The Memory Project: Storytelling through visual arts, theater & puppetry

This is our last class for the current project, and we will miss our wonderful students. Spica has returned from Taiwan and is finally in the same time zone as us all! Hong sent So Sim’s gifts for Spica and me to her place and she showed us all on zoom. Beautifully knitted masks with internal cloth covers for extra protection and bright neck warmers. Thank you So Sim!! We were joined by Don Lee, Board Chairman of Homecrest Community Services. It’s always a pleasure to welcome Don to our class. He’s such a staunch supporter of the senior centers and our work. Don proudly told us that 80% of the members have been vaccinated and the majority of the staff. What a caring and responsible organization, staffed by people who genuinely care. We were also joined by Karen Zhou, Executive Director and Hong and Fanny, Administrative Staff. We began by each sharing a gesture of thanks and friendship, which we taught to the class. Next, students flipped through their book and jotted down words that ...

Today’s class began with a warm that each student led. After demonstrating simple physical actions, we can do using our legs, Karen invited each student to offer an individualized warm up using a different part of the body. What resulted was a fun 20 minute warm up, which prepared us to sit for the next hour and a half.    Reviewing the homework allowed for students to comment and give feedback on each other’s work. Although they are active on WeChat after fellow students post their homework, this feature at the top of each class allows for more in depth self-reflection and constructive critique. Susanna, who cannot join the class in person due to family commitments, avidly completes all homework so it was with great pleasure we shared her artwork; an appetizer of stirred fried tomatoes, tofu and eggs, beautifully rendered. Miu is another student who is unable to attend class, however she always watches the recorded video and sends us her completed artwork. She chose a subtle ...

  The wonderful Don Lee greeted us this morning, with the terrific news that 80% of Homecrest Community Services’ clients and staff have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Everyone is doing well with no adverse reactions.    After a gentle stretching exercise, we shared our students’ homework from last week’s class, their finished New Year pages. By posting a photo to WeChat everyone had the chance to see each other’s work and offer supportive comments, but the sharing platform in zoom permitted a deeper engagement with the work. Hui Fang’s chickens carrying New Year signs was universally remarked upon and enjoyed as it was a good example of “thinking outside the box”. Her second page was full of the spirit and power of the Year of the Ox. Hui Fang’s husband says she stayed up until almost 2am to finish her artwork. Such dedication! He’s very proud of her.   Students remarked on Jing Wei’s style as very precise and detailed. The bottle of wine from Sichuan is very lif...