Making Mosaics

By Ruben Altidor

I was senior in high school when I participated in the first science fair. An exhibit of the science project is on the wall in the museum. I am looking at it right now. I can't believe how far I have come in this time. This week I helped a group of eight children create a piece of mosaic art that is now also at the museum.

I have just graduated with an electrical engineering degree from the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College. While in college I began assisting with the TCNM kids program. I am an engineer. Far from an artist. But this summer I led a whole group of students completing artwork.

We just finished this week creating mosaics. We focused on our islands culture and did images such as The Lighthouse, Boats on the Sea, and Saltracking. I led the Saltraking group. We smashed and assembled various colourful tiles together. Dr. Neal Hitch took some time working on the Lighthouse and couldn't finish laying out all of the mosaics in one day.

I came by the museum days after and missed checking out the mosaics until Dr. Hitch reminded me to take a look at them. They came out pretty great, even better than I expected. I was really impressed by the creative artwork of these young kids. The results were a sight for sore eyes - so put on shades while looking at them (talk about sun in the islands)! Aliate, Neal and others were judging the mosaics and found them all to be winners, but for me the saltrakers are the best!

Tuesday with Tuvol

This week we have finished the mosaic art. The mosaics will be on display in the museum garden for all to see. The past few days with Children's Club has been very fun, but the mosaic art work was the best.

When we did the mosaic art it was like making real art. We went through the steps to make it. Like choosing an image and then choosing colors that we were going to use. Then this week we actually crushed tiles and used mortar to create our images with tiles and glass. This was hard for some of the younger children. But the older kids took the lead and worked very hard.

I loved it! And we have created something that you can really look at and they look great.

On Saturday the 21th we will be going to Gibbs Cay to close off the Children's Club

Tuesday with Tuvol

This Tuesday the Children’s Club will be finishing off the mosic art. Mosic Art is when you make art by using glass, paper or rocks. It is not that easy but its very fun after we are done it will be put in the museum garden for everyone to see. After we are done we will have lunch prepared by Aliatte it has been very fun so far.

Local Artists at Work

by Shalomar Forbes

Yesterday was Amazing!!! I have worked here at the TCI National Museum during my summer break for 3 years, two of which as their Graphic Designer; yesterday, however will be my most memorable.

Two days ago I was asked to conduct a plein-air painting seminar at the museum, I was caught off guard at first when Dr. Neal Hitch asked me, but I have to admit, the excitement kept me anxious through out the night; looking forward to spending time with the kids at Children's Club.

Yesterday, I hosted about 21 kids that were excited to get the ball rolling on our activities for the day. Expressing creativity through the prospect of being able to create beauty with the simplest of things was to be a new adventure for their imagination and an enlightenment to their capabilities. Watching them laugh and become amazed at their creations made me feel as if I would enjoy doing this for a very long time.

Prior to engaging in events with the kids at kids club, I have never entertained the idea of teaching art to children, or that it would be so wonderfully fun and exciting doing so.

After our painting sessions, we went in the ocean to cool off, jumping and splashing and playing... What a day. By the time I got home, the activities of yesterday were still stamped in my memories like a colorful home movie. I am still smiling at the memory today.

IT. WAS. WONDERFUL!!!

Preparing for Tomorrow

Today, I came to the National Museum and I was introduced to water color painting. This is going to be used for the Children's Club program tomorrow.

What I like about water color painting is that when you’re doing it, you have to mix the paint with water - and that’s fun. The water colors are very clear and easy to use. Before doing anything, I drew a picture of a day at the beach and things that could be found there. After drawing my picture, I painted it and left it to dry.

This was a demonstration of water color in the subject of arts and crafts that I had to complete so that I can be ready to help other children tomorrow.

Artist Just in Time

By Aliatte Michele

What a wonderful summer!

The Turks and Caicos National Museum Children's Club wanted to use local artist here on Grand Turk to help out with Children's Club this year. Our theme for this year was LOCAL ARTISTS, after all.

This week we are doing plein air water color painting. After the program started we found out all of the local artist that we thought about using were off island all summer.

But, luckily Shalomar Forbes who was a past Museum employee, came home from design school for the summer and she has dedicated four weeks to work at the Museum as a design intern.

The Museum Children's Club was fortunate enough to have her on board as a local Artist. This helps me out so much I can't believe it. I thought I was going to have to lead the painting class and I am no ARTIST!

Sea Glass, See Glass

Today Tuesday the 13 of July as we usually have the museum kids program we started at 1:00pm as we usually do. We came to the national museum and we were sitting in the shade behind the museum. We were sitting in chairs under a tent. There Dr. Neal Hitch gave a little talk about the sea glass and he told it was shipped to the TCI from the states as drinks for the US Navy, and after they have finished drinking the drink they would throw the bottles into the ocean.

The most rare of them all was the Heineken bottle which is a very light green colour bottle. Dr. Hitch gave us a little talk on how the bottle got there shape. He told us how the bottles came and how it was for them to get the way it is and why it was shipped to the TCI. And after we heard from Dr. Neal hitch we heard from Mrs. Hitch who gave us an example of the type of glass we need to make the jewelry with. And Mrs. Deneen Hitch gives us a demonstration on how to make a necklace with sea glass. After the talk and everything we had a snack and everyone was fed. Then we took the chairs upstairs and there the counselors were given a group of 2-4 students to watch over. After every group had gone in the workshop they were given a chance to choose what type of jewelry they wanted to put on their necklaces.



The sea glass that was used was from the sea when we went to the Oasis Divers Dive Shop. We had a great time today. The kids had so much fun with making the jewelry. While we were making the jewelry Mrs. Hitch said who ever needed help in tying their jewelry could come to her. each group had help from their leader and if the leader did not know what to do then Mrs. Hitch helped them with what was given them a problem. It was very easy to make after making the necklace we gave a little post card to each of the kids and they painted them until it was time to go.