weaving the fabric of community though the wisdom of traditional craft CIRCLECREATIVECOLLECTIVE.ORG
2021 Year in Review
CIRCLE’S TEAM & BOARD MIRABAI TRENT Evolved Growth Strategies, Creative Development Barrett Art Center, Exhibitions Coordinator mirabaitrent2@gmail.com 845-389-8318 MELISSA HEWITT VISITvortex Magazine, Co-owner/Designer melishewitt@gmail.com 845-633-1033 JENNY WONDERLING Entrepreneur & Writer jennyawonderling@gmail.com 917-776-5371 SIBYLLE JUD Iris Studio/Retreat Center, Co-founder sibyllejud@gmail.com 917-331-5473 NICOLE FENICHEL-HEWITT, CHAIR The Art Effect, Executive Director nicolealysse@gmail.com 845-559-3523
CIRCLE CREATIVE COLLECTIVE
circlecreativecollective.org info@circlecreativecollective.org 62 Plains Road, New Paltz, NY 12561
content: OUR MISSION OUR HISTORY OUR PARTNERS OUR BOARD OUR PROGRAMS COMMUNITY SERVED MEASURING RESULTS COMMUNITY IMPACT TESTIMONIALS FUNDING NEEDS
a bit of history: Our Circle was formed because each of our founders recognized the healing power of creativity and the wisdom of traditional crafts. Through various programs and offerings, we remind others of the importance of creating with a reverence for the earth, and with an awareness about our collective impact on communities and individuals near and far. Currently in our third year of operation, Circle Creative Collective connects the community with an ever-evolving offering of craft preservation programming, workshops for adults and teens, as well as economic and teaching opportunities. All of Circle’s programs are offered on a pay-whatyou-can basis to ensure equitable access to programming.
mission: Circle Creative Collective is a women-run nonprofit organized around building a thriving community through cross-cultural and intergenerational education focused on sharing and preserving the wisdom of traditional crafts and skills. We gather in Circle to weave the fabric of community, inspiring people of diverse cultures to remember the lessons and skills of their ancestors, and embrace the wisdom of our varied and collective traditions.
partners: CENTER FOR CREATIVE EDUCATION (CCE): Center for Creative Education works to enrich the social and cultural awareness of our youth and community through arts, wellness, and education. More info: cce4me.org Partnering on Sankofa
EVERETTE HODGE COMMUNITY CENTER: The Mission of
the Everette Hodge Center is to provide a safe and supportive environment for the Kingston community through educational, environmental youth and community programs and health and human services.
HUDSON VALLEY FOUNDATION FOR YOUTH HEALTH:
The Hudson Valley Foundation for Youth Health, Inc. is an independent, notfor-profit foundation dedicated to helping develop, maintain and expand prevention and early intervention programs for youth in the region. More info: hvfyh.org Partnering on Chrysalis
MY KINGSTON KIDS: MyKingstonKids is a non-profit organization focused on running immersive programming for local underserved youth. More info: mykingstonkids.com
Partnering on Stitch Together and Sankofa.
Partnering on on Sankofa and Stitch Together
HARAMBEE: Harambee is a mid-Hudson valley coalition that supports and promotes the strength of our community through cultural and educational events that enrich the lives of youth and adults. More info: harambeekingstonny.org
MAYA GOLD FOUNDATION: The mission of the Maya Gold Foundation is to empower youth to access their inner wisdom and realize their dreams. Partnering on Chrysalis
Partnering on Sankofa
HOLISTIC HEALTH COMMUNITY: Their mission is to facilitate collaborative holistic healthcare and education in our local community. Partnering on Hive.
HUDSON VALLEY CURRENT: Hudson Valley Current supports a new economic direction based on the principles of localism and multiple bottom-line thinking. They promote local community building through sustainable economic development and provide education around how our region’s local currency can drive abundance and increase opportunities for underserved communities. More info: hudsonvalleycurrent.org Partnering on many of our events.
REDWING BLACKBIRD THEATER: Redwing Blackbird Theater is a small performance and workshop space in Rosendale, NY. They create puppet parades, shows & exhibits that ask how people can live harmoniously in today’s world. They “strive to create what does not yet exist & to draw out what has always been there.” More info: redwingblackbirdtheater.com Partnering on Sankofa and new programs in the works.
