OpenheartART

Currently offering OpenheartART nature & art based childcare 5yrs old and under.

2011-09-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

OpenheartART is currently offering ART and NATURE based childcare for children 5 & under / 2011-12 school year.

Nestled in OpenheartART's neighborhood setting with stage, park, and wooded area. We paint. We get messy. We look for bugs. We dance. We use our GIANT imaginations.

Monday through Thursday 8:30 to 5pm
Email us to schedule a visit or to add your child your our waiting list.
openheartart@gmail.com

Weekend Events!

2011-05-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

Indianola K-8 Carnival

Come one...come all...to the spectacular, amazing, breath-taking, not to be missed event!

Step right up....

Time	Friday, May 6 · 5:00pm - 9:00pm

Location	Indianola Informal K-8 School 251 E. Weber Rd Columbus, OH

Indianola Informal K-8 will be hosting it's first annual Spring Carnival. We will be having Bounce houses, Games, face painting, cakewalk, and music, and performances featuring our local talent. Please feel free to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy on the lawn. This event is open to the public. Hope to see everyone there!

Check out the entertainment line-up:

5-6pm Throat Culture

6-6:30 Marlene's Dance Troupe

6:30-7 Kindermusik

7-7:30 The Shazzbots

7:30-8 Rain & Jasmine

8-8:30 OpenheartART

________________________________________________________________________________

Market to Market

https://www.facebook.com/markettomarket?sk=info

Time: Saturday, May 7th, 9am-Noon

Location: Olentangy Bike Path

Two of Columbus' premiere independent, locally-owned specialty foods markets, North Market and The Hills Market, are returning with what is now one of the most anticipated bicycling events of the season, Market to Market. Celebrating their third event on the anniversary of the inaugural Market to Market ride with the cycling adventure that was named the “Best Bike Ride for Foodies” in 2010 by Columbus Monthly.

OpenheartART, along with many local businesses, will be hot on the trail, near Clinton-Como Park Playground with a Community Mural to contribute to. Stop by and join in the fun...just beware of Birds on Bikes!

The Hills Market Annual Bunny Romp!

2011-04-22T14:59:00.000-07:00

Annual Bunny Romp | Saturday, April 23rd | 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | FREE

Bring the kids and grandkids as we bring on Spring with our Annual Bunny Romp and Easter Egg Hunt. We’ll have $5 pancakes, children’s entertainers, the Easter Bunny, and, of course, the egg hunt (which begins at noon).

OpenheartART will bring Openheart Creatures to engage families and friends with a unique storytelling experience, and much more....

The Hills Market is a local specialty grocer in Worthington. We are honored to collaborate with these folks to celebrate spring!!!!

http://www.thehillsmarket.com/about-the-hills-market/

WE ARE UNDER DECONSTRUCTION RECONSTRUCTION...

2011-04-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

please be patient while we create our site anew...it is spring after all, and the rebirth of OpenheartART is in the air.

STAY TUNED FOR INTERRUPTION OF YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING

"Breaking the Cage"-a teen body puppet workshop

2011-02-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

Beginning a new ongoing series of OpenheartART workshops, we are focusing in on teen identity awareness, expression, issues with escapism and discovery, clicks, labels, and the feelings that come with the whole process of self discovery and exploration of self. Using the creativity of body puppet design, construction, and performance...we give teens new tools and ideas for expressing themselves in a safe space. Self-discovery, being mindful, building and tearing down defenses, masks, and other creative exercises will accompany 4 hours of designing and constructing a head piece for a custom body puppet unique to each teen. Along with this workshop, teens will brainstorm ideas about performing in public with the body puppets, and possibly being part of a larger body puppet performance later in the year(optional).

Class Date: March 12, 2011--- Saturday 1p.m.-5p.m.

Location: Clintonville Music Academy
219 Arcadia Avenue
Columbus, OH 43202
www.clintonvillemusicacademy.com

Fee: $100 per student

Registration will close 1 week before class begins.

Half the fee will be due upon registration. The other half due by the first class.

Class Size is limited to 10 participants.*

To Register:

Email us with basic information about student (name, age, grade, school) , and any other specific information you think we should know.

Check or Money orders can be sent to OpenheartART. Paypal is not a payment option with this workshop.

*If no more than 8 students have registered by end of registration due date...fees will be refunded and class will be rescheduled for another date. Registrants will be notified via email.

We will provide all materials to create body puppets and head pieces. Any additional or special materials that you may have ideas for or would like to donate are welcome!

BODY PUPPETS!!! PECHA KUCHA!! BIRD INVASION!

2011-01-31T22:53:00.000-08:00

BODY PUPPETS!!!! you've seen us performing with Mas Bagua, Flypaper, Play House, The Shazzbots, Miss Molly, Comfest, Hot times, Community parades, and Birthday parties. You've even seen us at grocery stores, coffee shops, elevators, playgrounds, and cheering for Bike Riders on High street. What are we doing? We are cheerleaders for life. We are provoking curiosity and playful interaction. We are dancing with you with our defenses down.We are joyfully changing the shape of our appearance. We are OpenheartCreatures in person. We are OpenheartART in place...where ever we go.
Our next upcoming event is Pecha Kucha held at Columbus Museum of Art Thursday Feb. 10th 6pm. Pecha Kucha is an event designed for people to share their work, and connect with each other. There will be 20 presenters, networking, inspiration, and creativity surround sound! Rachel and Heidi will present on openheartcreatures & OpenheartART ~body puppet performance style.
Other upcoming things to look out for~
Teen body puppet workshops!
BIRD INVASION in the springtime. A Mass bird body puppet flash mob style will shock your body into growing your own wings. It will be life changing. FUR feathered real.

FOOD ART camp was a blast of yummy creative FUN!

2010-09-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

We were able to add FOOD ART to the end of our summer with the assistance and expertise of Rachel Tayse-Baillieul of Hounds in The Kitchen, Michael Goecke, and of course Benni and Heidi! To start we made edible dough, with sunflower seed butter (to avoid allergies), honey, and flour. Campers sculpted many people and animals out of the dough, then expiramented with letting the sun harden, and baking the dough. The art of juicing was an exciting part of our adventures. Campers brought a variety of fruits and veggies including mangoes, beets, carrots, peaches, and many more to expirament with different juice combinations! Many turned out delicious, some were quite interesting! Michael, our expert juicer joined in as we created artful juices of many colors and tastes. A quote from a camper was: "This juice tastes better than juice boxes from the store!"
We enjoyed the book "How are you peeling?" by Saxton Freeman and Joost Elffers. The book takes us through an array of feelings with photos of different fruits and veggies fashioned with emotional faces! How wonderful! We were able to discuss the complex flavors and aromas of the foods, and how they make us feel...or how we many think of different foods related to our tastebuds. In preparation for our sharing, we made cut out cookies of our own shapes and forms to share with our friends and families. Along with watermelon and basil salad we had a yummy event! Before our camp ended, we made a community field trip to our neighbors "Yardens". These neighbors have creativly combined both of their yards into an edible wonderland! Full of peach trees, chocolate mint, grapes, edible flowers and more, the campers saw how easy it is to grow and enjoy thier own food for themselves and the community.

Film and photos produced and taken by Camp 3 campers!

2010-09-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

Music video- direction and acting by campers 4 and up.
~Gumpy does a headstand in the woods ~ monkeys~ bus stop~drumming and more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXPEkWHpSI8

a slide show of of photos being taking by campers and of photos that they took
ages 3 and up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xisw2M2vqrY

A short film by ages 8 and up! OpenheartART photo/ public art camp.
~imaginary friends can be found in the woods if you can believe hard enough.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w27LQ9W9lnQ

Friday the 13th Camp 3 photo/ public art camp SHARING

2010-08-13T15:10:00.000-07:00

TODAY's sharing (Friday 13th) 11am-12 OpenheartART 270 West Lakeview Ave. Columbus 43202 Special guest teachers Sarah Jones Rough, Miles Curtiss, Ben Shinabery and our Jamaican Art therapist intern Kirk Teape! Come meet our young photographers, actors, costume directors, and cloud gazers! Their ideas, short films, and photos are guaranteed to inspire you. 300 photos through the eyes of a child.

What an amazing time we had.....This time I'll let the photos do the talking...
Videos to come soon to an openheartART blog spot near you!

Camp 3 Public art/ Photography

2010-08-04T16:38:00.000-07:00

August 4th 2010
Imagination is sparkling with this camp. Today each camper got their own Analogue cameras and documented the river, pine forest, and other OpenheartART surroundings. Campers shared the differences between digital and analogue cameras, how they are used, and how they work.
An inside scoop of campers Big ideas~ An all tie costume, silly band body costume, bike path messages, going to the store,library,park, or High street in body puppets and filming interactions with strangers, taking photos of favorite stuffed animal all around the city.

Mark your calendars now! for this camp's sharing/ performance Friday August 13th 11am-12.

Meet Kirk Teape, our Jamaican intern joining us for this camp through The Columbus International Program. CIP is a non-profit organization with a mission of “promoting international understanding through cultural exchange.” Since our inception, CIP has hosted over 700 individuals that have trained in Columbus in various programs including Social Work, Accounting, Architecture, Education, Public Policy, Agriculture and many other fields. Our participant will be in the United States for 3 weeks this summer sponsored by our parent organization, CIP USA, located in Cleveland, Ohio. All of our participants are in the United States on a J-1 Visa sponsored by CIP USA.

