After two weeks of opening our workshop, things have moved up up up!
1. We’ve painted the space white (thanks to Marlon, Armando and Enok for the help!) and it looks tonnes better.
2. We’ve sold 2 pairs earrings, 4 key rings and a bracelet already
3. At the recommendation of the kids, we’re giving 50% of the sales price to the maker and keeping 50% to help towards the rent and materials (this project is costing us a lot to start up which we are looking for funding for..) Axel (the local handyman) made us a big table and this weekend we are in Xela to get more supplies – scissors,
blutak (impossible to find!) paint, moto tool heads to cut coconuts…
4. The popularity of the workshops is extraordinary. We have up to 25 young artists (Aged between 3-18) regularly coming to the workshop, as well as several adults. If we are running 5 minutes late, the kids come to our house to fetch us. We don’t have any chairs, so everyone stands, but noone is complaining. It’s a squeeze and a fight for the one pair of scissors and our attention! We could do with extra help and are going to advertise for volunteers in the surf camps and hostels.
5. Carla has started a friendship bracelet making bar at the front of the shop whilst I have been working with kids to find new ways to incorporate tin cans and recycled materials into necklaces and bracelets. So far, we’ve taught the kids how to make bracelets, necklaces, key rings, earrings and mobile phone charms. We are learning ourselves too and there is still a long way to go. The medium term plan is for each piece to have either a recycled or natural (from El Paredon) element to it, instead of just bought beads. We have gradually allowed the kids more freedom and they are already making some really creative, beautiful work. These are some examples:
It is nice to get out of bed with a spring in the step on the way to our studio. Although exhausting trying to help 10 kids at a time, it doesn’t feel like work. It is totally satisfying, creatively. It is exciting that things are happening. And exciting that the town is excited too.