Artist-in-Residence at St.Vincent de Paul
As Artist-in-Residence at the St.Vincent de Paul Society in Oakland, Francesca’s project was to teach the staff how to make art from recycled materials. She was given a studio for three months to prepare for an exhibit at the S.V.d.P Community Center. She taught regular classes in sculpture and puppetry. Staff members were encouraged to visit her studio for instruction on how to use the materials they found. The key to their involvement was the realization that their own skills, such as carpentry and sewing, were valid techniques for art construction. They found interesting and beautiful materials to explore. They taught the artist techniques for the sewing machine and applique’. The exhibit, “Puppets from the Waste Stream” included large puppets for their manipulation.
Main image above: Puppets from the Waste Stream
