VINTAgE NEWS P.8 - The Grapevine

15 The GrapevineJune 27 - July 11, 2013TERRY DRAHOS:ART IN THE GARDENIn art and in life, standing back and observing several seemingly singular pieces as a whole can resultin a beautiful and sometimes surprising perspective. Twentieth-century artist Georgia O’Keeffewas known for recasting simple subjects with surprising results. In one famous series, abstract poolsof colour amalgamate reveal themselves to be ultra-close-up depictions of common flowers when thepaintings are observed from a distance.O’Keeffe’s effect is the perfect metaphor for the work of community artist Terry Havlis Drahos. Getinvolved up close, and you’ll feel the immediate impact of her work; stand back and you’ll see thegreater purpose behind it all.Drahos arrived in Wolfville from Atlanta in 2001. Studying for her B.Ed. in Technology and Art Education,while at the same time settling her sons into new schools, she was surprised to learn that therewas no provision for art specialists in Nova Scotia elementary classrooms. Drahos was disturbed bythe resulting “visual illiteracy” she sensed among young students.It was a void Drahos has since worked tirelessly to fill. A self-titled “freelance art teacher”, she leadsclasses for students in primary through Grade 12. Funded by grants and local business donors, Drahosteaches in schools and runs summer camps, March break camps, after-school projects, and mentoringsessions. Her programs focus on history, skill-development, and self-expression.Word @ the Market:A Celebration of Food and Farm WritingJoin us for a celebration of Food and Farm Writing at the Wolfville Farmers' Market onJuly 3, as part of the Wednesday Community Nights at the Market (4-7pm), featuring30 vendors and our famous $10 Market Supper. We will celebrate with a panel onfood-blogging, led by the Halifax Food Bloggers; a talk on cookbook writing, with WendyMcCallum; and our Dirty Word Open Mic, “where weeding and writing grows prose!”, beingMC’d by Mike and Donna. There will also be a storytelling tent for children, and kids will havea chance to make their own books. This is being done as a partnership between the Box ofDelights Bookstore and the Wolfville Farmers’ Market.Activities this Wednesday: July 3 (4-7pm)On the Speaker's StageWendy McCallum (5pm-5:20pm) is a food coach and educator who followed her passionfor real food by leaving her career as a lawyer and returning to college to learn more aboutnutrition and food. She now operates Simple Balance Consulting, through which she helpsher clients reach their wellness and nutrition goals, in part by supporting them in the movefrom processed food to healthier, real-food alternatives. Her cookbook, Real Food for RealFamilies, features her most popular "kid-tested" recipes and tips for how to introduce a familyto new approaches to food. Wendy also blogs at www.simple-balance.ca.Food Bloggers Panel (5:20pm-6:00pm): The Halifax FoodBloggers bring together Halifax’s food- blogging community. Twenty-eight strong, theyshowcase varied talents and passions. Kathy Jollimore and Kelly Neil’s talk on food-bloggingincludes tips for food styling and photography.Dirty Word Open Mic: where weeding & writing grows prose!(6:00pm-7pm): All are welcome to listen or participate! Come share a poem or story aboutfood (pickles, quiche, or orange-pekoe tea for example); farming (dairy air, Old MacDonald,sheep-shearing etc); or nature (Robert Frost poetry, breastfeeding, gardening, bugs, dirt... thelist goes on and on). Participants will be entered to win $40 in prizes (from Box of DelightsBookstore and Wolfville Farmers' Market). Your hosts Donna Holmes and Mike Butler willensure we all have FUN!!At the Kids' CornerCraft (5-7pm): Book MakingStorytelling with RiaStorytelling with Elizabeth FajtaBook FairParticipants:Box of Delights BookstoreRustic MagazineHalifax Food BloggersCut the Jargon, and moreOne notable success of Darahos’ efforts is the Wolfville School Garden project. Last November, Grade8 students created small pencil drawings of flowers based on photographs from the garden.Then, inthe style of O’Keeffe, they transformed these into 18x18-inch paintings now mounted on the school’ssouth wall. Glance left when walking up Pleasant Street and you’ll be treated to a flash of floral colourreminding you, as Drahos puts it, “to stop and smell the roses”.Through all her rich encounters with students, one moment sticks out in Drahos’ memory. On herfirst day with the Wolfville Grade 8s, she asked how many in the class had previously participated inone of her art projects. With emotion, she recalls that every hand was raised. “I suddenly realised Ihad made a difference. All my efforts had patched together to achieve my goal: to inject art into theelementary school community”.This summer will mark Drahos’ seventh Art in the Garden event. Children aged seven to 12 are invitedto one of two weeks of outdoor play, exploration, and art in the stunning setting of the Harriet IrvingBotanical Gardens. For more information on “Art in Nature” (July 15-19) and “Art and Science” (August12-16), visit terryhavlisdrahos.com.