Farm Art Workshops

August 17th, 2010 § 0


Fresh from two successful, creative and educational camps, it is time to jump into the next project – my Farm Art Workshops here at beautiful Meadowbrook Farm! My husband and I are lucky to live on this historic 18th c. farm in Westford. Complete with a big horse stable, goats, stone fences, a big farm porch, enormous garden (perfect spot for my favorite green beans – Providers – pictured above), old chicken coop and a very wonderful neighbor, Marti, it is a piece of old-fashioned farm paradise. I invite your children to share their creative skills in the following workshops:


FARM ART WORKSHOPS AT HISTORIC MEADOWBROOK FARM!


Join Artist and Educator Emily Piper of Rumphius Creativity Unhinged in a series of fun workshops on a 1700s farm in Westford!


THE WORKSHOPS:
August 19: Barn Art: Perspective on Canvas
August 26: Cockadoodle Doodle: Chicken Folk Art
August 30: Fuzzy, Furry and Fluffy: 3-D Animal Collage Art (a.m. workshop only)
September 2: Fuzzy, Furry and Fluffy: 3-D Animal Collage Art for Homeschoolers


• Two workshop times to choose from each day:
a.m. session 9-12 and p.m. session 2-5
• Each workshop is $25. Materials included. As always, there is a 10% discount for siblings and friends.
• Sign-up for all three workshops and receive a $10 coupon good toward future classes, workshops or Rumphius parties.
• Please bring your own snack. Water and herbal iced tea will be provided.
• Each workshop is 3 hours in length and includes 30-45 minutes for games and their snack.
• Each workshop is limited to 8 students.
• Workshops are for ages 6-12.
• To sign-up, simply e-mail Emily at rumphius@creativityunhinged.com or call 978.995.7002 to hold your place and bring your class registration form and fee to the workshop.


Mrs. Junkbox Goes to PEI

August 17th, 2010 § 0


This past July, Mrs. Junkbox visited Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. She held a puppet-making workshop at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House. What fun we had! The kids made lots of great junkbox rod puppets and put on plays with them. Laserman saved the day in each play. Thanks, Laserman!

The Recycled Dollhouse begins! Camp to follow in August!

July 14th, 2010 § 0




We are so excited to share with you our recycled dollhouse project from beginning to end! We started just a few days ago with a vintage kitchen shelving unit. By the start of our recycled dollhouse camp in August at the Parkerville Schoolhouse in Westford, it will be transformed into a Parisian Flats building complete with flower shop and café. We are not overlooking any detail – balconies, curtains, little French kitties and more! If your child is interested in signing up for our camp, please check out our Summer Camps on the left toolbar for more information. And, if you get a friend to join, there is a 10% discount for both of you! All materials are supplied.


And, come to the Westford Farmers Market every Tuesday to see our dollhouse’s progress in person! (2:30-6:30) Check out this blog regularly for the complete transformation.

Summer Camp for Kids on the Island!

May 19th, 2010 § 0


I am so pleased to announce a project I have wanted to commit to since leaving PEI in 2004 is finally coming to fruition! I am excited to announce a partnership with Beaconsfield Historic House, one of my favorite spots on the Island. With BHH, I am presenting a summer theatre camp for kids, Monday-Friday, July 19-23, in Beaconsfield’s Carriage House. The camp is an afternoon camp from 1pm until 5pm and is for ages 8-12. The fee is $150 CDN with sibling discounts available.


For our first summer, I decided it would be fun to connect the theatre camp to the history of the house. I am currently working on an original comedy, Princess Louise Comes to Call, which draws upon the real-life visit of Princess Louise, Queen Victoria’s daughter, to the historic PEI home. The play includes a bit of time travel for two young volunteers at the museum. Not only do they get to meet Princess Louise, but also a host of other Island historic figures who join her as guests to a “fine” dinner party. Young thespians will learn about proper table manners and the etiquette of the 19th century – as well as learn about comedic timing and diction.


Our hard work will culminate in a final performance on Friday, July 23 at 7pm in Beaconsfield’s Carriage House. Tickets are $5 adults and $2 for students and young children.