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION
Kirk Teape is from Portmore, Jamaica. He currently works as a senior teacher, safety management coordinator, school warden, and art teacher at Merl Grove High School, an all-girls for which he has worked for almost 12 years. He graduated from Edna Manley College in 1998 with a degree in textile and fiber arts. He is interested in using art for assessing young children, especially those with history of trauma and those with autism. He is also interested in the use of art therapy to enhance social skills and to support literacy. Kirk hopes that this program will provide him experiences in a more diverse variety of settings so that he may bring skills back to Jamaica to better resolve conflicts and promote self-understanding and tolerance of others amongst his students.

Music camp ROCKED the house. Performance July 30th

2010-08-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

Music camp sharing/ performance was like a double rainbow of sounds! Children songwriters and musicians brought all of their ideas to life on our stage, engaging and inspiring audience members to play drums and sing along. OpenheartART band rocked the house with an amazing drum circle highlighting everyone's individual beats and different instruments. Solo songs. OpenheartART EIEIO song. teen song. spoken word. dress up. The "River" song. Dancing. laughing. smiles. smiles. smiles. In complete awe of all of our amazing musicians, volunteers, and campers. Big beautiful ideas and people equal unexplainable magic. From my heart Thank you. Molly Winters, Eric Nassau, Andyman Hopkins, Ben Shinabery, Rachel November, N. Michael Goecke, Literate Ferguson, Sarah Jones Rough, Kristen Marra Marek, Andy Gallagher, Rachel Tayse Baillieul, Alexander Hatter, Marissa Pinittanond, Molly Marek, and all of our other parents, friends, teen helpers, and the one and only amazing OpenheartART BAND! you ROCK the house, neighborhood and world!

Openheart ART makes music!!

2010-07-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

/>

/>

The past week we have been experimenting with lots of sounds, rhythms, and instruments with games and small groups at OpenheartART. We have listened to many different types of music and made movements that we feel, also have made drawings according to the feelings the various sounds give us. Friday we took a trip to the river and listened to many different sounds around us in nature. Cicadas, birds, geese, ducks, wind in the trees, distant cars, the water, and crunching from snack were some of the sound observations we made. Then we read The River Song book, by Steve Van Zandt and the Banana Slug String Band, and sang a song that goes along with it. We walked back up from the small field trip singing "Lean on Me" played by our good friend Andy Gallagher (who is in the band Trains Across the Sea, and participated in our Expand the Vibe event) on guitar! Back at the house as we said goodbye to friends for the day, we practiced the River Song again, accompanied by some great harmonica and other beats! We will be reconvening on Monday to facilitate more of our campers ideas in preparation to share with our families and community our OpenheartART band experience!

2010-07-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

Our first day of Music camp was full of all types of amazing expression! A drum circle, a spontaneous game of hide and seek, dancing, paper drawings, wall drawings, singing, and marching in our own parade to the park and back. Everyone came up with great ideas for agreements on how we can treat each other during camp. We listened and brainstormed the campers brilliant ideas and an OpenheartART band emerged. Mark your calenders now for a "Party and a Half" performance next Friday July 30Th 11-12pm. It's more than just a party....

Camp 1 Performance/ Sharing July 16th 11-12

2010-07-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

What a blast we had over the last two weeks of The Original OpenheartART Experience Camp! 15 campers created many wonderful ideas which we shared with family, friends, and our community on Friday as a finale celebration on our stage. Throughout the camp we read the book "Sammy's Birthday Surprise", written by Douglas Esper and illustrated by Jeff Fernengle. As we continued to explore the story, the idea for a performance of the book emerged. Campers chose characters to play, got into costume and with painted faces while our teacher, Benni sang the story accompanied by the guitar. The story performance was complete with our own special additions of a whistling butterfly and space junk. We then took turns popping out of the trap door and walking through our tunnel of colorful sparkling hula hoops that campers made. The unveiling of a collaborative mural as well as the book illustrator, Jeff Fernengle making a special guest appearance made the sharing spectacular. Campers shared what they most loved about camp and we closed with a double bow and an OpenheartART cheer. Thank you to all of our families, campers, volunteers, guest teachers, and our community for your part in creating the space for this to happen.

Wednesday July 14th 2010

2010-07-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

What a productive day here at OpenheartART! We began by hinging our two EXTRA large murals together and singing into our Microphones to test out the sound. We completed our hula hoop project and even made two super cool OpenheartART horns with the left over tubing. Campers completed their individual paintings and put the finishing touches on the group murals. Campers shared dreams, whistled, danced, sang, and voiced their ideas for the sharing. Come see these ideas take form on our stage this Friday 16th 11-12pm for an interactive sharing of the hula hoops, costumes, paintings, and a special performance of the book (by local artists), "Sammy's birthday Surprise" written by Douglas Esper and illustrated by Jeff Fernengle.
http://www.sammysfriends.com

Camp 1 Monday July 12th

2010-07-12T14:27:00.000-07:00

We started our Monday off with a laughing game as campers made their way in. We shared by talking through our puppet, "Momo". We learned that Momo is a very funny furry creature that has lots to say in the morning. Our hoop project, mural project, and storytelling musical project is nearing completion. We are so excited to share with everyone this Friday 16th 11-12! Hope to see you there!

Camp 1 July 9th 2010

2010-07-09T10:58:00.000-07:00

We made music with the rain today! We made the sounds of a heart beat with Miss Molly ~Playing drums, musical sticks, marrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrracas, rain sticks and clapping hands. We heard spontaneous singing from 3 year olds, 35 year olds and every other age of the rainbow.
We were pleasantly surprised to see our friends Laura and Jillian hula hooping in the rain on our stage! We peeked through the window with smiles and made our way outside to join them. We learned some new tricks hooping with our neck, legs and arms.
We danced our way back inside with highlighted motivation to make our own hula hoops.
We measured, cut, joined, and decorated with sparkled and colored tape while singing "I'm being swallowed by a boa constrictor!" Feelings and creative dreams were shared. We celebrated by parading outside to hoop with our very own hoops! What an fantastic fun time we had! Thanks campers ... you bring OpenheartART to life.

2nd day of Camp 1 ~ Huge FUN

2010-07-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

What an amazing day we had today. Dress up, mural making, role playing, games, and full force~ bringing everyone's ideas to life! We want to give a HUGE thanks to our awesome kids, parents and young helpers. You bring OpenheartART to life!

Change to schedule...2010

2010-07-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

Due to patterns we are seeing in enrollment, we have decided to combine the two age groups of our summer camps into one. This means we will be cancelling the afternoon class, and enrolling all ages in the 10am-12pm time slot. We will be splitting the morning class into groups according to needs, interests, and ages to better serve everyone. Also remember that we offer before and after care for our camps as needed and as space provides. Please ask us for more details of how OpenheartART can help you with your schedule.
Thank you for being flexible and growing with us!

First Day of Camp 1 was a BLAST!

2010-07-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

We kicked off our first camp today, the original OpenheartART experience! All of our friends arrived and got settled into several stations set up in the yard and on the stage. While building with magnatiles, drawing, and some art books to spark ideas, We got to know each other. One of the openheartcreatures hid all of our paintbrushes, so while finding them, we also introduced one of our body puppets. Then we came up with our camp agreements on how we would like to be treated, and how to create a safe space for each other here at OpenheartART headquarters. It was extra hot outside, and we stayed cool with some watermelon and carrots, washed down with refreshing water, all while we brainstormed the kids ideas for the week. Then moving outside, we began preparing a large board for a collaborative mural, and learned about the process of preparation for the mural. What a fun mess we had too!
Ending the camp down in the park shade, we explored the parachute, colorful tubes, and drew with chalk. Then we shared a story from a local author/artist to wind down and complete the morning. We have lots of preparing to do for the following camp days to bring our friends ideas to life! Stay tuned to see what unfolds!
*****We will have a sharing time the last day of camp, July 16th, at 11am, to show you all what we have been up to with our ideas and reflect on our OpenheartART experiences. <3

We are ALL over ComFest this Year!

2010-06-21T22:15:00.000-07:00

Find OpenheartART all over Goodale Park during the best way to start the summer... COMFEST!

Openheartcreatures booth at Comfest will once again be packed full of paintings, puppets, apparal, love, and fun, as always!

We are honored enough to be performing with the following musicians as well:

Flypaper:::Friday night @10pm Jazz stage,

The Shazzbots::::Saturday@ 11:15am off ramp stage,

Miss Molly:::: Saturday @6:10pm Gazebo stage,

AND.......

our very own OpenheartART
performance Sunday@ 11:40am Live Arts stage!

It's gonna be hard to miss us folks...be on the look out for our new body puppets and costumes!
We can't wait to play with you!

OpenheartART questions and anwers...

2010-06-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

I need care for my child all day during the summer does OpenheartART offer this?

