The community I am closest to is my town. It is a very small town with a great sense of community. My husband's family lives in this town and it is home. When you walk around you get alot of "Hello's" because everyone knows everyone. The schools are small and the kids all seem to get along for the most part. You know your neighbors and everyone looks out for each other. It is a town like I have never experienced before. I come from very large cities and this is my first small town and I am finally home.
2. What are the shared experiences and events in your community?
I would say that the best event is the After Harvest Festival. This is when not only our town, but all of the surrounding towns come together and celebrate. There is food, dancing and great friends. We also have a farmers market down main street, Ladies Night Out, and several community dinners at various churches.
3.What common goals do you and the people in the community share?
Everyone in this town has the common goal of raising our children in a peaceful and safe environment. We care about our town and the children that are in it. We provide a safe environment for our kids to grow up and there are several businesses that are focused on just that.
4. What stories in your community need to be told?
I feel that the story that needs to be told is that of the underground tunnels. I have only lived here just over a year, and I only know what some of my family has told me.
5. How might individual, group, and community stories be told through art work?
I feel that children are the best at telling stories. If they are taken to the tunnels and are instructed to create artwork about it, they would be very interested. It would also bring the parents to understand and learn of the story also.
6. Is there a sign, symbol, ritual, or story from these questions that could act as a central metaphor?
The only symbol that I can think of is the one for the After Harvest Festival. We place wheat decorations downtown on the light posts. It is kind of like Christmas decorations that go up at Christmas time, but it is a bushel of wheat.
7. Are there opportunities for you to support and expand upon local craft traditions?
There is definately opportunities to expand. Our town is old fashioned, but they also welcome new traditions. I feel that a craft show would be very welcomed and heavily attended, not only by locals, but by surrounding towns also.
8. Discuss the idea that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” What aspects of the community environment do some members of the group find beautiful that others do not? Can those who find something ugly see it in another way?
Beauty is different to everyone. Not everyone feels that a small town is beautiful. I think if they were to stay and visit for awhile though, they might change their mind. I know I did. I have lived in large cities all of my life and this was a dramatic change. I was not looking forward to it, but now I can't imagine living anywhere else.
9. Who could you partner with for this project?
•Youth groups
•Friends or family
•Civic communities
•Religious communities
Children are the best people to tell stories and make others interested. I feel that the middle and high school kids would do a terrific job at this project.
10. Where could this event take place or displayed at?
•Church
•Public library
•Bank
•School
•Community center
•Park
•Other public place
This event could take place at the park that is on Main Street. It has an ampitheatre and a lot of room to set up the event.
11. Who would you like to reach in this project? Who would you like to see this project or be educated about your community?
I feel that the children need to be educated to be able to pass on traditions and tell the stories. Not all of them will remain in the small town that we live in, but some will. They can carry on the traditions and educate the ones that move into our town.
4. What stories in your community need to be told?
I feel that the story that needs to be told is that of the underground tunnels. I have only lived here just over a year, and I only know what some of my family has told me.
5. How might individual, group, and community stories be told through art work?
I feel that children are the best at telling stories. If they are taken to the tunnels and are instructed to create artwork about it, they would be very interested. It would also bring the parents to understand and learn of the story also.
6. Is there a sign, symbol, ritual, or story from these questions that could act as a central metaphor?
The only symbol that I can think of is the one for the After Harvest Festival. We place wheat decorations downtown on the light posts. It is kind of like Christmas decorations that go up at Christmas time, but it is a bushel of wheat.
7. Are there opportunities for you to support and expand upon local craft traditions?
There is definately opportunities to expand. Our town is old fashioned, but they also welcome new traditions. I feel that a craft show would be very welcomed and heavily attended, not only by locals, but by surrounding towns also.
8. Discuss the idea that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” What aspects of the community environment do some members of the group find beautiful that others do not? Can those who find something ugly see it in another way?
Beauty is different to everyone. Not everyone feels that a small town is beautiful. I think if they were to stay and visit for awhile though, they might change their mind. I know I did. I have lived in large cities all of my life and this was a dramatic change. I was not looking forward to it, but now I can't imagine living anywhere else.
9. Who could you partner with for this project?
•Youth groups
•Friends or family
•Civic communities
•Religious communities
Children are the best people to tell stories and make others interested. I feel that the middle and high school kids would do a terrific job at this project.
10. Where could this event take place or displayed at?
•Church
•Public library
•Bank
•School
•Community center
•Park
•Other public place
This event could take place at the park that is on Main Street. It has an ampitheatre and a lot of room to set up the event.
11. Who would you like to reach in this project? Who would you like to see this project or be educated about your community?
I feel that the children need to be educated to be able to pass on traditions and tell the stories. Not all of them will remain in the small town that we live in, but some will. They can carry on the traditions and educate the ones that move into our town.
You mention taking children to the tunnels to then create artwork about it. Can you expand on this idea? Are there stories or historic links regarding the tunnels? (My curiosity about these tunnels is definitely peaked!)
ReplyDeleteWhich traditions and stories need to be continued? It's nice that your town has an amphitheater for this venue. Can the project continue on in a community center or library to keep the stories fresh and alive in the minds of the town members?
This reminds me of the town I grew up in. It would be great to know the name of your town and also the population, to gain a better understanding. The underground tunnels does sound fascinating. Would it be fun to have someone paint the stories of the tunnels as a mural. Is there anything that you would want to add in with the bushel of wheat to make it specific to your town?
ReplyDeleteYou stated that the children tell the best stories, so let them write it. You could make a book with photos or with their art work. It could be published or just a book put together. I would think that their teachers especially English and Art would love to help with this project! Also, I am sure your town would love this project. Be prepared for "the stories" that may come out! The kids have quite an imagination :-)
ReplyDeleteThough I am not from a small town, my wife is. In fact it's a little strange for me when we go to visit her parents in Ellis, KS the way everyone in the community knows each other. Perhaps I feels a little left out. hehe One thing I do enjoy is learning about the history of the region that they are in. There are memorials and historical sites that explain how the city came to be and those are quite interesting. You said that there are tunnels in your town. My question would be what are their significance? Was it a mining community? Perhaps you can get the community together to put together a historical display that shows the history of the tunnels and the influence that they had on the community. It would pay homage to where the town has been and create a distinct artistic and historical representation of your community. Just an idea. Nice job and good luck on your project!
ReplyDelete