Cheryl Scofield, MA Theatre, will join me as a guest artist and co-director. Cheryl has been teaching theatre in Virginia and Illinois for several years. She has an MA from Northwestern University in Theatre History, Criticism and Literature and worked as a dramaturg with some Off-Loop theatres while living in Chicago. Also in Chicago, Cheryl taught theatre in inner-city schools in a program designed to keep kids out of gangs through involvement in theatre. She is currently director and theatre teacher at Liberty High School located in Virginia.


To sign up, go to How to Register on the left toolbar and mail your Summer Camps form and check made payable to Rumphius Creativity Unhinged to 5A Gould Rd. Westford, MA 01886. If you would like more information, please call me, Emily Piper, at 978.995.7002 or e-mail rumphius@creativityunhinged.com.


Can’t wait to be back on the Island doing what I love!


May 19th, 2010 § 0

Tea Party Junkbox Ladies

May 10th, 2010 § 0

Junkbox Ladies at Tea


I just had to talk about these lovely ladies going to tea all dressed for a grand occasion! Lovely job, Ursula, Louisa and Rebecca! These junkbox ladies are truly exceptional! They were created at the final showcase for our Winter Junkbox Puppetry class held at the historic Parkerville Schoolhouse in Westford.

Faberge Gaylord!

May 10th, 2010 § 0

Faberge Gaylord!


In homage to my delightfully robust male cat, Gaylord, I created my very own example of a Faberge Egg complete with a Russian hat and a warm tail-muffler. What fun this was. He was the perfect inspiration for this World Art project. And, now he has a new nickname- Faberge Gay! Inspiration can be found anywhere- even in a big furball lying in his favorite arm chair in my living room.

World Art: Russian Art

May 10th, 2010 § 0

Ema and her St. Basil's!


Nick and Will's Russian Onion Domes!

Nick and Will's Russian Onion Domes!


Although we have moved onto Art of the Far East, I had to comment on some of the fine work from our last session in World Art, Russian Art. This was definitely my favorite session of this year since I was able to use my background in Russian Studies for the first time since I graduated from college in 2000! We created our own Faberge Eggs and learned about Russian onion domes. Here are a few pictures of our very own onion domes created all from recycled materials. Who knew that some old earrings, milk caps, balloons, jugs and wrapping paper could become fine works of Russo-inspired art? (Well, I guess I knew since this is my passion in life!) Great work to everyone. Molodyets and ochen harosho! (no Cyrillic on my keyboard)

The Debut of Mrs. Junkbox

March 5th, 2010 § 0

Mrs. JB 5


This week, my alter-ego, Mrs. Junkbox, made her proper debut at the Rita Miller Elementary School here in Westford, Massachusetts. As seen in the picture above, Mrs. JB loves to ride her vintage bicycle as a way to “Go Green.” She even rides it into the classroom singing her introduction song! Her outfit is a combination of used tablecloth, plastic bags, newspaper, potato chip bags, vintage glasses, coffee cups, bottle caps and more. She wears rubber boots in case she finds any of those awful and pesky plastic shopping bags in rivers, ponds and streams. She brings along two of her Junkbox puppet pals, Princess Tuna and Pupsicola who both live in little yellow trash cans.


Mrs. Junkbox is basically a combination of all of my passions – sustainability, vintage living, animals, art, puppets, music and educating children. Throughout my twenties, I was often told that I should find one thing I like to do and stick to it. So many times, when I was trying out something new every few months, I wish I had taken this advice. That is, until this week. Mrs. Junkbox may have made her debut on Tuesday, but she has been in the making since I was born.


Winter Break Art Studio

February 19th, 2010 § 0

Winter Art Studio with Rumphius


The snowflakes started falling heavily during our winter afternoon Rumphius Art Studio at the PCA on February 16. We kept warm and inspired with cups of warm cider, classical music and a room filled with art supplies from stretched canvases to broken vintage rhinestone jewelry. The glue guns were fired up and paint palettes were filled with a variety of colors. It was truly a wonderful way to spend a winter afternoon. I knew that the students would create some beautiful work, but we had a room full of masterpieces! And, every artist created something very individual to themselves. In the photo, Allison is creating a beautiful mixed media piece with old paper, a canvas, paint and old jewelry. Wonderful job, everyone! You keep me inspired!


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our mission…

Henry David Thoreau could not have said it better than in his quote, “The World is but a canvas to the imagination.” At Rumphius, we provide the canvas in a communal, eco-conscious and grassroots setting, and you provide the imagination!