Dear Liza,
You have seen these delightful murals when you visited Portland….you even had your picture taken with one, years ago when you were a tiny Liza.
Well, last Saturday, Auntie Bridgett and I got to make some tiny bots with the fellow who started it all, Gary Hirsch. Gary was running a bot-making workshop at the SideStreet Art Gallery and we were offered two spare spaces. Yes, please! SideStreet Arts is the only gallery that offers his bots and other artwork for sale.
Gary started the session off with some fun improvisation games, to get us thinking together and “outside the box”. It was fun to talk to new people.
The supplies are very basic. Classic, heavy dominoes and oil-based Sharpie markers make for a non-spilly sort of table. Gary asked us to think of someone who might need extra encouragement or recognition, and to keep them in mind as we made the bots.
Carol, a lady at our table, thought of her pets.
Auntie Bridgett thought about bees and people in her improvisation group.
I thought about Ruth, the lady who manages the Blair Community Garden. She works very hard and makes the world happier, healthier, and more beautiful. I will pass it along to her when I see her.
And, of course, whenever I have been making art or looking at art, I always find art out in the world. Look at how these tiny fragile tendrils growing around the gallery door go with the bright pink and green of the new sign!
Love,
Grandma Judy
Dear Liza 