COOK- A group of young artists gathered around a table at Northwoods Friends of the Arts recently, preparing to turn painted eggshells into miniature mosaics.
Instructor Mary Lou Ellison began by showing them examples, some depicting recognizable objects such as a sailboat or frog and others made from abstract arrangements of colors and shapes.
“You are free today not to make a picture,” Ellison told them. “You can just make a design if you want.”
Each child selected either a rock or a wooden coaster for their mosaic, then painted eggshells in different colors to share around the table. Once dry, the shells were broken into small pieces and glued into place, producing everything from planned pictures to colorful designs that emerged as the children worked.
The July 28 activity at the NWFA gallery offered a hands-on introduction to Art to Go, a new collection of 10 portable art kits developed for use at homes, resorts, schools, libraries, clubs, and other community settings.
Rather than requiring participants to come to the gallery, the program allows individuals and groups to check out a kit for up to two weeks and bring the activity to their own location.
Each kit includes instructions and the materials needed to complete its project. Most contain enough supplies for about 10 to 12 participants, although capacity varies. Projects may take an hour or two, but the longer checkout period allows participants to return to more involved activities rather than completing everything in one sitting.
When a kit is returned, NWFA volunteers check its contents, replace supplies that have been used, and repack it for the next borrower.
Organizers said the kits offer plenty of possible uses. A resort activity director might lead a scheduled project, for example, while another resort could keep a kit at its front desk for families looking for something to do on a rainy day.
The kits could also be used by scout troops, classrooms, homeschool groups, Boys and Girls Clubs, youth organizations, or families looking for a shared activity.
While the eggshell mosaic session focused on visual art, the Art to Go collection spans several forms of creative expression, including writing, bookmaking, and drama.
The Blackout Poetry kit, intended for ages 10 and older, lets participants create a new poem by erasing selected words from an existing text and using the words that remain.
The Create a Journal or Sketchbook kit, for ages 6 and older, provides materials for assembling and personalizing a book that can be used for writing, drawing, or both. Shawna Kishel led children through that project during the morning portion of the July 28 activity day.
The Fun with Sticks kit, designed by Jim DeVries for ages 8 and older, encourages participants to transform ordinary sticks by painting them, wrapping them, creating patterns, and adding embellishments.
The Fairytale/Drama kit, for ages 6 and older, moves the creative experience into dramatic play, allowing a group to re-create and perform a fairytale using materials included with the project.
Rounding out the collection are Eggshell Mosaic, for ages 5 and older, and five additional projects. Expand the Image, Imaginative Line Drawing, and Origami are intended for ages 8 and older. Paper Weaving and Draw an Exquisite Corpse are for ages 6 and older. In the latter activity, participants contribute to a drawing without seeing what others have already added.
Art to Go was developed with support from the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation.
Kits may be checked out at the NWFA gallery at 210 S River St. in Cook. For more information, call 218-780-7130, email nwfamn.org@gmail.com, visit nwfamn.org, or visit the Northwoods Friends of the Arts Facebook page.