Season Finale at SCRAP!
/On Sunday, June 11th, Kids & Art hosted their end of season workshop at SCRAP. SCRAP is a nonprofit organization that was founded on the principle that no materials go to waste. Since its establishment in 1976, SCRAP has been a wonderful, resourceful place for everyone! They carry all kinds of things that can be used for art, such as wood figures, fabric, and buttons. When I explored the halls of SCRAP, I was delighted at all of the trinkets and vinyl records I saw. They had wigs, masks, and coats as well. With everything organized so well, it is easy for people to find what they need. SCRAP is also hugely beneficial to Bay Area teachers. Many low income schools that cannot afford new supplies each year can turn to SCRAP. SCRAP even has free scheduled giveaways for teachers who need new materials for their classrooms. In addition to that, SCRAP reduces the waste going to landfill by over two hundred tons per year! SCRAP is an extremely unique place that does tremendous good to the community.
After participants arrived at SCRAP, they were led through the halls into a workstation with benches and tables. This workshop was smaller than most Kids & Art workshops, so participants were very comfortable asking questions. The day’s highlight projects were Mix and Match Marionettes and Summer Land-escapes. The projects were quite different, but their defining quality tied into that of SCRAP -- using found text and imagery. It was quite an adventure, looking through piles of scrapbook paper and greeting cards to find the perfect material for a marionette’s art or hat. It was quite common to stumble upon a gem while looking for something completely different and very specific. This happend to me quite a few times, and though I wasn’t sure how I would use those pieces, I later ended up combining them into my pieces in a totally unexpected way. Participants had plenty of creative freedom, and the instructors encouraged everyone to think outside the box. Because of that, many people were able to make funny marionnettes and abstract land-escapes.
This workshop was a lot of fun for me as teen volunteer. The atmosphere at SCRAP was extremely welcoming and fun, and the projects were very original. There is no question that the workshop itself was fun, but the enthusiastic instructors made it a great experience for everyone there. I could tell that the people at SCRAP were passionate about what they were doing, and that elevated the entire experience.
SCRAP is the perfect place for artists and teachers. Located in a warehouse dating back to the World War II era, SCRAP certainly doesn’t lack history. Thank you to SCRAP for allowing Kids & Art to host our ‘season finale’ there!
