Antarctica

Antarctica takes up one-tenth of the earth's land surface and is one-and-a-half times the size of Europe. It is the coldest, driest, highest, and windiest continent. There are no "Antarcticans"--the only people there are temporary residents. However it is home to the penguins and seals which we read about in Helen Cowcher's wonderful book: Antarctica.

Raven

Serendipity

Tonight I will drive out to Pumpkin Ridge in an attempt to see the aurora borealis, which may be (fingers crossed) visible due to an explosion on the sun just two days ago. Tomorrow's class will be dedicated to a Native American myth from the Pacific Northwest which explains how the sun was given to the people. As we enter into the deep of summer, it may be worthwhile to celebrate the power of the sun from the vantage point of various traditions and histories. Here's hoping for another sunny day on the decks of Green Bean Books! See you tomorrow!

Inti Raymin

Every winter solstice, when the sun is farthest from the earth, the Incas gathered to pray for the Sun God's return. This annual festival takes place in the city of Cusco, Peru. Given the mercurial weather in Portland, it seemed appropriate to make our own original Inti (Sun God) masks. Perhaps they will come in handy for those rainy days to come?

Dreamtime

We had another sun-filled afternoon on the deck listening to the drones of the didgeridoo while drawing and painting animals inspired by Australian aboriginal art by contemporary artist Bronwyn Bancroft. A story of the platypus became a lesson for peace and acceptance. The platypus, despite sharing traits with each refused to join the mammals, the birds, or the fish. All groups were desperate for domination over the others. The platypus remains neutral. As reward for his wisdom, the hunters will not hunt the platypus.

The Great Race

Why is there no cat in the Chinese zodiac? Because the rat sabotaged the cat's chance of being one of the first dozen animals to cross the river as the Emperor Jade had requested by pushing him into the river as they were riding on the back of the ox! They remain enemies ever since.

Celtic Designs

It was yet another glorious and breezy summer afternoon on the deck of Green Bean Books. It was great to see a few familiar faces from last week's class and just as wonderful to make some new friends. First, we read Mrs. McCool and the Giant Cuhullin, an Irish tale of cunning and foolery. Then, we explored Celtic Designs through knots and letters from illuminated manuscripts.

If you want to learn more about Celtic Designs, check out this website.

An Irish Tale

From Mrs. McCool and the Giant Cuhullin: An Irish Tale by Jessica Souhami

About the story...

This Irish tale makes fun of two of the greatest heroes of Celtic legend--Cuhullin and Finn McCool--who could never have met. Cuhullin's tales are told in the Ulster Cycle of the first century A.D., while Finn McCool's legends appear in the Fenian Cycle of the third century A.D. This tale possibly dates from the sixteenth century when comic parodies of the heroic legends started to appear. In the nineteenth century, when the study of Irish folklore began to flourish, several versions were collected, including William Carleton's 1846 version on which Joseph Jacobs based his 1892 retelling. This version is a very loose adaptation of the tale.

You can read a short retelling of the legend of Finn McCool here at the National Trust website for the Giant Causeway, the World Unesco Site pictured above.

Thursdays Drop-In Art Classes

Do you have a budding artist in your family? Starting next Thursday, July 8 from 1-2pm there will be an array of inspirational art books, art supplies, and craft projects set up for kids (ages 4 and above) to experiment with out on our wonderful deck. This will be a fun and exploratory time. I will be on hand to provide guidance, encouragement, and supervision. No need to sign up. Just show up at 1pm and join in the art-making! $10 per session, per child.

Thursday, July 8: Draw-a-thon

Thursday, July 15: Collage & Cards

Thursday, July 22: Mask making and costume making for Last Thursday

classes meet from 1-2pm

The Magic Gourd

It was a beautiful, sunny, sometimes windy day for our inaugural class. Thank you everyone for coming! We read The Magic Gourd by local author, Baba Wagué Diakité. Then the music of Mali drifted on the deck as we painted some "mud cloths" of our own design. Mud cloth or Bogolanfini (“Bo-ho-lahn-FEE-nee”) is made by the Bambara people of Mali. They dye fabric brown and black and paint lines, circles, zigzags, and oval shapes with a special mud. If you want to learn more about mud cloths you can check out this wonderful interactive web site from the Smithsonian Museum.

We also started filling in our passports this week! Come and join us next week!

a lesson in Bambara

By pure chance the book I chose for our exploration of Africa is by an award-winning author and artist Baba Wagué Diakité who happens to reside in Portland, OR! What a small world! I wrote him an e-mail and asked if he could help me out with some of the pronunciations of words in Bambara (the national language of Mali) and wonderfully, he got back to me right away. We just had a lively conversation over the phone this morning. Baba runs the Ko-Falen center where he promotes cultural, artistic, and educational exchanges between the people of the United States and Mali through art workshops, dance, music, and ceremony. Thank you Baba for your wonderful work!

impetus

When I was a child growing up in Taipei, Taiwan my mother enrolled me in a series of classes at this woman's apartment. I remember sitting in a small stool at a long table with other children listening intently as she read us magical stories filled with fantastical elements and dramatic endings. We would listen, enraptured by the words. Afterwards she put on some music and we would draw what was in our minds' eye. I could have gone on forever.

inside brochure

Itinerary

Travel around the world with me this summer!

June 30: Africa
July 7: Europe
July 14: Asia
July 21: Australia
July 28: South America
August 4: North America
August 11: Antarctica
August 18: The Oceans