Seedlings Workshops

  • Nicole Mascarenhas Carp
All things have a second life, a second chance, even waste too often found on beaches and although it seems impossible, many of them hide a great beauty. Skeleton Sea workshops aim to turn future citizens into skilled social scientists by training them to message the need for change in a way that appeals to hearts and minds. Little artists are creating true “Presents of the Sea” by helping raise awareness and build community support for the adoption of more sustainable behavior.

The artistic process transgresses material boundaries, collecting rubbish and quick-to apply materials to focus on self expression and environmental learning rather than on artistic skill development.

Seedlings, just like developing children, require “hardening” before they are planted fully outside, which can be thought of as gradually introducing them to the harsh, outside world. They also need lots of fresh air if they're going to grow up healthy and strong. Yet the link between children and the natural world, which is such a powerful link, has been broken just in the past generation.

The Skeleton Sea Art Gallery - (AEE) Centre, is the main venue for the Seedlings project in Portugal, however, in order to provide participants with a source of inspiration directly at the beach, three simpler artworks shall be transported from the collection into the working tent area. Accompanied by at least two responsible teachers, these children are invited by resident artists, João Parrinha and Xandi Kreuzeder, to come along to Ribeira d´Ilhas beach and participate in creative/physical activities adapted to their age group. The morning starts at 10am with an introductory gathering, forming two different groups;

A. Marine science for kids. with a marine biologist - to be developed inbetween the tent working area and the beach.
B. Turn Trash into Art! with one artist and one assistant - beach clean-up, creating a collage or mobile.
C. Creative Beach Games. follows after lunch with the whole group participating in several 3D puzzles and Tipi/Raft building with beach materials. The day ends at 15pm with an experience sharing circle and bus pick-up. All artworks created out of collected trash, shall be displayed back in the school grounds, helping the organisation of their classes and increasing its visual attractiveness.
The social interaction and team building activities that occur between the children and the cost effective art materials, finding beach trash and making art from any material at hand, is a tool to inspire a lifetime. The long-term objective is to help make every school in the country sustainable and to bring about behaviour change in young people and those connected to them so that good habits learned in schools are followed through into the household and the wider community.

The project ensures that teachers also become messengers of this "take action" mantra by providing them with certified training sessions, as well as involving them in the practical workshops at the beach. Through a participatory and cultural inclusive dialogue relating to the child´s own impression and experiences, these arts-based educational workshops are aimed at fostering feelings of confidence and respect for self, others and the environment.