Answer: Yes we do! We offer care before and after camp for $7 an hour. Space is limited, please inquire while signing up for camp. We also offer all day art based child care during our camp off days ~ Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Hey, Heidi --- do you ever feel trapped by the costume? Do you ever worry that people only look at the parrot (body puppet) and don't see the real you? :P

Answer: most excellent question! I suppose if I wore the body puppets all the time, I may feel a bit over heated and wonder who I really am? Part of the magic of the puppet experience is letting down the defenses that limit our everyday lives. This includes the worry and fear of what others may think of us. Love pours out of me when I create and wear puppets that bring on healing art. I am my own puppet. My costumes are tools I use to bridge the communication to a different level of highlighted awareness of feelings and needs for others and myself. My real self shines through most when I have the puppet on. During this process I've realized that when I don't have them on I am still shining and alive.

How does OpenheartART bring kids ideas to life?

answer: We listen. We provide safe space for the "silliest" ideas to be shared.
We seek the tools and materials to take action on art.

If you have a question you would like to ask comment or email it to us :)

Meet our Teachers joining us this summer!

2010-06-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

In addition to Rachel and Heidi ~ we have invited these creative friends to join us.

Camp 1 OpenheartART exploring all types of art! July 5-16

Laura Peirson~ An amazing artist, hula Hooper, and supporter of OpenheartART. Laura has hand made hula hoops for our OpenheartART children. She would love to teach some hula hoop moves and help children make their own hula hoops.

Camp 2 MUSIC and a bit of everything else July 19-30

Miss Molly

Music classes that are inclusive, high-energy, very educational musical experiences for children of all ages( INCLUDING BABIES)! She incorporates the elements of music (pitch, rhythm, dynamics, texture) by teaching songs and rhymes using guitar, piano, hand drums, banjo, bass, and more! Introduce the children to instruments, fun vocal exercises, sign language, Spanish, movement, and dance. Making music helps kids express complex feelings. It teaches teamwork and discipline, and often becomes a lifelong companion. Step by step and age by age, her curriculum gently builds skills. By connecting to children with warmth and great fun, “Miss Molly Music Class” will help your child learn the fundamentals and the joy of music.

Eric Nassau

Eric Nassau has been working with kids for the past 17 years. He has been teaching with the Columbus Children's Theatre for the past 10 years and has also worked with BalletMet during The Nutcracker season, leading storytime workshops at Libraries and Head Start programs throughout Central Ohio.

He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BFA in Fine Arts and a Minor in Theatre. During that time, he also organized and acted as Artistic Director for the all-student S.O.A.P.(Student One Act Plays) Box Theatre.

Before arriving in Ohio, Eric was an instructor at the Hartford Children's Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut, specializing in Improv Comedy. He also acted as stage manager, actor and musician for the final productions.

Eric also pursues a career as a singer/songwriter, performing over 100 shows a year around the country, as well as performing music in the schools and leading songwriting and theatre workshops for kids and adults alike.

Andyman Hopkins~ When I first met this person, He was dancing with a magical cowboy hat on. He grew up traveling with his mother on a creative adventure. A very talented singer, songwriter, dancer, guitar player, and lover of life.

Camp 3 Photography / Public art Aug. 2-13

Sarah Rough is a certified teacher of art, who has moved into mothering two vibrant redheads. She believes in the importance of connecting with nature and each other, integrating ideas into LIFE, and becoming what you are. She loves seeing how the arts can facilitate that freedom and is most interested in reaching the emotional and intellectual needs of children. Sarah has worked in a variety of environments, as a substitute art teacher in Columbus Public Schools, at a preschool program, and is so excited to be working once again with Openheart ART!
Certified in first aid and (child and adult) CPR.

Sally Louise PolK My name is Sally Louise Polk and I love to sing and dance, paint with my fingers and play the violin. I am a fiber artist who spins her own yarn, knits and makes natural dyes. I have experience working with all types of kids; nursery age through high school, the Near East Side and Upper Arlington. I worked at The Graham School, Columbus Parks and Recreation and I have worked with individual families as a childcare provider. I think that it is important to have a hands on life, building stuff and doing things for yourself every day, out of the office and away from the TV. Community and nature are the most empowering resources for harvesting ones creativity and this is what I hope to inspire in the people that I meet!

Miles Curtiss....A very cool cat. A laugh that is contagious. A musician that is expressive. A love for photography, making videos, smiling, and life.

Heather Odenweller.... An amazing mama, friend and OpenheartART supporter. A photographer who captures the personality of a person's heart.

Camp 4 FOOD ART Aug 16-20
Rachel Tayse-Baillieu

Rachel Tayse loves to eat! She raises much of her own food on her casual urban homestead in Clintonville. Through cooking classes, garden consultations, and gardening workshops, Rachel enjoys connecting families to sustainable food sources. She shares family friendly cooking and gardening ideas on her website, http://www.HoundsInTheKitchen.com.

Rachel will show kids just how fun food can be at the Open Heart Art Food Camp. Free form food play might find us making mashed vegetable sculptures, creating vegetable stick animals and illustrating with edible paints. We will create art and community with and about FOOD!"

One of our first participants in Openheart ART camps with her daughter Lil.

N. Michael Goecke

His home is on the stage with his band, the Breathairean Ensemble. ( www.breathairmusic.com)
The Breathairean Ensemble is a collection of musicians who are committed to achieving physiological liberation. We are an all- vegetarian and Ehretist ensemble whose purpose is to act as a healing support for each other. The musicians of the ensemble lead very health-conscious existences with a passion to express and inspire our healing lifestyle through our music. Because
of this mission we do not play in any bars or restaurants. It is a family and community oriented group dedicated to the elevation of the human spirit through vibrations of discipline, beauty, and cleanliness.

Ben Shinaberry (Our visiting artist throughout the summer)

Toddler teacher for a childcare center downtown, with a degree in Education from OSU.

Working on a literacy/music program to be implemented in Public Schools called “The Dick & Jane Project”. Taking children’s writings and transforming them into songs with music to connect and encourage the excitement of literacy in a new way. He is a dear supporter of OpenheartART, and key member of the Peach District which supports community arts/music through a wide variety of events. (The Greatest Shows, Expand The Vibe, etc.)

Summer Camps are what's HOT!

2010-06-02T08:49:00.000-07:00

We have been eagerly awaiting and arranging all things pertinent to our summer here at OpenheartART. ComFest is arriving shortly, and summer is just about here!!!!

We had a Groundbreaking Openhouse that was a huge success! The weather did not keep about 100 friends away from dancing, singing, performing, dressing up, parading, eating, mingling, and laughing that gray windy Saturday...no sir-ee! OpenheartART will push through and LOVE those gray clouds and sprinkles if we have to!!

A huge thank you to all of our supporters who came through for the event. The Shazzbots, Colin Martin and Michael Goecke, Jeffro Jam, Miss Molly, Eric Nassau, Rachel Tayse-Ballieul, Vanessa, Maya, Selena, Sally, Benny, and all of our new and old friends! We are reverberating all that love and expression out into the universe expansively.

We are gearing up now for a guest artist/teacher meeting tonight, where we will be sharing our philosophies more in depth with the artists who will be working with us this summer. We are excited to run the meeting more like one of our classes, including some play and team building activities. Be on the look out for updated Biographies for all of our guest artists that will be joining us this summer. It is a true honor to be working with some of the finest musicians and artists in our community, therefore expanding the vibe and opportunities for our children. Also check out our new links, letting you in on some our friends amazing happenings as well!

Stay tuned....we are always growing!

Love Love Love,

R&H

OpenheartART OPEN HOUSE! May 8th!!! ONLY 7 days away folks!

2010-04-29T11:47:00.001-07:00

We are proud to announce our Open House event right here at OpenheartART Headquarters in Clintonville.
270 West Lakeview Ave. Columbus Ohio 43202
May 8th, from 3pm-8pm you will find an afternoon full of fabulous fun, and fantastic frolicking!
Performers will be sharing our stage all afternoon, and there is sure to be dancing and dressing up to go along.

The Shazzbots will be here to rock the block with their interactive children's music...
Our dear friend Benny performing songs written by children...
and much more!
Potluck & Camp sign up all day!
*OpenheartART studio will be open all day for camp sign up.

ALL ages are welcome to come play instruments, get your face painted, dance, parade in costume and play like we are all 5 years old!

This is what you can look forward to...
Jeffro Jam MC
3-4 Miss. Molly performing kids songs.
4-5 face painting, dress up, song writing
5-6 The Shazzbots
6-7 Fun Food and Musical Parade to High St.
7-8 Bennie & Friends performing children's songs & Open Jam for all on stage!

DONATION JAR will be out to support WCBE!!! Give what you can to support our community radio station.

This will be the perfect opportunity to find out about our summer classes, sign up, get to know us, and just plain have a blast! That's what we do best...and we want you to join us!

Local Love is where its at!

Summer 2010 Updated Schedule! Some changes to note...

2010-04-21T16:42:00.001-07:00

We have been busy planning our schedule for the summer, and here we have it with a couple updates and changes! We will be adding more as planning continues...feedback encouraged!

Camp 1

July 4-16

Heidi & Rachel Bring you the Original OpenheartART Experience along with Performance ART*! Explore different types of performance art/theater/dance with us to create an end of camp spectacular on OpenheartART stage!

