Artists flock to Vermont for the same reasons many other people do: abundant natural beauty, bucolic landscapes, an escape from the madness.
But madness has a way of infiltrating even the most bucolic corner of the world, and many Vermonters — artists included — have been struggling lately to process current events.
An upcoming two-day workshop at SafeArt, a community arts organization in Chelsea, will offer an opportunity to confront the political climate through painting, sculpture, performance and other media.
The workshop is open to adults and students in high school and college. People can attend one or both sessions, according to instructor Eliza Amber, a junior visual arts major at Oberlin College in Ohio.
“I think it’s really important for people in this state to keep focusing on the larger world,” said Amber, who grew up in Chelsea. “This (area) is really beautiful, but I wanted to create an outlet for people to start thinking about what’s happening outside it.”
The workshop includes discussions on current events, exercises to pinpoint the emotions raised by these issues, and a chance to respond to the emotions through collaborative art.
“It’s less about the finished product, and more about the process and talking about what’s going on in the world,” Amber said.
The goal is for each person to find the issue that speaks to them most powerfully, Amber said.
“The world is changing a lot,” she said. “People are affected in all different ways.”
For inspiration, the workshop will look to modern radical artists who use their art to address the political climate.
For example, Amber admires Lonnie Holley, an African-American folk artist who explores his heritage through painting and sculpture.
Amber’s own art is informed by her environmental and social activism, and like Holley, she incorporates found objects into her work. The workshop will emphasize recycled and environmentally friendly materials.
“We’ll be talking about how the material also has a voice,” Amber said.
The workshops will take place at the Altus Art Studio at 292 Route 110 in Chelsea (in the Mascoma Bank building). Sessions are Thursday, Jan. 31, and Friday, Feb. 1, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.. Walk-ins are welcome, but for planning purposes, participants are encouraged to email Amber at eamber@oberlin.edu or call 802-685-3138. Donations to SafeArt are appreciated.