Playtography!

 

  

 

Playtography is an award winning arts enrichment program that was developed for the patients at Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford, CT. Inspired by my other endeavor- Playtivity, the concept is simple: put a digital camera in the hands of a child and give them the opportunity to see their world come alive. Equipped with the camera and their natural sense of wonder, participants are invited to join Craig Norton for an adventure in photography. The children explore their surroundings and use photography as a fun and easy tool to be creative. Within the hospital walls, teddy bears, caregivers, family members, architecture, fish tanks, sculpture and more take on a whole new perspective.

 

Participants will learn about digital cameras and photographic techniques as they go, but this is not a class- it's an expressive arts PLAYSHOP. The first child to participate in the program asked to do it again the following week. When we got together the next time he said, "I'm looking at things differently now." That's what Playtography is all about!

 

Playtography arts enrichment programs can be applied to schools, camps, social service programs and nursing homes. We will work with you to develop an integrated program that is appropriate for just about any setting. Here's just a few potential applications:

 ~ Use photojournalism to build cultural bridges for students and their community through themed assignments that involve observing community life. This could be in collaboration with neighborhood social service organizations, nursing homes, police departments, etc.
~ Use self portraiture and poetry to explore self image and boost self esteem.
~ Create a project that involves observing and chronicling the natural environment of a local ecosystem.
~ Utilize students skills to create a wide variety of expressive art projects which could include: community art galleries, photo montage or murals, photo journals, Power Point presentations, international exchange, web sites.
~ Work in partnership with existing curriculum to utilize photography skills to enhance projects in language and visual arts, physics or general sciences, math and social studies.
~ Collaborate with local art museum or gallery to create an exhibit of student work.
~ Collaborate with local newspaper to publish students work.
~ Allow students to choose specific projects or applications.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Craig Norton is a Teaching Artist for Young Audiences of CT, VSAarts For Learning. Click here or call (203)230-8101 for details and booking info.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playtography Expressive Art
"Peaceful Shell" by Shardia, age 14 has won the national VSAarts/CVS All Kids Can Create gallery award and will be honored in Washington DC in June:

 

"I'd like to take a moment to thank you, on behalf of all of the children and families whose lives have been enriched by Playtography during the time that I have known you, and to thank you in advance for those who will benefit through the many Playtography experiences yet to come."
 
Judith A. Mortensen, VSA arts Program Manager
Young Audiences
www.yaconn.org
 

 

 

 

 


NEW FOR THE 2010 SUMMER READING THEME! "Down By The Sea" macro photography workshops... kids age 8-12 will take a photographic exploration of the sea. No fancy cameras needed, just bring a point & shoot camera and your natural sense of wonder as we use macro close up photography to capture the natural wonders of water and all things found in and around beaches, lakes and rivers. This program can culminate in an exhibit of the children's photographs at your library. Limited to 20 participants. Please contact Craig to book this program for your library.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Craig Norton Photography. All rights reserved.