Lisa Simms Wearable Sculpture

WORKSHOPS

Making Art With Landmine Victim Children
I honestly believe that children are our hope for the future. To affect real change in the world we have to heal emotional wounds and educate the children in need. I think that art can give children a voice that is a safe, non-intimidating way to express themselves and their grief.

In 2004 and 2005 I traveled to Quang Tri Province in central Vietnam to meet with Vietnamese artists for International Children's Day to teach workshops to Vietnamese children, many of whom are landmine victims. Peace Trees Vietnam, a Seattle based NGO (non government organization), organized the 3 day campouts for 250 kids on the grounds of the Danaan Perry Landmine Awareness Center in DongHa Town.The main purpose of the campout was to educate the local children to the dangers of the UXO's(un-exploded ordinance) that surround them due to the many armed conflicts from the past. But along with educating the public, another of the goals was citizen diplomacy. Put American artists with Vietnamese artists to work with Vietnamese landmine victim children as a way to heal the wounds of war by letting us get to know each other one on one as people-not countries.

The first year I taught a mask-making workshop that had artists, volunteers and kids on the floor surrounded by a sea of fairy wings and sequins and feathers-that somehow through the hilarity (and extreme heat) transformed into masks ETC. and the beginnings of friendships and understanding. The second year we built 3 giant tree spirit puppets for the landmine awareness center. The tree spirits represent the trees that Peace Trees plants after the ground has been cleared and is deemed safe. Because of the enormity of the project and the time constraints, the project was started in Mexico in my studio then went to Seattle then on to Vietnam. I had over 60 different volunteers from 12 different countries that helped on the puppets before we ever hit Vietnam , the campout, and the 250 kids. During that second workshop, I learned how to draw bombs from an amazingly brave 15 year old who knew first hand the damage they can do. I taught him how to draw birds and we made friends.

What really stuck with me after doing these two projects, was the importance of humans interacting one on one in enjoyable ways and making bonds that defy borders.

I have every intention of continuing this kind of work in various places in the world and returning to Vietnam again to do another project. In fact I have a fund set aside from the sales of my hand puppets(-and some gracious donations) so that some day I can return to Vietnam.

I am always looking for new projects, funding and volunteers to help.