(2 weeks)

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

$150

ages 3-5 10am-12pm

ages 6 & up 2pm-4pm

Building on the success and feedback experience of our first and most successful camp, we will be exploring many activities including:

costumes
storytelling
self-portraits-mixed media
mud art
nature sculptures
photography
splatter paint
murals
food+art
music
drama
along with your child's ideas!

Camp 2-OpenheartART makes MUSIC!

July 19-30

(2 weeks)

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

$150

ages 3-5 10am-12pm

ages 6 & up 2pm-4pm

We bring many talented local musicians to our stage to explore and create instruments and music with us!

Camp 3-Photography/Public ART

August 2-13

(2 weeks)

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

$150

ages 3-5 10am-12pm

ages 6 & up 2pm-4pm

Come with us as we view our world through the lens of OpenheartART! Taking photos and composing photos throughout the community.Then using them creatively to express yourself!

*guest artists

Camp 4-OpenheartART Experience/Food Art

August 16-20

(1 Week)

Monday Wednesday Friday

$75

ages 3-5 10am-12pm

ages 6 & up 2pm-4pm

Join us in exploring nutrition and food through cooking, creating, music, and art!

*guest artists/organizations

Mark your calendars NOW ! Saturday April 3rd "Expand the Vibe 2010"

2010-03-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

On behalf of OpenheartART, Living the Arts, and the Peach District, we are happy to present to you our first of many benefit shows geared toward helping non-profit organizations, who support youth by facilitating programs designed around the arts.
We believe that we all share the common vision of how crucial the arts are to our youth, our community, and our world. We as local organizations can come together to expand this vision in a big way!
On April 3rd we are putting on our first event in the Neo-V Gallery space, at 247 King Ave. The benefit will start out with workshops hosted by OpenheartART, geared towards encouraging ages 3 years on up, to create and re-imagine music through recycled materials and cooperative jam sessions. There will be 2 three hour workshops, and a fund raising concert later in the evening to collect moneys and or donated instruments for the Short Stop music programs.
We look forward to seeing you all there!
An exact schedule of the day's events is listed below. Much love and great vibes from all of us to all of you!

Schedule for 4/3/2010
10:00-12:00......Musical instrument making workshop
12:00-12:30.......Performance with instruments made from workshop
12:30-1:00.........Rest time/Side performances
1:00-1:45...........Trains Across the Sea present a Children's Performance
1:45-2:00...........Transition Time
2:00-4:00...........Musical instrument making workshop
4:00-4:30...........Performance with instrument made from workshop
4:30-5:00-............Rest time/Side performances
5:00-5:45..............Shazzbots Performances 5:45-6:00..............Transition Time
6:00-8:00..............Short Stop Performance
8:00-9:00...............Transition Time
9:00-10:00.............DJ Moxy
10:00-11.00............Eric Nassau and Friends
11:00-12:00..............Za's Pawnshop special
12:00-1:00................Andy Shaw Band
1:00-2:00..................Chicken Hawk Bird Getters

No pre-registration needed for workshops, monetary donations accepted at the door.

$5 donations at the door 9pm and on.

Got an instrument collecting dust? We know some kids who would put it to good use!!!New or used (in good working condition) instruments gratefully accepted all day and night!

Any donations of recycled materials for our instrument creating workshops are greatly appreciated as well:

cardboard tubes
coffee cans
rubber bands
duct tape
oatmeal containers
boxes large and small
dowell rods
dried beans
etc....

Not only do we care about music and the arts, but we love the earth as well!!!

Stay tuned for more details......
Spread the Word....EXPAND THE VIBE

2010 Summer Schedule-Update/Time Changes

2010-03-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

We have been busy planning our schedule for the summer, and here we have it with a couple updates and changes! We will be adding more as planning continues...feedback encouraged!

Camp 1

July 4-16

(2 weeks)

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

$150

ages 3-5 10am-12pm

ages 6 & up 2pm-4pm

Building on the success and feedback experience of our first and most successful camp, we will be exploring many activities including:

costumes
storytelling
self-portraits-mixed media
mud art
nature sculptures
photography
splatter paint
murals
food+art
music
drama
along with your child's ideas!

Camp 2-OpenheartART makes MUSIC!

July 19-30

(2 weeks)

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

$150

ages 3-5 10am-12pm

ages 6 & up 2pm-4pm

We bring many talented local musicians to our stage to explore and create instruments and music with us!

Camp 3-Photography/Public ART

August 2-13

(2 weeks)

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

$150

ages 3-5 10am-12pm

ages 6 & up 2pm-4pm

Come with us as we view our world through the lens of OpenheartART! Taking photos and composing photos throughout the community.Then using them creatively to express yourself!

*guest artists

Camp 4-OpenheartART Experience/Food Art

August 16-20

(1 Week)

Monday Wednesday Friday

$75

ages 3-5 10am-12pm

ages 6 & up 2pm-4pm

Join us in exploring nutrition and food through cooking, creating, music, and art!

*guest artists/organizations

2010-01-25T08:14:00.000-08:00

OpenheartART made several spontaneous appearances this past weekend dancing around in Body Puppets encouraging interactive exaggerated movement and play. Invoking laughter and empathy with our changing velcro eyeballs. Participants where given a set of eyeballs that change the expression of our puppet. As they removed the "happy" eyes and replaced them with "crying" eyes our puppet role played out these emotions.

Friday night we visited the super Fly restaurant, DragonFly and danced the night away to an amazing line up of excellent sound..... several participants tried out the body puppet themselves and got to experience its limitlessness, magic, and freedom. Saturday the 23rd we visited Rumba Cafe and fell deep into a musical trance with Eclipse's sound from Cincinnati who opened for MoJoFlo. Amber Fisher's amazing vocals inspired our body puppet to come alive. Mayor Coleman was in attendance supporting these local bands and the arts. Our body puppet got to show him a couple of special dance moves. Thanks Mayor Coleman for supporting the Arts with Children and OpenheartART!
Look for us at more local arts and music events!
Play a game of hide and seek with us & we'll find you!

New Year, New Ideas, New Classes!!!! Heavy Reflecting & Planning Underway!

2010-01-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

OpenheartART has been reflecting on the past year, and has been busy connecting in our community and beyond to bring forth new fresh workshops and ideas.

We sat down and realized that even though we have not held a workshop in a few months, we have still been busy!

The DooDah Parade ended the summer. With Heidi and Rachel in the monster costumes parading and dancing around through the streets, there was LOTS of interaction from onlookers, and participants in the parade making for a spectacular, playful experience!
Honoring our ancestors, we made an appearance at Por Vida! @ Juncitonview Studios. Celebrating Dia de las Muertos with a specialized OpenheartCreature costume. Spectacular face painting and costumes made the evening an unforgetable event.
Heidi has been busy with Openheart Creatures, traveling to Atlanta and Dallas for Play Therapist/Art Therapist conferences. Making many connections across the country, and working on many custom painting, puppet, and cape orders has made for a busy & productive winter!
Rachel has been keeping busy with her full time art teaching gig at Columbus Africentric School, working on making community quilts with grades 2-3, and a spectacular Kwanzaa celebration. We will begin working on a body of work to install in Abbott Labs for Black History month! Rachel is also working on creating her own art and exhibiting in collaborative shows in Cincinnati with Iolite CD release show, and in Columbus, with CAW, which includes self-reflecting and self-portrait work at the Carnegie Gallery in The Main Library downtown.
We have been performing with local bands with our costumes and hula hoops. We made an appearance in November at Espresso Yourself in Powell, with our good friends in One Eye Theory, doing a magical dragon piece that fit with one of their original songs. Dancing and hooping with glo sticks and blacklights complemented an amazingly groovy performance by Playhouse at Floorspace Studios in December. Our connections with many local musicians is inspiring and inviting more performance opportunities, as well as planting the seed to bring more music classes to our schedule!
Collaborating with amazing jazz musician N. Michael Goecke of Phi Kappa Phi, OpenheartART began performing at the Westminster-Thurber Retirment home at the end of December during their holiday social. We brought our costumes, kids, and singing voices to bring in the new year singing and dancing with our elders. It was such a joy to connect with these people, and re-establish this crucial link in our community.Watch!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCJaGK_ggTI
Heidi and Rachel also just took a trip to sunny San Francisco to inquire about publishing new childrens books relating to Heidi's work with OpenheartCreatures, and the work of OpenheartART. Our fabulous collaborative sister/artist, Sara Christian lives there, and is helping facilitate this work in progress. Another trip in April will tell us more about when to expect publication, so stayed tuned for that!

Rachel also had the opportunity thanks to American Canvas Eco-screen printing Co. to participate in the Via Colouri/Independents Day Festival on Gay St. downtown at the end of the summer. American Canvas sponsored a 6' X 6' square for OpenheartART to create a chalk peice within. Using inspiration from the downtown landscape, and bringing in the assistance of several children and adults from the festival, the square turned out amazing, and a true collaborative interpretation of our business and community. Not to mention what fun and inspiration it was connecting with all the local artists and businesses in attendance! Columbus, YOU ROCK!
Garcia's Restaurant on High St. and Hudson has also been host to many improv appearances by our monsters. Everything from Birthday Parties, to Karaoke has found us in true OpenheartART form! Thank you Iggy!
We are Currently taking action towards planning an OpenheartART auction, to raise funds to take a trip with a non-profit art therapy/art educator organization to do work in Haiti with children and families. More details to come....
Now what? you may be asking....