ULSTER IMMIGRANT DEFENSE NETWORK: Ulster Immigrant Defense Network’s mission is to provide a network of safety and support to immigrants, regardless of status. More info: ulsterimmigrantdefensenetwork.org Partnering on Stitch Together
Programs CRAFT PRESERVATION SANKOFA CRAFT FOR CALM STITCH TOGETHER CHRYSALIS MAKERS MARKETS UNITED CONNECTIONS FIBER & DYE FARMS
This ongoing workshop series is continually growing and dedicated to celebrating the richness of traditional culture and craft. These handson workshops are typically immersive one-time classes that introduce the community to a particular region’s traditions and skills. Through this local, yet globally-minded program, we help instill a deep reverence for, and understanding of learning the value of each other’s backgrounds, cultures, and stories. All of our Craft Preservation Workshops celebrate the global abundance of culture and traditional craft and help to instill a deep reverence for the value of each other’s backgrounds, cultures, and stories while gathering in the ancient act of creating and sharing handmade creations. We offer these workshops at our beautiful studio in New Paltz or at partner sites in Kingston.
our workshop offerings this year have included: GULLAH SWEETGRASS BASKET WEAVING. INTRO TO KNITTING. MACRAME PLANT HANGERS . SHEKERE INSTRUMENT MAKING. FRESH LEAF INDIGO DYEING AND LEAF PRINTING. INTRO TO PLANT DYEING. WOODEN SPOON CARVING . WILD MENDING & EMBELLISHING . JOURNAL MAKING. JOURNALING AS CRAFT. WEAVING A GRASS CORDAGE BASKET. LEARN TO PLANT A DYE GARDEN. HANDMADE LEATHER BAG MAKING. RAGDOLL MAKING WORKSHOP. NEEDLE FELTING. NEEDLE PUNCH. SMALL LOOM WEAVING. COMMUNITY WEAVING. For information on upcoming workshops, please visit circlecreativecollective.org/calendar
programs: craft preservation
CRAFT PRESERVATION WORKSHOPS
“Circle helped us create some amazing work with the children, teaching old gems such as net making, weaving and sewing —the experience brought us back to the days of our ancestors and truly helped us appreciate even more the uniqueness of our heritage and traditions.” -Tyrone Wilson, Ulster County Human Rights Commissioner, Founder of Harambee
programs: sankofa
SANKOFA:
a season of traditional west african craft
annual festival: In partnership with Harambee, MyKingstonKids, Redwing Blackbird Theater, and Center for Creative Education (CCE), the annual Sankofa Festival honors the voices of the ancestors. This festival is focused around the telling of Gourds Got Voices, a life-affirming story written and told by Caru Thompson and brought to life with the visionary puppets of Rosendale’s Redwing Blackbird Theater and our community. The festival also included craft workshops and an unforgettable musical performance with handmade life-sized puppets and masks, crafts, and a healing ceremony for the waters.
“I had a most wonderful experience work with Circle. Each member of the staff was fully present, efficient, creative & completely engaged in making our time together a “BEST” outcome for the projects. I can barely wait for our next project!” Carol ‘Caru’ Thompson Good Gourd
shekere making workshops: This workshop, taught by Carol “Caru” Thompson, a local African-American shekere master and percussionist, was held at Kingston Point Beach where we explored shekere making with all ages and skill levels in partnership with MyKingstonKids. A shekere is a traditional African percussion instrument made from hollowed-out gourds and decorated on the outside with beads, shells, seeds or nuts woven into a net. They have been a pivotal and essential part of West African and Yoruba culture for generations.
programs: sankofa cont.
SANKOFA:
gullah-geechee sweetgrass basket weaving workshop: Three generations of Gullah Geechee women from South Carolina who have kept their family tradition alive from Senegal and Sierra Leone lead this workshop teaching the basics of weaving the renowned sweetgrass baskets in the traditional way. This year they came for the second year in a row and offered four workshops in our studio.
programs: sankofa cont.
sankofa:
stitch together programs
Stitch Together is a sewing program focused on engaging women and teen girls in an inclusive space that helps participants to achieve economic prosperity while serving as an outlet for their creativity. In partnership with Ulster Immigrant Defense Network, we have created pathways of income for these teen girls and women who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Our mask and mask kit-making initiatives which produced over 8,000 masks during the height of the pandemic was the beginning of what has become a long and mutually beneficial friendship and partnership with the women that bring life to this program. We are now working to expand our Stitch Together program to engage more women from BIPOC communities in Kingston. By offering workshops around hand and machine sewing, we are connecting diverse women and teen girls with the opportunity to develop valuable skills that could help them to establish new income streams, as well as have elders pass their wisdom
and skills to youth who are in need of positive guidance, influences, and creative outlets. This program also includes an upcycling element that teaches teen girls in Kingston how to transform and re-sew out of use and worn clothing into wearable garments that can be sold online and at local craft markets, reducing waste and providing local underserved youth with another potential income stream as they grow into adulthood. Inherent in this process and conversation is a consideration of the earth’s natural resources and our mutual impact on each other locally and globally as program participants upcycle drab and undervalued items into unique expressions of artistic vision. This fun and creative fashion-forward program is run in partnership with MyKingstonKids, a local nonprofit organization focused on offering engaging after-school opportunities for local underserved youth. Additionally, we will be offering an after-school sewing program to teen girls in Kingston.
