Back From BALTIMORE// Loop It Up Book is READY!!

We had a great trip to Baltimore for the American Craft Council Show!
Saw Many wonderful things and met some great people!

Most excitingly, while talking to the incredible Shannon of Sweet Pepita a beautiful children's clothing line ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpepita ) I learned about a
Photography After School Program in Baltimore called Youth Light. It turned out that the program was having a show at a local reaturant... so we went to check things out!

Youth Light is a photography after school program which gives city kids a chance to take a closer look at the world that they are living through taking pictures of their daily lives and surroundings. ( http://www.youthlightproject.org/about.htm )
At the show, we got to see some incredible pictures, taken and developed by the kids. It is the sort of work that you can tell just by looking for a minute is changing the way our eyes meet the world. I bought a picture that was taken by one of the students, who is now running the dark room! I will certainly post it later!
We also got to meet Marshall Clarke, an independant photographer who founded and runs the program. I'm so excited to show our kids the picture and tell them about this project! I am hoping that there might be some way for us to work together one of these days.

Here are some pages from the new Loop It Up BOOK!!







The Book is almost 100 pages long! it tells the story of how we started Loop It Up, outlines curriculum and offers tips and enthusiasm for starting your own art afterschool program. The first edition is on the way! You may order your copy for $25 + $5 shipping fee by emailing looplinktangle@gmail.com

MUCH EXCITEMENT!

Our sweet little art show is still up at the Sentient Bean... drop by this week if you can!
The opening was wonderful! A group of kids came over, we looped at the art work, had(a lot of) milk and cookies, and hung up more artwork. The local papers have covered this event very nicely!

WTOC: http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11937257

SAVANNAH DAILY NEWS:
http://savdailynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=23&ArticleID=29705

SAVANNAH NOW:
http://savannahnow.com/share/blog-post/jan-skutch/2010-02-02/westside-kids-art-display

SCAD PAPER:
http://www.scaddistrict.com/?p=6617


MAYOR OTIS JOHNSON came to visit us at the Y a few weeks ago too!







"making stuff is important, no matter how big you are. Do you like to make things even though you the mayor??" - Jaylen, age 7

OUR SECOND ART SHOW!!!!

Our second Art Show open tomorrow at the SENTIENT BEAN coffee shop! Come by for the Festivities 5-7pm.

So much good stuff is on display and there will be VALENTINES for SALE... so you're off the hookey hook this year!

come join the fun, support an enthused little crowd and a very good cause.

2010 is a fast one so far. We start teaching classes again next week!!

The Schedule is MONDAY - 4:30 - 5:30 kids from the YMCA
TUESDAY/THURSDAY - 4:30-5:30 kids from the Boys and Girls Club

We will start out doing a quilting project. Both the SCAD Fibers Dept. and Loop It Up Savannah will make small quilts for children in Haiti.

Please please email if you'd like to help out... or just show up!

ALSO, we will be having a show at the Sentient Bean Coffee Shop in February. The opening reception is Thursday February 4th 5-7pm. Tell everyone you know!

A Year End Letter to Friends

Dear Friends,

I am writing to tell you about something wonderful that began last year. With generous support from the Craft Yarn Council of America, the Arts Ashore Legacy Foundation and a groundswell of hope for more positive activity and unity in our city, the Loop It Up Savannah Project was launched at the West Broad Street YMCA.

At first, a few Savannah College of Art and Design Fibers Department volunteers began teaching a small group of children to knit and crochet. As we got to know the children better, we began to develop a curriculum starting a few steps before the specific crafts of knitting and crocheting. We now offer independent and collaborative Fiber Art Projects ranging from exploration of materials and development of fine motor skills to such traditional crafts as spinning, weaving, embroidery, knitting, sewing and crochet.

These crafts are relevant and accessible to all of us, including the low income children of Savannah because they are easy to learn and have played a traditional part in community building. As the children grow into skilled artists and makers, they develop a stronger sense of themselves and experience a safer, more exciting community. Currently funded by the Hodge Foundation of Savannah Georgia, we work with about fifty children on a weekly basis. This number will more than double as we offer programming at additional locations.

I am creating an artist book about Loop It Up Savannah which will be displayed at the American Craft Council’s National Art and Craft Show this February. The book will include curriculum, documentation of students’ work and information about how we collect and work with a variety of materials. It will be a recipe book for our project, a memento of the work that we’re doing and a tool for others interested in joining out project, or starting a similar program in their community.

All successful community endeavors depend on each member of the community offering what they can. We have built this program through generous and selfless donations of time, art materials, space, funding and ideas. Now I invite you to join our community and contribute what you can – suggestions, ideas, stories, materials or a financial donation that feels appropriate.

Be warm, be well, and join the excitement!

Molly Green Lieberman
The Loop It Up Savannah Project
c/o the West Broad Street YMCA
1110 May Street Savannah GA, 31415
www.loopitupsavannah.blogspot.com

ingredients

Page one in our Recipe Book! Coming soon!!!!

Knitta Please please please please

Knitta Please is an international "Textile Graffiti" Project. In recent years people around the world have left their mark via knitting, crocheting, wrapping...
Soon, a book will be published which will showcase 275 of these projects!
We decided to try our hand at it..... thanks you Jeremy Noonon for letting us know!