We are now heavy into planning what our upcoming schedule for 2010 will look like. We will be planning a winter workshop at the end of February to kick off our new year. TBA.

Some of our ideas for classes include:

Improv Music
More Drama
Dance
Body Art
Nutrition/Food Art
Written/Spoken Word

We are eager for any feedback or ideas you may have for our classes! Email us! And stayed tuned for continuing updates!! We love you!

openheartart@gmail.com

OpenheartCREATURES on OpenheartART

2009-11-10T13:26:00.000-08:00

OpenheartART is working hard!!! OpenheartART classes have taken a break while we are busy making our own art,paintings,puppets, masks and costumes! Rachel is making quilts with her art students and Heidi has been traveling to far off places spreading OpenheartCREATURES. We also have been working towards completing our stage! Anticipate winter and spring classes with a finished stage & trap door -including a few extra costumes to play with.

HAPPY FALL!

Register NOW for OpenheartART's Playshop: Guerilla Costumes 101

2009-09-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

Introducing OpenheartART's premier Costume Pretend Workshop for "Grown ups!"
GUERILLA COSTUMES 101 (no experience necessary)
This is a space for you to assemble your own costume for you and/ or your child.
We will hear your ideas for a costume and help bring them to life....This first OpenheartART workshop will feature irresistible playful activities you just won't find any where else. OpenheartART will provide any equipment or supplies for sewing, painting, gluing, duck taping, and an openhearted hammer for tearing down any barriers on how we should act. Bring your favorite medium or tools if you like but certainly not necessary. All you need to bring is yourself ! Ready or not to give yourself permission and explore the magical world that we all have inside of us.
This is a weekend play shop where Saturday is dedicated for the grown ups & Sunday is dedicated for grown ups and little people of all ages. Come play with us and experience the joy and freedom of pretend play just in time for Halloween!

Saturday October 17th
11-4pm (Grown ups) Cost : only $50
Potluck style lunch, we will provide a main dish.
Limit 10

Sunday October 18th
2-4pm (Grown ups and little people of all ages) Cost: only $25 1 adult 1 child
snack will be provided
Limit 20

To register for both play shops simply click on the pay pal button $75 option

To register for just the "Grown Up" play shop send a check to OpenheartART $50

OpenheartART is in the Clintonville community paper!

2009-09-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

Summer Art Camp Now Program for All Seasons

In his novel "Borderliners," Danish author Peter Hoeg writes from the perspective of a troubled youth growing up in an institution.
When a teacher issues a grade to artwork produced by one of his classmates, the book's narrator is astonished. The painting never existed before, it is wholly a creation of his friend, so what standard can possibly exist for judging it?
That sort of open approach to art is at the heart of Open Heart Art.
What was a series of creative art classes for children and adults in Clintonville is now becoming an after-school program with plans for bigger and better camps next summer, according to Heidi Kambitsch.
She and fellow mother, artist and educator Rachel Rowen, who became friends seven years ago when their children were both attending the former Indianola Elementary School, jointly came up with the idea.
The wanted "to create a space where there's no right or wrong way to express yourself, especially for children," Kambitsch said.
This summer, the inaugural one for Open Heart Art, featured six different camps, and just what wasn't included in the programming is difficult to determine.
"We are playful, messy, no right or wrong way to do art," Kambitsch wrote in describing the summer sessions. "We are a hand-built studio and stage with trapdoor. We make our own costumes. We are public improv art, spoken word, puppet shows, photography and recycled found art."
Kambitsch, who worked with at-risk youth for Columbus City Schools for 10 years before deciding to become a stay-at-mom four years ago, is carrying on with Open Heart Art now that collaborator Rowen is back to her full-time job teaching at Africentric, although the co-creators remain business partners.
Rowen will participate as her schedule permits, and other art educators and artists are hired from time to time.
During her years working with at-risk youth, Kambitsch said that she frequently used puppets of her own creation to get troubled children to feel safe in focusing on their feelings and finding someone with whom they could share. She said she became known as the "Puppet Lady."
After leaving the full-time job, she started a small business called Open Heart Creatures, crafting puppets and paintings for parents, teachers and therapists to use in working with children.
Open Heart Art, which meets in Kambitsch's home near Como Park, grew out of that enterprise.
"We have created the safe place for kids to use our puppets or use store-bought puppets to create and have their own ideas be heard, in a safe, nurturing environment where we're not judging their ideas, just bringing their ideas to life," Kambitsch said.
"This was just brand new," she added of the inaugural summer programs. "As word of mouth spread, it just increased each week with our enrollment.
While the focus of Open Heart Art was initially children ages 2 to 13, some of the parents and other adults who became familiar with the program decided they wanted in on the fun, Kambitsch said.
"My hope is we can do some weekend retreats where we're making costumes together and going out to do improv public art or doing paintings together, whatever people are wanting, really," she said.
More information about Open Heart Art, including current after-school and future programs, is available by calling Kambitsch at 580-9180, sending an e-mail to openheartart@gmail.com or visiting http://openheartartclasses. blogspot.com

Wednesday, September 2, 2009 2:08 PM
By KEVIN PARKS
ThisWeek Staff Writer

Friday August 21st- OpenheartART ends our summer camps with an OUTSTANDING performance!

2009-09-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

What an incredible ending to our summer program! During class we practiced popping out of our trap door and introducing ourselves into the microphones. We played our audience interactive game where some participants felt more comfortable being the audience. We danced, dressed up, ate yummy fruit, and shared feelings of our upcoming performance tonight.
Our Performance filled all of our seats with parents, grandparents, family and friends. Yummy organic peanut butter and raw honey sandwiches were served, along with fruits and veggies! Grandpa Gregor played his guitar and song fun songs throughout the night. Rachel and Heidi started us off by singing Laurie Berkner's relaxing song "Moon, Moon, Moon"- a little off key and silly.
Audience joined in with pretend dress up, dance, and loudly repeating the performer's signature moves. Performers shared their "Paint a box" piece, where each person had a magic paint brush to paint their box, fairy house, or rocket ship. The microphone was passed around during this sharing while children painted a door, a garden, and "I painted everything that I need in my house!" Our older teen participants and helpers Selena and Maya completed our grand performance with a Moon and Sun narrative dance piece. The audience and performers alike were beautiful shining faces against the stage lit setting sun. Clapping, Hugs, laughter, and parents leaving saying, "There is nothing else quite like this anywhere!" and "When is the next class?"

Camp 6- second day of class! WOW

2009-08-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Today was a SOGGY SENSATION! We began by singing songs to find who was here and "who la hooping" on stage. Children's creative minds dived into the costumes transforming them into Spanish Spider men, pink haired crowned princess mermaids, art trolls, turtles, dinosaurs, aliens, blue haired wizards, rock star dogs, fairies with magic wands, magic googled eye balls, and much more. The sun turned into sticky rain that brought us inside to read "Rainstorm" By Barbara Lehman. This is a book with no words, so it came very naturally for children to tell us what was going on. Participates named the boy in the story, Clara Sam Stephanie who found a key to a treasure chest. The chest had a ladder that the boy followed to a tunnel traveling under a ocean. He followed it and came up through a trap door (just like ours) and found friends on an island to play with. Our group shared their ideas on how the boy was feeling lonely, joyful, playful, curious, worried, scared, free, and happy. We move on to a hot noodle game were children gave compliments to each other. The art troll appeared in the kitchen to pass out pretend bubble gum, and play a shaking body game. For snack we had pretzels, animal crackers and pretend worms... When the rain stopped we headed back out to the stage to play a name movement game, and to pretend we where a seed growing into a tree. We grew into an apple tree, a mango tree, a pineapple tree, and a chocolate tree. Everyone shared their pretend fruit and chocolate with each other. Following this, we continued on with the space walk game where we splashed in puddles and gooey yummy sticky treats on the moon. Some children ventured out into the yard on their rockets to land on earth. The children on the stage pulled them back to the Moon with pretend ropes. Throughout the morning children shared their ideas of what they want to do for the Performance sharing on Friday night (21st 6:30-8pm) Come play with us and experience the joy of pretend art!

Camp 6-first day of class!

2009-08-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

Today we stretched out together with wild roars picking apples out of the sky. Our enrollment was a max of 18 children 2-6 years old including 4 teenage helpers. Open safe space was created for pretend dress up were children introduced themselves while popping out of our trap door. We met a mermaid princess, a green power ranger, a spider man with web hands, a doggy king for the day, a half dragon, half dinosaur, half human, and much much more. We rocked out on the stage with many unique dance moves while eating watermelon and pretzels. Children made their own swords for costume props with rolled paper and party straws. A parade of colorful characters marched down to the park playing pretend horns and drums. We popped popcorn with tiny balls in our large parachute, singing ABC's and laughing hysterically. Our camp concluded with climbers and swinging on the playground! What an amazing group of artists to wrap up our summer camps with....Remember to mark your calendars for this camp's Performance Sharing ~this Friday 21st 6:30-8pm!

