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

  Bensonhurst Senior Center Blog 6 06/23/22  Portrait Book Our final class and many students were early, already set up and finishing off their artwork from the previous lesson. What an incredible group! Lao Yu even takes 3 buses just to get to our class. It is always sad when a project we’ve been working on together comes to an end but also exciting to see the finished product.  Because we had a few steps to complete before putting the book together, we decided against a warmup game and jumped right into modeling the collage for the cover of their Portrait Book. For this they selected colored magazine images of scenery and patterns, which they tore into small pieces of different shapes. Once they had a pile of torn colors they patterned them onto white cardstock, using the layering method they had previously employed. Using a glue stick they created their collage and added a layer of Mod Podge for a polished finish. In order to complete the cover, they had to add their p...

  Bensonhurst Senior Center Blog 5 06/16/22 Portrait Book Our seniors never cease to surprise and delight us, and today’s class was no exception. Beginning with a transformation theater game, which they enthusiastically embraced, we chose an animal and embodied its movement and sound. Each person threw their animal’s energy across the room where it was caught and transformed by another. Our classroom was inhabited by a variety of animals including a fish, tortoise, bird, butterfly, dog, cat, and mouse. Students selected from a range of colored patterned paper to create their hair, using a scaled down copy of their hand drawn portrait as a template. Once the hair was cut out, they glued it in place on a second portrait. Spica and I modeled our own examples of “transformed body” as well as some created by seniors at another center. We had grouped magazine images into 3 categories, animals, objects, and food and once inspired, students chose 4-5 images which they could use for their “...

  Bensonhurst Senior Center Blog 4 06/09/22 Portrait Book A birthday is always a great reason to have cake, but it’s especially important when it’s So Sim’s. As our oldest student and one of our most prolific, we were so happy to take a break in class to sing happy birthday to her and wish her well. Bensonhurst provided a delicious cake, which we all shared after, So Sim made a wish then blew out the candles. Typical of So Sim’s generosity, she had presents for all of us - scrumptious cake, and delicately crocheted colorful bells. Spica and I also received charming, crocheted face masks, a must wear at our next event! Thank you So Sim for all the joy you bring to us, our students and everyone at Bensonhurst Senior Center!! Julisa had already laid out all the supplies and told us about So Sim’s surprise, so no sooner had we arrived than we began helping students trim their completed pieces to the correct size. As students were quickly engaged, we thought we may as well continue so s...

Bensonhurst Senior Center Blog 3 06/02/22 Portrait Book The Kitchens at Bensonhurst Senior Center were busy today making zongzi in celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival. Many hands were on deck to cook the sticky rice and wrap it in bamboo leaves. Spica and I were given 2, supplemented by another from Lao Yu. Along with So Sim’s zongzi from last week we will be eating delicious, tasty nutty treats for the next week! Thank you so much!! As we focused on portrait collages today, we warmed up with a movement and improvisation game. Each person thought of something they were good at which they could mime. “Action” began their movement and “1, 2, 3 camera” allowed them to pose in mid action as though they were having their photo taken enacting the movement. Some of the variety of activities were sewing, doing Tai Chi, exercising, singing, dancing, and looking after the baby. As each person did their action, the rest of the class did their own movement for the chosen activity.  Spica ...