2011 was a busy year for SkopArt. The first program we hosted was Marymount University out of Washington, SC with Professors Tom Xenakis, Chris Haggerty and Bridget Murphy. The group worked in bookmaking and painting. The big project was to create a mural at the Skopelos Elementary School based on Aesop’s Fables. The students worked with the kids from the school to complete a beautiful mural that will hopefully last for years to come. Professor Bridget Murphy also worked along side the Director of the Folklore Museum, Nora Stefu to document through all of the artists and artisans of Skopelos. It is an ongoing project but very necessary because some of these people are up in age and now the completed video can be put in the museum’s archive.
The second group was with Gulf Coast Community College out of Floida. Professors Tammy Marinuzzi and Pavel Amromin taught a ceramics hand-building course. Some of the students had never taken a ceramics course before and created beautiful work. They were also asked to come up with a design of a ceramic mural for a permanent installation at Skopart which we now have as a reminder of this wonderful group.
Basil Hall, a master printmaker from Australia, brought two groups of Australians to create all types of etchings at the studio. This was the first time we had so many talented artists together in one program. The work they created was amazing and they were incredibly generous to SkopArt in leaving behind so many beautiful prints. We do love the “Awesome Aussies” as we like to call them!
Suzy Birstein from Vancouver, Canada came for a second time to SkopArt. Her group was especially fun because not only did they create a lot of work, but were also able to experience so much of the island to add to their inspiration.
We had five wonderful artists in the studio while Suzy’s group was working; Amy Cliser, a mixed media artist from New Mexico, Mark Messenger, a ceramist from California (Who ended up staying longer and writing a wonderful article on Nikos Rodios, the traditional ceramist from Skopelos), John Palmer (his third time at SkopArt), a painter and printmaker from Texas, A.E. Ryan, a mixed media artist from Massachusetts and Amy Sinclair, a mixed media artist from New York. It was an extraordinary way to end our busy season and left us on an optimistic note for 2012.
We want to thank all of the artists, program directors and universities that work with The Skopelos Foundation for the Arts. We wouldn’t be anywhere without your commitment, hard work and dedication. We always feel very lucky to be affiliated with so many wonderful people throughout the world.
