Art at the Market
Children's Art Director - Fran Clem
11:00 - 12:30 pm
Returning for more fun-filled activities this summer!
Local resident Alisa Wright led the art activity on Saturday, August 7th.
Educating future consumers at an early age about local foods will have “eating local” become part of the fabric of their culture and way of life, in much the same way fast food is the “habit” of current older consumers. Wouldn't it be great if 10 years from, in answer to “what dinner would you like for your birthday?” an 8 year-old wanted a trip to the market to pick his favorite food rather than a trip to McDonald's?
We propose an education program about local foods for children at the Litchfield Hills Farm-Fresh Market using art as the educating vehicle. The primary focus will be children age 3-10, but it will include offerings for children at every level in the school system. This program will build on the current Healthier Lifestyle initiatives in the Litchfield School system, especially at the elementary Center School, extending the learning through the growing season.
 The program concept is to have children learn about local foods through art activities at the market. A Student Art Center will be a permanent fixture at the market each week. This space will be used for an art activity each week as well as to display the results of the activity, and other student art that is consistent with the sustainable agriculture theme. While the focus will be on the younger children, some activities will include parent/child, sibling/younger child and/or grandparent/child participation. Using products available at the market, examples of activities are:
- Edible artwork sculpture
- Mosaic made with beans and seeds in the planting season
- A theme around season produce colors
- Making vegetable dyes
- Making tempera (egg yolk and pigments)
- Weaving with plant materials
- Vegetable prints - potato skins, stalks of celery, etc.
- Favorite recipe with market products and illustrate it
- Over the season, write and illustrate a book about the market
- Create fantasy creatures that are personifications of vegetables and fruits.
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