Singing in the Oral/Aural Tradition
Conducted by: Lynne Wilkinson

This workshop will allow those who consider themselves "experienced singers" as well as "non-singers" to learn songs in the oral/aural tradition, i.e., without written music.  This method frees everyone from the printed page to draw on their whole beings - from the toes of their tapping feet up through their hearts and heads to to sing soulfully - sorrowful, playful and joyful songs drawn from various musical styles and forms.  Through our singing together we will strengthen the wonderful sense of community that Star Island affords!

Lynne is a classically trained musician who has been singing almost as long as she has been breathing.  She is co-founder/director of the musical ensemble, Ayriel, the former musical director of The New English Song & Daunce Companie, and the creator/
director of the 52 voice women's a cappella chorus, Persephone's Daughters.  She is the Music Director at First Parish UU in Plymouth, MA. and a long time member of the prestigious chorus, The Boston Cecilia. She has performed with Ayriel in schools, libraries, museums and concert halls throughout New England.  She teaches piano and voice privately and has years of experience as a choral and solo singer and director.

DANCE WORKSHOP - 2004

Traditional New England Dances
Conducted by: Jacqueline & Dudley Laufman, TWO FIDDLES

Traditional New England dances like the Virginia Reel and Portland Fancy will be called to live music. Dudley and Jacqueline play fiddles and call the dances. No prior experience is needed. Social dances like these have been on-going for more than 300 years. They are fun, easy to do, and all ages can take part. Lady of Lake, Tempest, Petronell and other contra dances will be included.Tossed in will be history and stories told in true Yankee fashion and a joke or two. Questions are encouraged. Regular shoes and cothing are best, women sometimes prefer to wear skirts. Conferees who know their way around their fiddle, guitar, flute or bass, etc, are welcome to sit in, but they must play completely by ear. The only sheet music the Laufman's will bring is in their educational book and cd, White Mountain Reel.

Dudley and Jacqueline earn their living playing jigs, reels and hornpipes at traditional New England dances. They were honored to have been selected to present these dances during the two weeks of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, in 1999. Two years later Dudley was distinguished with the New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award in Folk Heritage for lifetime achievement and excellence. 

DRAMA WORKSHOP - 2004

Acting for TV and Film
Conducted by: Pamela Thompson 

This Drama Workshop will focus on acting for television and film rather than stage. However, we will use the classical Shakespearean approach to realizing the work--'it's all in the text!' Each session will consist of drama exercises and games to prepare for script readings. Participants will be encouraged to work on scripts from the 2004 season television shows and scripts from films such as "The Sixth Sense" to not yet released work. This Drama Workshop will be a safe, exciting, and challenging way to 'try on' all kinds of characters and personalities. Please e-mail me with some of your favorite TV shows and films so that I can have scripts from those shows available for you.

Pamela Thompson holds a master's degree in Theater/Directing from Villanova University. For nearly twenty years she has worked in the entertainment industry as a child advocate. Recently she completed Kevin Smith's newest film "Jersey Girl" which will be released in theaters March 19. (Go see it, it's unexpectedly Kevin and just plain great!) She also worked on the Sundance Film entry "The Woodsman" - a film by the producers of "Monster's Ball". In keeping with provocative subjects, this film explores pedophilia. She also runs her own adult actor representation business, Thompson Management. Her actors are mostly New York based, though they work in Los Angeles and on location. 

Website: http://www.ThompsonManagement.biz
E-mail: Pamela@ThompsonManagement.biz

PHOTOGRAPHY 
WORKSHOP - 2004

Digital Photography
Conducted by: Gene Dwiggins

Starting with the basics of digital camera operation this workshop will talk about, demonstrate, and make plenty of photographs. It will touch on shooting techniques, exposure, camera settings, framing and using light as the first and most basic tool of photography. Using Photoshop and Photoshop Elements you will learn about editing, color correcting, putting photos on the web, and printing digital images. Laptops are not essential, but very helpful if you have one. If you don't have a digital camera, but would just like to learn more about picture taking, please feel free to join us! Advanced and beginning photographers are welcome.