Performance sharing and class for Camp 5

2009-08-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

MAGIC happened on stage, in the yard and everywhere today!!! We held our class from 10-12 and our performance sharing from 6:30 to 8pm. Grandparents, parents, and friends joined and participated in our playful event. For the first half hour children and audience members got in to character putting on many different costumes. A sword dancing party emerged where body safety was learned. Knights, kings, and heroes protected themselves and saved the day. Our performance began with children popping out of the trap door to surprise our audience with their characters. We had a Magic man, a wondrous Merlin the wizard, the magnificent and spectacular Ballerina, the marvelous Assistant, Stone Batman man, MC hip hop break dancing teacher, a most magnificent Racoony, a delightful Doggy, a terrifically tiny Tiger, and a fantastic famous Fireman George! A space walk was played were children splashed in water puddles, swam under water, and stepped in pudding pie. A noise making ball game was played with the audience, followed by some break dancing instructions from our MC hip hop teacher. Our sharing concluded with a power bow where our entire group held hands and bowed for their audience! What a playful extraordinary performance where all ideas where honored! This camp was truly led by our children and their amazing creativity.

2nd day of Performance art class!

2009-08-13T04:25:00.000-07:00

If you went for a walk this morning and found yourself following the sound of violin music...

You probably met a cowboy, a William violinist, a princess fairy with pink magic slippers, Ezmeralda with a mustache, Spider man, a fireman, transformers, a bumble bee, crowned super stars and a few magicians. You probably saw our young performer artists stretching out with Doreen Cronin and ScottMenchin's book, Stretch.

You probably couldn't help but laugh watching us make faces to get each other to smile. Response, "But we just can't help to smile!"

If you saw this, you most likely also noticed our older children passing a pretend tennis ball around and our entire class sprouting up as a strong tree and changing with the different seasons. You may have been surprised by children popping up through our trap door with roars, smiles, and break dancing.

You may have continued on with your walk, or you may have decided to join our play.

What would you do if this happened to you?

Plan your walk, or drive, or bicycle ride on Friday night August 14Th from 6:30-8pm. Join in our sharing performance on our brand new stage with some pretty amazing people. You may want to participate. Please do, in any way you wish. Be silly or strange or be a quiet observer, for there is no right or wrong way to play on stage, create art, or perform.

Our first day of Performance Art camp~

2009-08-10T12:26:00.000-07:00

WOW, WOW, WOW, Today was a magical amazing day. We started off dress sing up to live music from princess fairy Gregor. We became fairies, Tutu goddesses, spider men, transformers, wild wigs, cowboy moose, super people and more.

Our friends Animal and Pete came to visit, they brought their handmade puppets to share. Our class was in a curious trance meeting Baby Unicorn, Ugly Duckling ( that wasn't so ugly ),

a spectacular life size Dragon and much more.

Each child and adult was given a chance to explore how the puppets were made, how they work, and the magical gift of silly, playful, communication they can give us.

A puppet show emerged including our participation with cow moos, screams, dragons kisses, and pretend chocolate treats.

Class participants became comfortable with each other, teachers, parents, and themselves while pretending and using their creative imaginations. All dressed up, we warmed our bodies up to our pretend identities with strange sounds, stretches, and engaging movement games.

Our camp concluded with a parade down to the park, dancing to music, climbing trees, and eating snack. What a truly amazing experience that has left a lasting imprint of felt memories in my heart.

2 new OpenheartART teachers!!

2009-08-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

OpenheartART is excited to announce our 2 new art teachers who will be joining us for our performance art camps.

Sarah Fulmer will be with us for our August 10-14th camp. Sarah Fulmer is a playwright and a strong believer in the magic of collaborative and creative play at all stages of life. As an optimist she believes in the power of knowing where there is a will there is a way, and knows that will is born while thinking and creating. As a mother of two, she knows that all children have the innate drive to play and share stories, and that life is made richer for everyone when kids understand the power of their own voice.

Sarah Jones Rough will be with us for our August 17-21st camp. Sarah Rough is a certified teacher of art, who has moved seamlessly into mothering two vibrant redheads. She believes in the importance of exploring nature, working with many different textures, materials and ideas, and encouraging freedom and flexibility in our children's lives.
Sarah has worked in a variety of environments, as a substitute art teacher in Columbus Public Schools for two years, three years at a mother's day out preschool program, and daily with her own children. She graduated from OSU in 2003,(with Rachel!!) and is excited to be wetting her toes again.

We are so thrilled to have Liz, Renee, Sarah Rough, and Sarah Fulmer as guest teachers. These women are quite extraordinary people who live lifes full of open hearted creativity. Their presence with children is everlasting laughter felt in the creative pulse of us all...

Thank you Liz, Renee, Sarah, and Sarah! We love you and love that you are creating these openheartART rituals with us. "Rituals help us go back to a time when children are life and life is children." -----Sobonfu Some.

love,

Heidi & Rachel

Last day of Camp 4 with ages 2-4!

2009-07-31T14:34:00.000-07:00

The sunshine came out behind the rainy clouds for us today! It was a beautiful morning with our 2-4 year old friends!

We began indoors playing with trains, magna tiles, and puppets. Our puppet friend, Snail helped build things with magna tiles and the children 'fed' the snail toys as snacks. One magna tile became an ice cream cone, everyone tried a taste changing it to their favorite flavor. One friend decided that the snail could be called 'Racoon'!

We read "Sammy's Birthday Surprise" by local artists Jeff Fernemgle and Douglas Esper. Sammy is a purple creature (the art troll's friend) looking for all of his friends on his birthday. He felt excitement, worry, sadness, disappointment...and finally, SURPRISE when he found his friends waiting for him at his house!

After our grand feast of grapes, strawberries, pretzels, and bananas, we found ourselves dancing again! This time, everyone put a costume on and many of us tried out pretending to be someone /

something new for a while. We had spiderman, a turtle, a puppy, a magical fairy, a pirate, and a bee. Even Racoon the Snail dressed up as a super hero!!

All dressed up, we paraded to the shelter house where we found canvas squares ready to paint. All of our young artists joined in for some messy, beautiful painting! Some even glued pieces of faux-fur-fabric onto their squares.

Our neighbors friendly dog joined us during painting and even got a little messy himself. After the Art Troll gave us a special visit and shared his Mint Newman cookies with us, we all went to the field to play with the parachute. One child had a great idea to play ring around the rosy with the parachute. There was lots of movement and laughter! Our last day of camp closed with more toe-squishing fun in the muddy baseball diamond. We were so happy to spend another morning with our friends! Thanks to all of our wonderful, creative campers for participating!!

2nd day OpenheartART camp 2-4 year olds CAMP 4

2009-07-29T19:20:00.001-07:00

Our 2-4 year old friends joined us today for soggy art camp. We started with some cozy rainy day activities indoors--playing trains and magna tiles, reading stories, and making snuggly places to rest. We read the book 'Fish is Fish' by Leo Leoni, and talked about what it would be like to live under water all the time. We thought of different water-creatures we might want to be--octupi, sea monsters, sharks, and mermaids, to name a few. After some tasty snacks and some wild 'n crazy fun dancing in the living room, we decided it was time to venture to the wet-wonderland outside! We paraded to the park shelter house and found buckets full of water balloons. Our friends found creative ways to roll and pop the balloons until every last one was empty. We rolled balloons up and down the slides, popped them with our feet, and even made it rain inside by popping some on the shelter ceiling! Soon, it was time to work with paint. We worked together to paint ladybugs, lightening bugs, water creatures--like sharks and fish, and some beautiful colorful shapes with paints and even glitter. The fish and shark paintings came alive when the children noticed the emotions in their painted expressions. One young artist noticed that the "Angry Hungry Shark" had a smirk in his smile. He said, "Hey that shark is hungry, angry and happy too!"Everyone took turns helping with the 'treasure hunt'--picking up empty water balloons and making sure they found the trash can--we decided we would all make a really terrific crew of pirates! We were all surprised to have a special visit by some fire trucks. It was very exciting to hear the sirens and to see those big red trucks with their flashing lights. Some friends were hoping that no one was hurt. After these activities, bodies were ready to move again. There was a great puddle stomping parade up and down the path way. Eventually, we all made it to the mega muddy baseball diamond. What fun we had slipping, sliding, squishing and smooshing that gooey mud with our feet! One young artist was our helper carrying 2 empty buckets back to the house and assisting Heidi, who felt worried she might slip in the mud. It was a great way to end a fabulous rainy day of art camp!

First day of OpenheartART camp 4

2009-07-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

Our first day of camp with our 2-4 year olds was outside swinging on the lilac tree, dress up, painting on bodies, rolling painted beads down the hill on a purple magic carpet! A lot of movement energy in this class led us running or flying, pretending we were animals, to the park. Everyone wanted to swing so we brought the paints to the park. We let the young artists decide when they were ready to have their feet painted. While swinging with dripping paint on their feet, the grown ups held pieces of paper ready for painted-swing-footprints, and some kneeprints too! A visit from the art troll helped with the transition of saying goodbye.