programs: stitch together
STITCH TOGETHER
a teen & immigrant women’s sewing program
programs: chysalis
CHRYSALIS:
where being a teen girl is celebrated With support from Ulster County’s Youth Bureau and the Maya Gold Foundation, Chrysalis creates safe supportive circles for teen girls to feel honored and celebrated as they step into womanhood and their authentic selves. Through our weekly gatherings, together we are cultivating the next generation of empowered and fulfilled youth. Chrysalis provides emotional, creative, and anxiety-busting tools to a diverse group of teen girls to support them in navigating the wilderness of this transitional time. The group explores relatable topics such as self-image, relationships, and dreams for the future through many forms of creative expression and grounding support like craft, meditation, journaling, collage, and more. Honest, open-hearted communication is encouraged and celebrated. In circle, we explore, discover, connect, and create lasting relationships with one another as each member steps into their greatest potential, balance, and joy. This year we have also begun a coinciding circle for the guardians of the Chrysalis girls. We come together to offer support through this challenging time in the lives of the whole family.
“It was with ease that the Thrive Committee of the Maya Gold Foundation made the decision to award a grant to “Chrysalis: A Teen Girl’s Circle”. Why? Teen years are among the most challenging. Chrysalis offers girls a safe space to be seen, heard, embraced and supported. It is a place where the teens can be their full selves. With the circle of Chrysalis, each participant knows they do not have to navigate these times on their own. We offer our gratitude to Circle for creating this space.”
Elise Gold, Co-Founder of the Maya Gold Foundation
“I am honored to be part of such an inspiring group of women. Our experiences, backgrounds and ages are all different, however we’ve created a safe space where we can be our authentic selves. Each of us celebrating our strengths and conquering our weaknesses. Chrysalis is helping me to become more aware of my own power! It is an outlet to share ideas, stories, tears and laughter. I am very grateful for these friendships that we have cultivated together, as well as for the valuable and thoughtful support and feedback that they provide.”
Mia Ferraro Chrysalis participant, age 15
programs: makers markets
INCLUSIVE MAKER MARKETS
celebrating hudson valley artisans
Circle Creative Collective organizes maker markets where we can celebrate our local Hudson Valley artisans and their work. These markets are an incredible opportunity to get to know the makers and listen to their personal stories about their processes, and why they are driven to express themselves through their hands. By supporting local artisans who make things in small batches we are also making a difference for the earth by encouraging the use of natural, sustainably harvested materials and processes. Through our Maker Markets, we provide accessible and affordable opportunities for local artisans to promote and share their craft and support themselves financially through the work they love. We’ve hosted Makers Markets at our New Paltz studio, Sojourner Truth Park in New Paltz, Scribner’s Lodge in Hunter and are in the process of planning our fourth and even larger Makers Market this year in Rosendale which which will include craft workshops, a puppet performance, and a lantern procession.
affordable and accessible handmade craft kits Circle has developed an in-house line of
Each kit comes with everything you need
We also include video instructions that we have
high-quality handmade craft kits that are
to get started in the craft and can be used
created to guide the user through the process, all
affordable and accessible to all. Examples
continuously for years to come. A detailed
in a fun way that includes history and stories about
include intro to weaving, embroidery, mac-
instruction book that includes the history of
each ancient traditional craft. These kits help to
rame, needle felting, and punch needle kits.
the craft and step-by-step illustrated direc-
bring people inner peace and calm by serving as
tions are included with each kit.
an opportunity to concentrate on something in a relaxed state of meditation.
programs: craft for calm
CRAFT FOR CALM
united connections craft programs: japan, guatemala, and oaxaca mexico (right)
In this program, Circle team members travel to culturally rich countries and regions to connect with local artisans. Through these trips, we create lasting relationships with individuals and communities who are preserving their culture’s ancient crafts and traditions by learning their crafts, shar-
ing stories and meals, and continuing to work with them when we return to the Hudson Valley. These cultural immersion experiences help our team and community to gain a deeper understanding of the unique traditions and unified wisdom of the communities we visit.