Gene Dwiggins has been a commercial photographer for over 30 years in the advertising field. He has studied with Aaron Siskind and Harry Callahan, and holds a Bachelor of Science from Illinois Institute of Technology in Photography, and Master of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design in Photography. He has turned completely from commercial work to pursue his personal images. His Tiled Panoramas have been exhibited in museums and shows across the entire country. He teaches his digital skills at RISD Continuing Education, and through private professional instruction.

web: www.dwiggins.com
email: gene@dwiggins.com

WRITING WORKSHOP - 2004

Writing Fiction Out of Place
Conducted by: Poppy Brandes

Writing fiction out of place will be our starting ground. Taking material from Star Island and the serendipity of life outside of our daily routine we will create narrative that travels. We will begin with writing exercises to open the valves and see what direction the individual is inclined to pursue. Over the course of the week we will also use the function of the group as an editorial springboard. The workshop, therefore, will provide both an opportunity for improvisation and polishing so that each participant will not only practice their articulation but will also have a piece to present at the end of the week or take with them when they leave Star Island. 

From 1993 to 2001 I lived in southwest France, where I founded and ran Internaional Inkwell, a writing retreat. We also ran the Café du Livre, a meeting spot for bibliophiles and travelers who came to Montolieu, a village dedicated to the second hand book industry. We hosted writing workshops of all sorts and the occasional food and wine tour for the independent epicure. I recently relocated to Rhode Island to attain an MFA in Fiction at Brown University and am currently residing in Providence where I teach and write while renovating a 19th century mansard home. 

VISUAL WORKSHOPS 2004

Workshop I:
Colored Pencils Are Easy to Love
Conducted by: Pat Barron

Workshop II:
Nantucket Baskets
Conducted by: Mary Pendergrass

Colored Pencils Are Easy to Love
Colored pencils are easy to love-they feel familiar in the hand; they are inexpensive, effortless to carry, compatible with other media, cause no mess, and best of all, they produce brilliant, luminous color. Because colored pencils are a dry translucent medium, color is mixed directly on the surface of the work in progress. My workshop will deal with at least six different methods of applying the pencil to paper and in so doing, six different ways of mixing color. This will involve some basic color theory-I make it easy to swallow. One day will build upon another and, therefore, I do not feel mine is a drop in workshop. 

About the Artist:
Pat Barron grew up outside of Chicago and is a graduate of the University of Missouri with degrees in Journalism and English Literature. She began her study of art a the Hochschule fuer Bildende Kinste, Berlin, and studied painting at The Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C. and painting printmaking at American University, Washington, D.C. Her art usually tells a story or makes comments, is sometimes amusing and often deals with politicians and words. She has taught color theory classes as part of the Smithsonian Institution's Resident Associates Program and for the past sixteen years has taught courses in colored pencil techniques at The Art League School in Alexandria, VA. She has a studio in Alexandria's Torpedo Factory Art Center which houses 160 visual artists and is the oldest art center of its kind in the United States.

More info about Pat Barron and Colored Pencil Art can be found here:

The Colored Pencil Society of America
http://www.cpsa.org

CPSA DC Chapter 109
http://www.cpsa109.org

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Nantucket Baskets
Conducted by: Mary Pendergrass

In this workshop, participants will learn about the tools and techniques used to weave a Nantucket basket. Each conferee will weave a classic six inch round basket to take home. It will have a cherry base and handles and will be made using traditional molds and cane. As we weave, we will explore the history of the basketry form. No prior basketry experience is necessary.

A truly original American basketry form, Nantucket basketry was originally developed by the Lightship captains and crew who tended floating lighthouses off the coast of Nantucket during the early part of the 19^th century. As the whaling era in New England waned, the light ships were retired in the early 20^th century. The basketry tradition, however, continued on Nantucket Island. 

Using native wood and cane brought from China by clipper ships, the baskets were originally woven over moulds made from old pieces of ship mast and were decorated with pieces of whale ivory etched with scenes from life at sea and on the island.

Today the basketry tradition lives on with artists who love the symmetry and grace of the form.

About the artist:
Mary Pendergrass has been a weaver and basket maker for thirty years. With a history degree from Wheaton College in Massachusetts, she began her artistic training at the deYoung Art Museum school in San Francisco and continued with fine art studies at Colorado State University and the University of Washington in Seattle.  For the last ten years, she has been doing Nantucket and Shaker basketry. This winter, after living in Southeastern Massachusetts for eighteen years, she and her husband Nick moved to Brown County Indiana to an artist colony founded at the turn of the century by a group of impressionist painters.  They live in the former home of painter L.O.Griffith.

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