect of the Tribal Rhythms theme.

Another artist special to the area is Terrence Painter, who will bring in his wheel
and let the kids learn pinch pots and wheel thrown pots. The goal is to let the
kids get dirty and learn an ancient craft. Other volunteer artists include: glass
bead designer, Ann Royer; members of the Shady Ladies Quilting Group who
will help with the children’s community quilt project; abstract artist Fleta
Monaghan assisting with the indoor mural project; artist and outdoor mural
project volunteer, Juan Peña Mejia, and the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre
(HART). Also involved in restoring the building’s front landscape with the
children are George Thomas, Buddy Tignore, and John Sherman of the
Horticulture Technology Department at Haywood Community College. For more
information on the arts schedule visit www.haywoodarts.org on signing your
child up call the Pigeon Street Development Center at 828-452-7232.

AGENDA:

Pigeon Street Development Center Arts Program Agenda

Rainer Kushel (926-8145)-Monday, June 18th, 11a.m.. Art demonstration. Rainer, a wood carver, kicks off the
program with a walking stick demonstration and donation for the children so they may have a “talking stick”. Any
child holding the talking stick has command of the room. The other children are to respect the speaker and listen
until the speaker with the stick is finished talking. This is part of their “Tribal Rhythms” theme. 11 a.m.

Wednesday, June 20th, from 2-5--Theatre with Paula! Sundiata

Terrence Painter (926-3850) Monday, July 16th from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. pottery demonstration with his wheel. He will
provide materials for pinch pots and wheel pots. The goal is for the children to learn, get dirty, and be able to take a
piece with them. We will arrange for the pieces to be fired for the children. (—*Thelma Gibbs, Lin’s mother for
firing…)

Horticulture Technology instructors Buddy Tignore (565-4275), John Sherman (627-4626), and George Thomas
(627-4625) have agreed to participate in a volunteer landscape project for the front of the Development Center’s
building. Last year they participating in a small instructional class with the children and planted a few small shrubs.
This year they will coordinate a detailed landscape project and get the children involved with the process in this
ongoing summer program.

Ann Royer (926-9250) has agreed to do a volunteer glass bead demonstration Wednesday June 27th from 2-4 p.m.
She will provide the materials for the demonstration as well as beads for the children to take home.

The Shady Ladies have agreed to assist the children with their summer community quilt project. Date and times will
be announced soon. They will provide the materials as well. We hope for small pieces by several kids to exhibit in
the July Shady Ladies exhibit.

Fleta Monaghan will be involved doing an abstract painting demonstration to help the children with the indoor mural
project. Monday, July 9th 2-4 p.m.

Paula Bolado will contribute time and talent for the indoor/outdoor mural project. Paula will be assisting each
Wednesday from between 2-5 p.m.

HART theatre—Steven Lloyd has agreed to set up a performance date for the children with their traveling
performance program established by HART. Wednesday dress rehearsal for West Side Story.

Juan Peña Mejia- will do a small class with the kids this summer and work on the outdoor mural project.