HSC Bensonhurst Senior Center HOME Project.17 12/16/2021

 

HSC Bensonhurst Senior Center

HOME Project

Blog 17 12/16/2021

Our students created some beautiful base pages for their “Living Room” HOME page. In today’s class they learnt techniques for creating their own furniture, building on the skills attained last week. First though we warmed up our imaginations with a pop-up gesture and added sound. I demonstrated a pop-up mouth and made a bird call, inspired by the variety of bird calls in Australia. Pun demonstrated a gesture we are all familiar with, opening her phone and calling friends. Lao Yu cupped her hands to her mouth and called out. The rest of our students followed the animal sound theme, with Hui Fen throwing her head back and cockle-dooing-do like a rooster. Jing Wei flapped her arms like a chicken and chirped. Ru Ping imitated the neighbor’s dog and barked, while Susanna quacked like a duck. So Sim pawed her face with meowing and Sook Fong bleated while butting her head like a goat. Stella amazed us with a perfect bird call until we realized she had a little help from a bird whistle! What a fun way to start the lesson, laughing and sharing.

Most students had used the mock-up of the couch they made last week to make their own, in colors and textures of their choice. Now they added the arm rests. Having finished the “wall” and “floor” for homework, they were ready to attach their couch. Spica demonstrated that it could be placed on either side of the folded page or in the center, the key being that it is glued directly in the center of the fold. Using paper they made mock-ups of boxes, which could be transformed into bookcases, cabinets, bureaus, long tables, or coffee tables. Each student shared her ideas about what furniture she’d like to place in her Living Room and Spica demonstrated how it could be achieved by simply changing the size of the box, always keeping in mind that opposing sides must equal each other in length and a ½” tab is required for gluing. 

Hui Fen is making a cabinet and has already added a colorful floor mat. Sook Fong will make a table. So Sim had already made her massage chair with a high rounded back, for homework and she’s created a wall clock. Jing Wei placed her sofa in the center of the “room” and will add a TV cabinet and coffee table. Ru Ping also wants to place a coffee table in front of the sofa. Stella is making a bookcase using paper that has a wood print. Pun cleverly used newsprint for the floor creating a unique effect and she will add a coffee table. We encouraged them to add other details such as paintings or windows on the wall and a rug or mat on the floor. We know these incredibly talented, creative ladies will let their imaginations fly!




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