Mokarrameh Ghanbari Art Workshops

Mokarrameh Art Workshop at Greenwich High School, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA

2011-06-29T19:18:00.017-04:00

In March of 2011, Greenwich High School in Greenwich, CT exhibited the art of Mokarrameh Ghanbari. Accompanying the exhibition was the work of students who participated in the Mokarrameh Art Festival during the summer. After the opening, students at Greenwich High School participated in a seminar on the life and art of Mokarrameh, and her influence on the local art scene.

Summer 2010: Fourth Mokarrameh Ghanbari Art Workshop

2010-10-24T01:03:00.011-04:00

This year I introduced three dimensional work at the workshop. Using plastic knives, twine, rubber bands, and toothpicks, I encouraged the group to create a non-representational form. I discussed the qualities of each material with them and then asked them to think beyond a sculpture that was a specific thing. Later on, I hung the sculptures in a make-shift gallery using lines and tape. The afternoon session was devoted to paint.

Summer 2009: Third Mokarrameh Ghanbari Art Workshop

2010-06-21T22:13:00.002-04:00

Friday, August 21, 2009: Art Workshop at Darikandeh Village, Mazandaran

Early this morning, Nanaz, her son Jamshid, Sanaz, Sarvenaz, and I took a van up to Mazandaran Province for my annual art workshop at Darikandeh Village and returned back to Tehran by midnight. The drive was, as usual, up and down the Alborz Mountains and very dangerous.

On the road to Darikandeh Village in Mazandaran Province with Nanaz, her son Jamshid, Sarvenaz, and Sanaz.

In a local artist's workshop with his students where I was asked to give advice to the students.

This is a 300 year old wooden structure made for prayers and wish making located in the village next to Darikandeh. It is covered with paintings depicting various scenes. Unfortunately, it has not been maintained and much of the murals have started to chip away. It is very likely that Mokarrameh was influenced by these paintings. I can see many of her images on the wooden panels in this structure.

Darikandeh Village was bubbling with people when we arrived. I started the supply distribution right away and talked to the crowd about the procedure, then I gathered everyone around and did a quick demonstration on the use of the supplies. For the most part, the participants in the workshop were aware of the use of some of the supplies, but not all. I also engaged them in a little color mixing activity. Soon, all the eager artists were off to paint. It was great to see three generations sitting side by side and painting. This free art workshop draws people of all ages from the surrounding villages and honors the memory of Mokarrameh. The workshop lasted all day and it was really wonderful to see so many of the students return each year.

Summer 2008: Second Mokarrameh Ghanbari Art Workshop

2010-06-21T21:48:00.007-04:00

Wednesday August 13, 2008: Art Workshop at Darikandeh Village

We had a full day art workshop at Mokarrameh Ghanbari's house in the village of Darikandeh, Mazandaran Province, with over 160 registered students ranging in age from 2 to 65. Cynthia, my Peruvian artist friend who is visiting Iran, was welcomed warmly and she enjoyed working with everyone. As the day progressed, I realized the importance of offering such workshops to the locals. I have agreed to do these workshops every summer and as often as possible.

We had a full meal at lunch, which was prepared by Mokarrameh's daughter-in-law.

Mokarrameh's house with her tomb in the front courtyard.

Inside Mokarrameh's house.

Planning the day.

Setting up in the courtyard of Mokarrameh's house.

Cynthia charms the local children.

Works of art by the participants in the workshop.

Cynthia worked hard and was appreciated much.

Mokarrameh Ghanbari Art Workshop Exhibit

2010-06-21T21:29:00.012-04:00

Monday, November 19-Friday December 7, 2007; Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City, NY

Reception: Friday November 30, 2007

Summer 2007: First Mokarrameh Ghanbari Art Workshop

2010-06-21T20:31:00.025-04:00

Thursday, August 2, 2007: Mazandaran Province

A bridge dating from 1930's with a village in Mazandaran Province.

The snow capped peak of Mt. Damavand in the distance.

A village in Mazandaran Province where the humidity from the Caspian Sea keeps everything green.

The drive from Tehran to the Caspian Sea region and the vilalge of Darikandeh was almost four hours long. My group and I drove through the Alborz Mountains, headding East, up and down the mountain range. At one point, just out of Tehran, we drove so close to Mt. Damavand, the highest point, that we could see its snow capped peak.

Stopping on the road for breakfast.

Driving towards the Caspian Sea in Mazandaran. We have crossed over the mountains and the land is now lush.

We arrived at the town of Ghae'emshahr around noon and Ali's sister, Monireh, had a nice lunch ready for us. After lunch we went to purchase the remaining art supplies. We were able to purchase acrylic paint in the following colors: red, blue, and yellow. We also bought white and black paint. Next, we purchased plastic containers for paint, containers for water, and sponges. The last thing we needed was an extra ream of paper which we picked up at the office supply store. We then drove to the village of Darikandeh, about five miles north of Ghae'emshahr, to meet the rest of the group and prepare Mokarrameh's house for the workshop tomorrow.

Shopping for supplies in Amol

The paintings and murals on the walls at Mokarrameh's house are lovely. Much better in real life than pictures. After touring the place, Ali and I sat down with a group of his nieces and nephews and started planning the activities for tomorrow. We designated tasks to each person and then made signs for people so that they would know where to go for supplies. The rented tables and chairs were delivered and were set aside.

