I have been thinking about the words “shuffle” and “shuffling” in relation to play practice and production of space. The word “shuffle” can mean a clumsy, plodding step (“just shuffling along”); the act of pushing gradually (“let’s see if we can shuffle this along”); or a deliberate method of injecting chance and disrupting order (“shuffling the cards”). So, …
“Today, we have a real playworker among us,” San Diego Civic Innovation Lab Strategist for Public Space and Ecology Ilisa Goldman said as I and five adult volunteers at the Pop Up Nature Play event in Balboa Park circled for a pre-play briefing. Standing among somewhat orderly piles of palm fronds, “tree cookies,” bamboo and pinecones, I realized that …
After last night’s Art After Dark event at the Honolulu Art Museum, it’s going to be hard for me to visit an art museum when it is NOT Halloween. What if every visit to an art museum was like this? Adjusting a luxurious blue toga in front of an art deco landscape. Wonder Woman checks a … Continue reading
“Art celebrates with peculiar intensity the moments in which the past reinforces the present and which the future is a quickening of what now is.” At work, we’re working with a fantastic group of artists to develop a new exhibition. I’m very grateful to be working with such a wonderfully playful group. Simultaneously, I’m re-reading … Continue reading
After ten wonderful years of playmaking and art-instigating in Boston, I’m moving to San Diego! In late October, I will start work as Manager of Exhibition Development at the New Children’s Museum: an innovative space that encourages creativity and critical thinking through transformative experiences with contemporary art. Though I am sad to say goodbye to the … Continue reading
Last Tuesday, the 40 members of the Next City Vanguard 2013 class introduced themselves through the telling of 60-second stories. They talked about bringing mass transit to Honolulu. They shared vignettes about using street art as transformative youth development. They touched on the challenges of working in cities where you want to walk, but you’re … Continue reading
Kenny Bailey is a social innovation rockstar. Many people in Boston know this, but apparently now it’s official: BOLD has added Kenny to its list of SIRs (Social Innovation Rockstars): http://welovebold.com/people/entry/kenneth-bailey What I love about Kenny, in addition to his maniacal laugh, is his “let’s just do it” attitude. At the end of the day, … Continue reading
In the past four weeks, I have had the opportunity to facilitate two interesting learning experiences, both positioned as “how-to” sessions. My co-learners were: 32 adults who work as planners and strategists at creative agencies (at Planning-ness 2013), and Twelve 6th through 8th graders and three adults from the Brookwood K-8 School To prepare for both, … Continue reading
I am honored to have been selected by Next City as part of the 2013 Vanguard class: a cohort of forty urban advocates under 40. At the June Vanguard conference, we’ll explore Cleveland and share our best practices for the transformation of the built environment. I can’t wait! For more on the conference and the other … Continue reading
