Summer Camp for Kids on the Island!

May 19th, 2010 Comments Off


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!


Tea Party Junkbox Ladies

May 10th, 2010 Comments Off

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 Comments Off

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 Comments Off

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 Comments Off

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 Comments Off

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!


The Joy of Painting Chickens

February 11th, 2010 Comments Off

Little Red Dress


I just want to share perhaps my favorite painting of my “In Style with Creativity Unhinged” gallery exhibit currently at the Parish Center for the Arts in Westford, MA. It is a painting of a little girl collecting eggs in her favorite little red dress. It is a happy rural scene complete with a tree swing. It is an interesting piece of salvaged wood. It is very chippy and has a bottom piece connected by hinges which was perfect for a saying. I chose Margaret Thatcher’s “The cock may crow, but the hen lays the egg”. I had so much fun painting this piece. I have dozens of plans in my head for more chicken art. Who knew chickens could be so inspiring? For more images of this work, go to my flickr icon on the left toolbar and view “In Style with Creativity Unhinged”.

A Winter’s Tea Gallery Reception

February 11th, 2010 Comments Off

Enjoying Tea!


What a lovely way to celebrate my first official gallery opening – a glorious tea party on a chilly February afternoon at Westford’s beautiful Parish Center for the Arts located on the Common. We had a great turnout. We are certainly glad that everyone brought their appetites because the goodies were delectable and plentiful! I cannot thank Gail Flannery enough for organizing, baking and sharing her gift for tea parties. She brought dozens of teacups and tablecloths for the event as well as beautiful serving dishes. And, Bill Harman played our favorite tunes so well on the big grand piano (and he looked very dapper to boot!). Finally, thank you to my husband for loading big doors, attaching wires and brewing pot after pot after pot of tea! It was such a fun afternoon. Thank you to all who braved the chilly air and helped to make “In Style with Creativity Unhinged” such a success!


I have gallery hours every Sunday afternoon in February from noon-2pm with tea and a few goodies, so please stop by to check out the art and to have a chat. For more photos, please go to my flickr icon on the left toolbar and check out “In Style with Creativity Unhinged”.

Our darling chickens!

January 26th, 2010 Comments Off

In the coop.


We were featured in the Lowell Sun with our chickens in January. Here is the link to the story and a video taken by their reporter and photographer. It is pretty fun! I must say that our chickie girls are very photogenic! The above photo was taken in a warmer time when our girls were still pretty small. Now they are big, fluffy and giving us delicious eggs! Check out my flickr page for more chicken photos.


http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_14262654


Can you decipher this curse?

January 22nd, 2010 Comments Off

Hieroglyphics


The World Art class is having a good time being Egyptian scribes. We have been studying their writing, hieroglyphs. Can you decipher Cate’s ancient Egyptian curse? E-mail your guesses to rumphius@creativityunhinged.com. Go to our flickr page on the left toolbar to see more photos!  Hint:  Find a hieroglyph key at the following link:


http://www.jimloy.com/hiero/yourname.gif

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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!