Inside Mokarrameh's house is full of lovely murals

Planning the next day

Friday, August 3, 2007: Art Workshop at Darikandeh Village

When we arrived this morning, a line of students were waiting to register. We started setting up the supplies on different tables: signing in, getting a number, brushes, mixing trays, sponges, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and oil pastels for those who wanted them, paint containers with each color, and water containers. We also had a table set up for return of paintings and writing of them. We had designated a few of the older grandchildren to write about the paintings as the students explained them. These we taped to the back of the paintings and then took a picture of the student holding his/her work.

When the fist group had picked up their supplies and placed them on their tables, I gathered them around one station and did a color mixing demonstration. I used the dialogue method of questioning and using their responses to move on to the next step of the demonstration and it was so strange doing this in Persian! I'm so used to doing it in English, but yet, it came naturally. I made sure not to use any English words, except at one single time, when the word: "Okay?" slipped out and the kids responded: "Okkeeey". I couldn't help smile at this, but from then on, I used the word: "Baasheh?" instead. I asked the students, who varied in age from 3 to 14, to use their first paper to mix a variety of colors. I showed them what the sponge, the mixing tray, and the other supplies were for. I then engaged them in a dialogue with "things they do during the day" and suggested that they paint a picture of something they do during the day for their second painting. Not many followed my suggestion and rather painted what they wanted. Since groups of people arrived randomly, I had to repeat the motivation process often and quickly. The morning was full and busy. It went on until noon and then we stopped for lunch break.

We had lunch at the house of one of Ali's brothers who lives in the village of Darikandeh. His wife had prepared a lovely meal for us and, as required by tradition, we sat on the floor to eat our meal which was spread out on a "sofreh" on the floor. Tea and dates followed and then the men moved to another room while we women stayed in the cooler room and everyone took a much needed siesta. At two thirty, we woke up and prepared to back. As we were getting ready, the phone rang and one of the newspaper agencies from Tehran wanted to interview me. We left as soon as I hung up and were greeted by the same students from the morning plus a new group. I think we had over one hundred students who varied in age from 2 to 60. As in the morning, I did a demonstration and suggested the theme, and again, people did what they wanted to. There was much excitement. During the day, I took two groups in front of Mokarrameh's painting in her house and asked the students to take a few moments to look at the work of art and then tell me about it. The kids were very eager to say what was on their mind. We had a good hour in front of one of her large paintings. When I took the second group in the afternoon, a whole bunch of parents followed and started taking pictures.

We ended the workshop at 7 PM. By this time, many of the students had painted three pictures. Some had stayed for the morning, some came in the afternoon, and a good amount stayed the entire day. We had people who came from the local villages or the nearby towns, and we also had a few from Tehran. A group of professional artists who had started an organization devoted to fine art came by to see what was going on, and they, too, started painting. We also had a visitor from Greece and one from Germany.

Clean up took a few hours and by the time we were done, we were completely tired.

View of the front of the house where the supply stations were set up.

The brush and container station.

Ali getting the paint station ready.

Ali's older brother at the paint station.

Preparing the paint.

Setting up the chairs.

This little girl was hard of hearing and loved to paint.

The local Art Society interviewing Ali and me.

Somayeh and Aida.

Mom.

Here is a picture of Mom sitting in Mokarrameh's house after we had finished the workshop. She is sitting, appropriately so, under a sign that reads: "Maadar" in Persian. "Maadar" means Mother. This was a chance photo.

Monday, August 6, 2007: Archiving the Artworks

A lovely painting by Mokarrameh depicting love and betrayal. This is one of the paintings I used to engage the students in a conversation with her work.

The Mountains in Mazandaran Province influenced many of the students and were a common theme in the paintings.

Mokarrameh's kitchen.

Color and use of supply demonstration for the students.

I posted the above photographs to remember our day at the workshop. I don't have any new photographs. I think I'm done taking photos for a while!

I went to Ali's place this morning and we spent the entire day archiving the paintings. First, we looked through each and everyone of them. We had over 150 pieces of artwork, done by students ranging in age from two to sixty. We read each story that was attached to the artwork, and we made sure we had the names and ages correctly written on each one. Then we arranged them by age: 2-4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-15, 16-19, 20 and up. After we grouped them, we took a picture of each one. Then we chose eleven pieces of Mokarrameh's work for me to exhibit with the student's work at Teachers College.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006: Encounter with Mokarrameh's Art

2010-06-21T20:09:00.002-04:00

These two paintings are by the "Grandma Mosses" of Iran: Mokarrameh. Born in 1928, she started painting at the age of 70 with the encouragement of her son who purchased the materials for her to keep her busy. She lived in a little village in Mazandaran (the Caspian Sea region), was illiterate, was never formally taught art, and was abused by her much older husband. She painted for ten years before she died; painting on any surface she could find with tempera paint. She even painted the walls of her house, inside and outside. I had heard of her and had visited her website a few years ago and always loved the freshness and innocence of her work. I met her son, Ali, through Ramin, and went to his house to look at some of her work and buy one, if possible. We started talking and when he found out I was an art teacher and an art education instructor, he asked me to conduct art workshops at her house in Mazandaran. With that said, I will be working with him next summer in an art center which he plans on opening in her memory in the village. Her house is a museum now. I have promised to help put up a show of her work in a gallery in the USA.

I purchased these two paintings! They are 12 x 18 each. They are so beautiful! I went over with a friend to pick up my paintings. We picked up my paintings and walked over from Ali's apartment to our friend's house, right around the corner and around Ferdowsi Square (which is really a circle).