In the leadup to our lantern event, Light up the Night in Champlain Heights on Dec 18, we have been busy with creating lanterns for public display.
Artist, Kiki Nombrado, has helped with two Artist Collaboration Sessions, Nov 9 and Nov 23.
On Nov 9, 5 local artist gathered to learn about lantern making, share ideas for possible lanterns, and begin to build together. Kiki shared her technique for building lanterns from fallen Western Red Cedar branches. She tapes the sticks together using masking tape, then wraps the lantern form with packing tape, before covering it with tissue paper and glue. Kiki has made a variety of lantern styles using this technique, including: a barred owl, Douglas squirrel, butterflies and stained glass-style lanterns.
At the second session, local artists joined with Free the Fern members. They shared ideas for lanterns, including ivy basket lanterns, and worked on building jar lanterns and lanterns made from cedar shims together. They used a variety of pressed leaves (vine maple, red maple and Japanese maples) as well as pressed flowers and ferns to decorate the lanterns. In addition to building lanterns, they also took some time to go for a walk along the proposed lantern procession route along Red Alder Trail.
Thank you to Kiki and all the artist who came out to our Artist Collaboration Sessions. We are excited to hear that many of you plan to continue to build lanterns at home. We look forward to seeing all the completed lanterns at our Light up the Night in Champlain Heights event on Dec 18.
Examples of other artist lanterns:
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