This past year we have continued to nurture the relationships we have built in Mexico, Guatemala, Japan, and India by featuring these artisan’s work in our shop and telling their stories. We are now in the process of finding funding to bring some of these artisans here to teach and share.
programs: united connections
UNITED CONNECTIONS:
global craft research and cultural immersions
growing our own plants for color and textiles This year we started fiber and dye test gardens in four locations including on our studio grounds. Next year we are planning to partner with Hudson Valley Seed Company and Seed Song Farm to expand on these initiatives. We successfully grew flax and nettles for fiber that we are now turning into thread and twine which we will use in upcoming workshops. We are very passionate about creating natural color from plants grown locally. In the 2021 growing season we harvested Japanese Indigo for blues, Madder Root for reds, Marigold and Goldenrod for yellows, and Cosmos & Coreopsis for oranges. We have also been partnering with Hudson Valley Seed Company on testing of their Dahlias for color and fastness.
programs: fiber and dye farms
FIBER AND DYE GARDENS & FARMS:
measuring results: Circle has implemented a comprehensive SMART Metrics (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) evaluation system to ensure that grant funds are used effectively and in alignment with donor intent. We measure results by circulating surveys to all of our event attendees and participants to ensure program satisfaction and maximize our positive impact. These results are used to assess outcomes, educate staff, and make improvements to future programs as we work to ensure that our offerings are responsive to community needs. The laughter, palpable joy, open sharing, and deep calm that is present at any of our workshops clearly illustrates the incredibly positive effect that our programming has on participants and we’re excited to continue to assess and improve our programming as it grows and evolves over time.
community impact: Although Circle is a relatively young organization, we are making an impact on the Hudson Valley community. Through our programming, we are primarily serving women and children of all ages, indigenous peoples, and Black and Brown communities. Circle is built on a steadfast commitment to connecting and inspiring diverse communities by sharing and preserving the wisdom of traditional crafts and skills. Woven into our programs lives an inherent opportunity for healing that restores value to our lineages, aids in mental wellness, creates nourishing community, and instills a deep reverence for and reciprocal relationship with the Earth. All of our programs involve the communities we serve in the decision-making process and our programming is developed in collaboration with partner organizations to ensure that our work fits the needs of the people we serve. We also offer training to people throughout the community so they can teach the classes and workshops we offer. By partnering with organizations and individuals whose values align with ours, we ensure that decision-making within our organization serves the true needs of the community and has the greatest impact. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, research has shown that the rate of depression has tripled. According to Harvard Health Publishing, “Studies have shown that expressing themselves through art can help
people with depression, anxiety, or cancer, too.” Using our hands, discovering personal expression through craft, and connecting to others has an immeasurable impact on our quality of life by supporting good health, joy, and empathy through community. Our programming places a heavy focus on engaging diverse communities that have been significantly impacted by the pandemic in Kingston, Ellenville, and the greater Hudson Valley. Our workshops address systemic issues of inequality by celebrating and reconnecting communities through ancestral traditional crafts, helping program participants to gain hands-on skills that have been proven to reduce anxiety while also offering the potential of economic independence through the development of reliable income streams. Additionally, grant support would help Circle to sustain and grow its contribution to the local and regional economy. According to research conducted by Americans for the Arts, the arts support $600 billion in economic development on a national level with much of that growth focused in the State of New York. The positive effect that the arts have on our health and economic wellbeing is evident. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue to offer the community inspiring opportunities to connect with craft during a time when it is so deeply needed.
“Circle Creative Collective brings individuals into the sunlight to weave their surprisingly diverse threads into a glorious communal fabric.”
Amy Trompetter, Redwing Blackbird Theater
“I had the pleasure of meeting the women of Circle Creative Collective a few years ago, and have been working together since. We are stunned by their efforts and compassion for the Kingston community and the energy put forth by these women is unparalleled to any other organization of its kind. They truly put their all into everything they do and I’m proud they asked MyKingstonKids to help bring Sankofa back to Kingston.”
Winston I. Queen Director, My Kingston Kids
funding needs: Support is needed to sustain and grow our programming which is offered on an affordable or pay-what-you-can basis as we work to connect the Hudson Valley region with the power of traditional craft. Funds can be designated to support one of the programs described above or to support general operating. General operating support would help us to achieve the following outcomes: • Continue to offer affordably priced and pay-what-you-can workshops and programming • Support compensation for our essential staff • Support workshop instructor stipends • Build upon our comprehensive line of craft kits • Support the development of a publication that celebrates the diverse presence of local artists, shares how-to-make articles, and highlights traditional crafts from around the globe that are in danger of being lost or forgotten • Develop culturally impactful educational craft preservation videos
We’re deeply grateful for the support of our funders: NoVo Foundation Maya Gold Foundation Arts Mid-Hudson Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation Local Family Foundations Our Community of Individual Donors
weaving the fabric of community though the wisdom of traditional craft
Your tax-deductible donation would be so appreciated: Please contact us by email at info@circlecreativecollective.org or by phone at (845) 481-0739 or web at in-circle.org Mail-in donations can be made to: Circle Creative Collective, 62 Plains Road, New Paltz, NY 12561 Online contributions can be made by visiting circlecreativecollective.org/donate EIN: 84-2510854
Thank you for your support!