Please Note...change to Performance Art Camps

2009-07-24T16:49:00.001-07:00

Due to varied enrollment, and what we have learned from our last classes, we have decided to change the times of our last two camps. Aug 10-14 Performance Art camp will be 2-8yr.olds 10am-12pm, then 9-13 yr. olds will remain at the 3-5pm time.

August 17-21 Performance Camp will be the same as above.

We will have two teachers for these camps, one working with each age group, and then all coming together as a community at the end of each class.

If there are any questions, conflicts, or concerns please let us know asap!

Thank you for your flexibility and support!

Enrolling now for next OpenheartART Camp!

2009-07-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

July 27-31 ( 3 days Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

Ages 2-4 10am-12

Ages 8-13 3pm-5

OpenHeartArt - Heidi and Rachel LIVE on WithInsightsRadio.com

2009-07-18T23:12:00.001-07:00

OpenHeartArt - Heidi and Rachel LIVE on WithInsightsRadio.com

Shared via AddThis

Last day of Camp 3 with ages 2-4!

2009-07-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

WOW! what a wonderful closure to our camp this week. Face and body painting,150 water balloons, treasure hunts, parachute play, park play, tire swinging, hand & feet prints, bubbles in the pool, drinks from a gallon of water, watermelon, animal crackers, clementines, magnet tiles, OpenheartArt dad dressing up as the Art troll to say goodbye.
Thank you to all the children, parents, friends, family, volunteers, and beautiful days.

Last day of Camp 3 ages 8-13

2009-07-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

Our last class was beautiful breezy sunshine after the rain storm.

These first two photos are of rock balancing art we found in our neighborhood, which inspired us to do our own rock balancing art.

During our closure discussion Alex shared some research he found on the reasons why people build this art. Inspired by Kenny & Brooke, OpenheartART parents who told us that they are called cairns. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cairn They are built as landmarks on trails to tell people where they are going and where they are, to mark a burial site, as sepulchral monuments, or used for practical and astronomical uses. Additional research led us to 3 famous rock balancing artists around the world, late 19Th century Buddhist Yi Gapyong, Bill Dan, and Andy Goldsworthy (Andy's site, amazing work) . We found that people build these for prayer rocks in Japan, for practice, for communicating with rocks, for performance art, for meditation, for communicating with people and just for the pure fun and problem solving of creating this type of art. Our simple OpenheartART class observation of looking down to see fresh rocks removed to make way for our stage and a curious mind wondered.... What could we do with these? EVOLVED into balancing rocks together, learning history, meeting new neighbors, teaching others how to balance rocks, and creating art together to recreate our own everyday environments. And it is still growing, what could be better than creating art that gets people to ask why? To learn more about rock balancing art and see some amazing photos & videos around the world, check out the links we found....

rock stacking performance business

Bill Dan teaching teenagers

Bill Dan teaching young children

sacred form of rock stacking

Watch these truly beautiful performance videos!

bird balancing on balancing rock art by the ocean

Bill Dan works of art, inspiring other artists in San Francisco

Discussion continued on how we can incorporate more creativity and art in our everyday lives. Renee Zamora was our visiting artist and volunteer today. Everyone had plenty of questions about her Jello art project at CCAD, this charged many thoughts about learning how food is made and researching what we put into our bodies.

After our connected conversations about the art that we do, what we created together in the class, how we discovered more about our rock art, our minds were stretched.

The rest of class was spent outside balancing each other with the body band. As we swayed in the breeze, with many closed eyes we meditated on our time together and our own creativity outside of class. A collaborative silly story was told while making our way to the river where we ate watermelon and discussed ducks and dinosaurs having feathers.

Rachel is feeling BitterSweet

2009-07-16T22:38:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, and some may not, Rachel has accepted a position at Columbus Africentric School as the Elementary ART teacher! She is super excited about the opportunity to continue to be involved in the Columbus City Schools, and has worked toward this career move for many years. However, the timing is a little less than ideal for her involvement in OpenheartART. The school follows a year round schedule, and she will begin on Thursday, July 16. She is feeling sad to leave the wonderful and amazing classes with OpenheartART this summer--but not to worry! She will be around to participate with Heidi in the planning, logistics, paperwork, and updating the blog...as well as continuing with classes on breaks, after-school camps, and next summer onward! Who knows, maybe she will even make some surprise appearances in classes, and for sure will continue on with the improv performance art around the city -and the country! (NYC and North Philly watch out!) Liz Ike, an Open Heart herself, will be leading classes with Heidi, as well as other hand chosen artists/ actors/ parents/volunteers -which we will keep everyone readily informed about.

Ah, life has it's many transitions and surprises, but we are thankful and practice moving fluidly with all of them. Ashe' ... so it is.

Schedule Update & Changes

2009-07-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

Just a shout out to let you know that our schedule for the next couple of weeks has changed. 7Check it out in the side bar7

We are listening to requests and feedback from our community, and decided to put the mural camp on hold while working out logistics, and instead offer one more Openheart ART Experience Camp July 27-31st. Stay tuned for details about the mural camp possibly manifesting in the fall...Thank you YYYYYYYY

Cool fun on a Hot Day...

2009-07-16T20:24:00.001-07:00

It was a laid back day at OpenheartART camp today with the 8-13 yr olds. Starting off with a trip to buy ice-cream, everyone enjoyed having a say in what sweet cold treat to have! Back at the studio, we pulled out some old art magazines and decided to create some collage cards for people we love! With so many interesting images to choose from, the kids came up with some creative collaborations, and even wanted to take them home to continue working. At the same time, some chose not to do collage, but to play outside with.....WATERBALLOONS! Cool fun on a hot day!

Guerilla OpenheartART with our 8-13 yr. olds!!

2009-07-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

Our older kids who have been interested in stenciling a spraypainting, had a great class once again. We discussed the toxicity of spraypaint, and decided to bypass that risk, and steered the discussion toward temporary public art. Interacting with our environment and community in a way that makes people think, as well as not attaching to the permanence of art, comparing it to the impermanence of life and embracing change. We decided to do some chalk and water based paint stenciling, using intriguing words that make people wonder. One activity that we used to get us started was The SuperHero Exercise, from Keri Smith's book The Guerrilla Art Kit. (which is currently one of our FAVS!) You pretend to have the superpower ability of telekinesis, and you can put any idea or thought into any one's head, whether it be a group, or the whole world. But, you can only use this power 3 times. So what 3 things would you put into another's head? The kids came up with some fabulous responses, which prompted more fabulous conversations, from religion, to peace, to just being in the present moment. We ended the class using the body band, which was a little tricky because you have to work together to support each other in the band. Next time we will slow down a bit, and use more focused intention...but we still laughed a lot and had fun!

2nd day OpenheartART camp 2-4 year olds

2009-07-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

Today our friends decided that dressing up in costumes and playing with puppets would be a good idea during our class time. As children frolicked about the yard wearing wings and capes, they adventured in and out of the fabric "cave", and participated in puppet shows that explored different feelings. Wagon the Dragon puppet, and Snail carried on an interesting dialogue about nightmares, fears, friendship, and needing space. Snail was very scared of Wagon, and Wagon did his best to tell Snail he would not eat him, but Snail needed some time to think about it anyway, which Wagon granted him. We also explored clay and water, making snakes, bugs, butterflies, and just playing! Ending the class with the large parachute in the field was a blast, playing on top, underneath, and running around the parachute. Heading back to the yard, playing follow the butterfly, Art Troll made an appearance to say good-bye for the day! We also had two guests at our camp: Mike, who is building our stage in the front worked hard while we were at play; and Liz with her daughter Fiona, who will be leading class with Heidi on Friday while Rachel is at her new teaching orientation. Liz has been a huge support for OpenheartART, and with us from the beginning. She is fabulous and we just love her, and the kids proved to love her also!

2nd day OpenheartART camp 8-13 year olds

2009-07-14T22:45:00.000-07:00

What an amazing adventure we had today. Inspired by guerilla art and our neighbor's rock art, We built rock sculptures in the front yard. Then played with clay, making wet clay prints on paper, and a brilliant tombstone. We ended class by making our way a couple of blocks to our neighbor's house. Our intention was to hang pictures we took of our rock sculptures on his fence next to his sculptures. We introduced ourselves to Mike after a long, silly, loud attempt to get his attention. (He was on the other side of the tall fence with earphones in, cleaning his fence with a power sprayer) When he did see us through the tiny cracks of his fence, he popped his head over with a wonderful smile and surprise. We explained who we are and what we'd like to do. He explained that his friend builds the rock art. He seemed joyful that it inspired us. He kept our pictures and promised to hang them once his fence cleaning was done. Zion did a wonderful job documenting with a camera, Moshe took photos with his cell phone, and Alex shared the photos with Mike. What a beautiful day!

An Exciting first day with our 2-4 year old camp!!

