Creating African Art

SCHEDULE FOR CREATIVE ART PROGRAM

CREATING AFRICAN ART

AGES 7 TO 11

This workshop is funded through a grant giving to Petaluma Blacks for Community Development by Creative Sonoma, whose mission is to support and advance the creative community of Sonoma County. The program will include classes over 3 days and the 4^th day is to share some of what the youth have learned on days 1 and 2 and start a quilt that that will be on display in several different places in Sonoma County. The workshop will be held at the Petaluma Library.

Day 1 – Saturday,  October 18, 2025 – Story Telling – Hours 2 to 5 – Instructor Wood Rowe Farguheson, Jr., aka Radio

The students will learn a little about the Library and how it contains so many stories. You will be able to get your own Library Card, if you don’t already have one.

You will learn about traditional story telling in the African culture and help create a story. Radio will bring his beatbox to add music and rhythm as you develop a story to share on the final day of the workshop.

Day 2 – October 25, 2025 – African Dancing – Hours 2 to 5 – Instructor Skylaer Palacios.

Skylaer will tell you about the diversity of African dance and the many movements. You will learn an African dance to share on the closing day of the workshop.

Day 3 – October 26, 2025 – West African Instruments and Music – Hours 1 to 2:30 Instructor Kennan Webster

Listen to traditional instruments of the Mandinka and the Mande-speaking people of West Africa. Local musician Keenan Webster will teach and demonstrate the kora (West African Mandinka harp), the Kamele Ngoni (West African Mande harp), the Balaphone (Mandinka xylophone) and some other percussions. Learn how these traditions gave birth to the banjo and influence blues, jazz and popular music of today. Students will get a chance to play some of the instruments.

November 1, 2025 – Hours 2 to 5 Workshop Closing – The youth will have a chance to share with parents and friends what they learned in Days 1 and 2. They will be able to create a temporary community quilt during the event. This will be made into a more polished quilt with the help of the Santa Rosa Quilt Guild that can be displayed in various locations throughout Sonoma County. Jose Villagomez, Outreach Manager from the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County will be guiding the work on the quilt.