Sept Workshops & legacy project!

In September, we connected as a group to wrap up our year together and finish our legacy project! It was exciting and satisfying to continue our collaboration see our work come together.

Earlier in the year we started creating prize ribbons that represent parts of ourselves we don't normally share or honour, and we had discussed some options for how this artwork could be displayed in the library. In September we returned to our ribbon creations. We delved more deeply into themes of personal identity, and explored the contrast between a vibrant prize ribbon and less traditionally celebrated part of our self.

We started gearing up for the legacy project and it's launch party! We made lots of posters to promote the project, and we worked together to write a collaborative artist statement for our work:

"We made these ribbons using paper, fabric, glue, cardboard, ribbon, and other materials. We worked slowly and with care, and with help from each other. We choose the words on our ribbons by thinking about how we felt on that day, finding a word that represents us well, using our minds, asking a partner for input, and sharing something we don't normally share. To us this project means: an expression of creativity, showing our passion for art, and getting to know good friends."

Of course there were some drawing games and mini projects thrown into the mix as well!

For the legacy project, we chose to display our ribbons in two different ways: as a large poster where all the ribbons are visible in one place, and as smaller die-cuts prints scattered in the library's living room space like a scavenger hunt.

As part of Culture Days, we invited the public to come check out our artwork and make a ribbon of their own! This felt like a great way to introduce the community to our project and celebrate the end of our collaboration. It has been a wonderful year, and I'm really grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know and work with such an insightful and creative group of teens. I'm also excited that our legacy work will be on display for library patrons to experience.