2009-07-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

Our first day with our 2-4 year old friends started off playful in the backyard with the new climber. As children got to know us and each other, parents chatted and chilled. We had a visit from our friendly Art Troll, whose shy and nervous feelings related to those of our group on the first day as well. The Art Troll also hid some of our art supplies! So a scavenger hunt ensued, and transitioned nicely into several art activities including a group painting, individual paintings, mud art, mud sculpture, some mud body painting, and much more! The children shared their ideas openly, and we created the space for them to go at it! So much fun, and I think the parents enjoyed it also! Next class the group expressed overall interest in clay, dressing up, and who knows what else will arise! But fun and art for sure! It was fabulous connecting with all of our new friends and parents, what an amazing group we have!

OpenheartART Camp: First Day with our 8-13 yr old friends!!

2009-07-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

Our Openheart Camp with our 8-13 year old group proved to be a blast on the first day! Starting off the class with a team building activity engaged the whole group hysterically laughing, and alleviated some of the feelings that come with this age and being in a new group dynamic. The kids pretended their feet were "glued" together, and strategized how to move from one room to another without coming "unglued". If they did become "unglued", they had to start over. After 5 attempts and tons of laughter, they made it! Next came food art, inspired out of hunger. The kids made tortilla faces, banana carvings, goat cheese sculptures, and berry mate tea. After full bellies, we moved on to a collaborative drawing game, which sparked many compliments to each others styles. We also had a taste of the groups individual music styles playing in the background, including rockin' out to Metallica and Bob Marley! They also came up with plenty of ideas to keep us creatively busy through our week...spraypaint anyone??!

OpenHeartArt - Heidi and Rachel LIVE on WithInsightsRadio.com

2009-06-30T13:25:00.001-07:00

OpenHeartArt - Heidi and Rachel LIVE on WithInsightsRadio.com

Shared via AddThis

Amazing Hoop dancing at ComFest.

2009-06-29T23:36:00.000-07:00

Hoop Dancers of ComFest!

OpenheartART at ComFest! This weekend

2009-06-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

ComFest!!!!! Feel.....Love......Play!

Thank you everyone for all of your amazing support, laughter, and playful energy.

2009-06-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

OpenheartART Summer Camps Schedule

Please continue to check in with us throughout the summer as we anticipate some changes. We see our first year of openheartART as a beautiful experiment to meet the needs of our beautiful community. We welcome any feedback, questions, or conversations.

CAMP 1 : June 15-19 THE ART SHOW CAMP
Kids create art work for their own group art exhibit on June 19th 6-8pm

When: June 15-19 (Monday, Wednesday,Friday)
Where: 270 West Lakeview Ave. (Clintonville) Columbus Ohio 43202
Times:
9-11am (ages 2-4)
12-2pm (ages 5-7)
3-5pm (ages 8-13)
Cost: $75

CAMP 2 : July 6-10 THE OPENHEART ART CAMP Week 1
Kids have the freedom to express themselves through a variety of
multi-medias & playful activities. This class is open to getting messy.

When: July 6-10 (3 or 5 day option)
Where: 270 West Lakeview Ave. (Clintonville) Columbus Oh. 43202
Times , ages, days, and cost:
9-11am (ages2-4) 3 days (M,W,F) Cost $75
12-2pm (ages 5-7) 3 days (M,W,F) Cost $75
3-5pm (ages 8-13) 5 days (M-F) Cost $150

CAMP 3 : July 13-17 THE OPENHEART ART CAMP Week 2
Kids have the freedom to express themselves through a variety of
multi-medias & playful activities. This class is open to getting messy.
When: July 13-17 (3 or 5 day options)
Where: 270 West Lakeview Ave. (Clintonville)Columbus Oh. 43202
Times, ages, days, & cost:
9-11am (ages 2-4) 3 days (M,W,F) Cost $75
12-2pm (ages 5-7) 3 days (M,W,F) Cost $75
3-5pm (ages 8-13) 5 days (Monday-Friday) Cost $150

CAMP 4 : July 20-31 THE MURAL CAMP
(an exclusive 2 week camp Experience )
Kids create, document, and paint an outside mural. This collabration of all ages will celebrate their mural unveiling Friday July 31st 6-8pm
When: July 20-31 (3 days)
Where: 270 West Lakeview Ave. (Clintonville) Columbus Ohio 43202
Times, Ages, Days, & Cost:
9-11am (ages 2-4) 3 days(M,W,F) Cost $150
12-2pm (ages 5-7) 3 days(M,W,F) Cost $150
3-5pm (ages 8-13) 3 days (M,W,F) Cost $150
*Mark your calendars for this camps group mural unveiling Friday July 31th 6-8pm

CAMP 5 : August 10-14 THE PERFORMANCE ART CAMP
Where kids explore several types of performance art on our openheartART stage. Options include: improv, costume play, puppet shows, dance, and song. Join us for a camp performance sharing Friday August 21th 6-8pm
When: July 20-31 (3 days)
Where: 270 West Lakeview Ave. (Clintonville) Columbus Ohio 43202
Times, Ages, Days, & Cost:
9-11am (ages 2-4) 3 days(M,W,F) Cost $75
12-2pm (ages 5-7) 3 days(M,W,F) Cost $75
3-5pm (ages 8-13) 5 days (M-F) Cost $150
*Mark your calendars for this camps group performance sharing Friday 21th 6-8pm

CAMP 6 : August 17-21 THE PERFORMANCE ART CAMP
Where kids explore several types of performance art on our openheartART stage. Options include: improv, costume play, puppet shows, dance, and song. Join us for a camp performance sharing Friday Ausgust 21th 6-8pm
When: July 20-31 (3 days)
Where: 270 West Lakeview Ave. (Clintonville) Columbus Ohio 43202
Times, Ages, Days, & Cost:
9-11am (ages 2-4) 3 days(M,W,F) Cost $75
12-2pm (ages 5-7) 3 days(M,W,F) Cost $75
3-5pm (ages 8-13) 5 days (M-F) Cost $150
*Mark your calendars for this camps group performance sharing Friday 21th 6-8pm

Supplies + snacks : are provided for all camp groups.
Before + after camp care : available upon request.
Parent & Me : parents are welcome to join in any age group class as participant and/or volunteer.
Bring packed lunch : only for 12 -2pm camp time.

For more information contact:
Rachel Rowen at 207-3500
Heidi Kambitsch at 580-9180

2009-06-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

Our first Art show camp was a complete success!

Children created "balloon splatter art".

We filled balloons up with paint and threw them at wood and canvas of all different sizes and shapes. Children handmade invites for family and friends, prepared pieces with gesso, created fun messy amazing works of art, came up with the food list of goodies to eat at the opening, signed, titled, and priced their work. (One piece was not for sale). Helped hang the show, and some even engaged us in meaningful discussion about what the work represents. Opening night, 4 pieces were sold!
Check out our OpenheartART children's work and yummy food at Garcia's restaurant, 2573 North High Street in Clintonville.

We have 5 camps left this summer.
July 6-10
July 13-17
July 20-31
Aug. 10-14
Aug. 17-21

Come join us for an ALIVE experience, playing, and making art.

We offer mural camps, performance art camps, and visual multi-media messy art camps.

We believe in listening to each other's ideas and bringing them to life. We believe there is no right or wrong way of doing art.

2009-06-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

Come join us for a children's OpenheartART show TONIGHT Friday 19th 6-8pm at Garcia's Restaurant 2573 N. High ST. Children threw paint filled balloons at canvas and wood- lots of spattler fun.

OpenheartART does performance public Improv

2009-06-08T13:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend OpenheartART visited the Gallery hop and the ARTS Festival in handmade costume with 4 beautiful children! FUN, DANCE, PLAY!!

Hey Everybody! Let's Have a Kid's ART show!

2009-06-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

Our first class starts in two weeks: providing kids the opportunity to create art for their very own art exhibit @ Garcia's Restaurant. Class begins June 15th, and allows a unique experience in creating art, invitations, installing, refreshments, and hosting the opening reception June 19th, 6-8p.m. Enroll now while space is still available.
If you are curious about what the teachers of OpenheartART create.... check out Heidi and Rachel's art exhibit @ Starbuck's in Clintonville!

Openheart ART makes an appearance @ Indianola's Spring Potluck! Oh My!

2009-06-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

Families and children alike were able to witness a sneak peak of OpenheartART's wild side at the Indianola Informal K-8 Spring Potluck last Friday. As Heidi waltzed around in her costume, Rachel asked people "What do you think she is?" Answers varied from puzzled faces, to "sea monster, flower, and queen" with smiles and curiosity. A PTO member was even spotted trying a superhero mama costume on!
While Rachel talked with families, passing out "I Am Loved" buttons, and munching on the delicious food, Heidi started up the face painting outside, with beautiful assistant Liz, MamaT...eventually as the night grew with creativity, kids began to turn the tables and paint Heidi and Liz's faces! All the while a large dress up session unfolded with OpenHeartCreature puppets, aprons, capes, and masks. Stay tuned for our next surprise appearance....

Enrolling Now....

2009-05-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

Enrolling now for summer camps
Call or email us to save your child's spot...
Click on our cart button for easy paypal payment or send us a check payable to Openheartart. Please include what camp you are signing up for.
Rachel Rowen 207-3500
Heidi Kambitsch 580-9180
openheartart@gmail.com
OPENHEARTART
270 West Lakeview Ave.
Columbus Ohio 43202

OpenheartART performance art on High St.

2009-05-26T10:54:00.001-07:00