Out and about
Creeping Toad public events and training courses
Most Toad workshops are in schools and for groups which are not really open to general public participation, but I do a lot of public events and some training courses which eager visitors are (often) welcome to join
Public events: a wide range of activities here – listed below with themes, times and any restrictions as to what is going on. In general, if you need more information contact me or the organisers, for bookings where needed, contact the organiser. Where I can, I’ll put links to the relevant organisation
Shadow puppets
New workshop for schools, museums, libraries, etc
A chance to play with light and shade, experiment with design and animation, colour and translucence…a shadow puppet workshop might lead to the atmosphere of projected rotating landscapes or the delightful chaos of a flight of dragons
what might we have…
dragons cavorting over a large screen
birds, fish and landscapes rotating across walls and ceiling
tearing sticking and playing with colour
articulated shapes walking, running, swimming….
SHADOW PUPPET BOOKINGS
Charges: £280 a day
Fee includes storyteller’s fee, travel and materials. Can be paid on the day or I can invoice you. Workshops need 90 mins – 2 hours (1 class at a time) – ideal for 2 sessions in a day and a final performance
Activities can be adapted to suit groups from P1 through to Secondary
For further information: visit the Creeping Toad website at
http://creepingtoad.blogspot.com
To book: contact Gordon directly at
or by telephone: mobile: 07791 096857
Training courses: these are cheerful skills-based days aimed at teachers, environmental educators, playworkers and anyone working with groups. Again, for more information contact me or the organisers, for bookings or payment contact the organisers
This list will change month by month and I’ll try to keep it updated as information and plans reach me
April
Wednesday 8th
First Signs of Spring: pop-up card-making workshop
10am-12pm
Buxton Museum, Terrace Rd, Buxton, SK17 6DA
Tel: 01629 533540
Join me for a seasonal morning. Celebrating new growth, wriggling tadpoles, flowers, nests, and the first ducklings down in the ponds, we’ll take our favourite moments of spring and turn them into pop-up cards
- Free, materials provided
- No booking needed, just come along and join in – allow at least 30 minutes for your making
- If you are 7 years old or less please bring a grown up with you, please
May
Derbyshire Literature Festival
2 days with the Festival
Sunday 10th
A wander along the canalbank, telling stories and watching for wildlife
Morning and afternoon sessions
Canal walk details
Saturday 16th
Wild times and brave adventures
I’ll be telling some Derbyshire stories and as a group we’ll be inventing some new ones!
Alfreton (morning) and South Normanton (afternoon) libraries
Weekend of 22 – 25th
Green Man Gallery, Buxton
The display from our Leek: once, now and next project will be on display in this arts-collective gallery in Buxton, with a day of public activities on Sunday 24th (details to be confirmed)
Green Man Gallery, Hardwick Hall, Hardwick Square South, Buxton SK17 6PY (behind the museum)
Monday 25th
All sorts of small creatures
an art and storywalk telling tales of beetles, beasts and birds, inventing new ones like “why do slugs have slime” and “who paints the butterflies”. As our stories grow, we’ll make new animals out of leaves, twigs and other materials that we find”.
Ness Gardens, Wirral, morning and afternoon sessions
Bookings needed: details will be released in April
Wednesday 27th
The Lost Castles of Buxton
invent the house (castle, palace, hovel, cottage or dungeon) you might have lived in 1000 years ago in medieval Buxton! Pop-up houses, castles and whatever! Another day with our Leek: once, now and next project, display on show as well
10 -12 and 1 -3
Buxton Museum, Terrace Rd, Buxton, SK17 6DA
- Free, materials provided
- No booking needed, just come along and join in – allow at least 45 minutes for your making
- If you are 7 years old or less please bring a grown up with you, please
June
Saturday 6th
The Great Plant, Bug and Butterfly hunt
a Biodiversity Day in The Staffordshire Moorlands
Times and details still to be confirmed but I’ll be there along with other members of the Leek: once, now and next team, telling stories, putting up a display and doing some hands-on art activities to celebrate the richness of the Staffordshire Moorlands
This event has been going for some years now and is always a lovely start to summer – come and join us!
Toad training courses are designed to offer you hands-on experience and mess, a chance to try things out, make mistakes, try again, meet people, share ideas, explore underlying principles and give yourself time to do some of the step-back-and reflect things that we so rarely manage to do during our day-to-day work
Time for glue, imaginations, inspirations and wild and rewarding days! Flex those elbows, wiggle those fingers and give your inspiration a boost!
Next training courses will be in October and November 2015: details to follow
