Inspiration through art

Camphill Kimberton is a place full of wonderful experiences provided through the creative arts. Eurythmy, fiber arts, pottery, music, painting and drawing are nurturing, therapeutic activities that help all of us thrive. Through these therapies and workshops, we find dignity and self worth to grow and develop inner personal strengths, and remain inspired as well as be inspiring to others.

THERAPIES
Eurythmy

Eurythmy is an art of expressive movement that can be described as visible speech and music. In a Eurythmy session, poems are often recited by the Eurythmist as participants move to the words. For example, there are patterns of movements with a question, followed by a different pattern of movements with an answer. “After repeated experience,” says Eurythmist Grace Ann, “the speaking becomes associated with movement and then the words come more easily.”

Recently, Gabrielle began precisely reciting a Goethe poem she was familiar with as she began to move through the poem:

Wouldst thou truly study nature?
Seek the whole in every feature?
Naughts within, naughts without,
What is in, will out.
Haste thou then to learn in season,
Her plain published mystic reason.

Music
In music therapy, villagers work with instruments that are suited to their needs and abilities and are encouraged to compose their own pieces. The therapists vary tone, intervals, rhythms, mirrored tone sequences, and movement supported sound patterns. Group therapies in workshops are offered to support language development, auditory focus, social interaction, manual dexterity and muscle tone. “Sessions allow people to gain more self-confidence and self-respect,” says Music Therapist Kerry Lee, “and aid the individual in learning how to generally listen better.”

Art
Painting and drawing in art therapy allow villagers to work with color, form, light and darkness, and the imagination. Watercolor helps with movement and flow, enhancing inner flexibility. Drawing is helpful to strengthen boundaries and develop observation and discernment skills, bringing clarity and focus to thoughts, words, and actions. The activity allows for different aspects of self-expression, depending on the person and his or her needs in the moment. “It can help with focus, manual dexterity and fine motor movement,” says Mimi, art therapist, “or it can be relaxing and fun, or it can be an emotional outlet where color and content are important.”

WORKSHOPS
Fiber Arts/Weavery

Working with the wool from local sheep, villagers can experience the fiber arts process from beginning to end: wool is washed, carded, dyed with plants, hand-spun and knit or woven into a variety of articles that are sold to the public. Villagers find that their work in Fiber Arts and the Weavery brings pride and accomplishment, especially when they can teach others. Natural fibers, colors, and textures all have therapeutic qualities and villagers often work with the fiber and colors that they are drawn to. Charlene, who worked with livestock for many years, continues to feel a connection to the land by working with hand spun sheep wool to make her rugs on the loom.

Pottery
Not only does this workshop provide a venue for creating beautiful tableware, vases and sculptures, the pottery has been well-received at craft fairs throughout the region and items are available for sale in our
Craft Shop.

Music and Orchestra
In Music Workshop a group of eight to ten villagers dedicate two afternoons a week to work on their instrumental and musical skills. Now in its fifth year, most members have been part of the group from the beginning and perform regularly for various occasions in the community.

Villagers have learned to play percussion, wind and string instruments, and in that process, have refined their technical skills to do justice to the demands of the differing instrument groups. They have explored the musical possibilities of the instruments in relation to high and low pitch, fast and slow movement, soft and strong dynamics, and short and long values. They are learning to conduct all these various instruments and musical expressions, and are practicing imagination, flexibility, and assertiveness in the process. The group is learning seasonal songs to remember as each season comes around again.

Music workshop overlaps with orchestra workshop once rehearsals for the annual spring musical are underway. Additional rehearsals for orchestra take place outside of the music workshop schedule. Veronika, who leads the workshops, says, “Music opens doors for some people, and the instrument becomes the tool to open the door more.”

The Kimberton Hills orchestra is a dynamic and dedicated group. They meet once a week, for one hour after work, and play mostly hand bells, bordun lyres and drums. The orchestra performs for village events and festivals. The highlights were two appearances in New York for the Camphill Foundation’s triennial benefit concerts.


Ever since Mary learned a song by heart over a year and a half ago, she continues to demonstrate growth in her musical abilities and otherwise. Before then, she could read the notes and play the corresponding fingering, but she couldn’t “hear” herself, or make the connection to the notes and an actual melody. Now, since learning a song by memory, she can play in time, and she even occasionally corrects herself, which means that she is paying attention to the sound differently, and processing the music more deeply.

Dance

While dancing is not a formal therapy or workshop, a volunteer couple has been offering Sunday ballroom dancing sessions in Rose Hall. There are also folk and contra dances from time to time, as well as other parties and celebrations. Dance offers a joyous time of self-expression in community.

PERFORMANCE
Many of the arts also provide the added benefit of performance and community involvement. Participation is much more inspiring in the company of friends.

The Fiber Arts group regularly goes to craft fairs, farmer’s markets and festivals throughout the year providing a demonstration of wool spinning and showcasing crafts. Villagers take delight in selling their goods there and at our Craft Shop, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. When customers place custom orders for a specific item, villagers have an extra sense of accomplishment and purpose.

Paintings are displayed in public spaces throughout the Village and are also used to create notecards. Art work is often framed and given as gifts for special award recipients.

Orchestra and theatre performances are the highpoints for those who choose to perform publicly. “Of course, the best part is performance time,” Veronika says, “when the results of all the long and hard work are shared with an audience. Every audience plays a very important role, because a good audience will enable the performer to grow beyond what has been achieved during practice time. A mutual giving and receiving takes place between audience and performer, and only then, when it is shared in this way, is the music or play complete and whole.”

“There is magic in stage performance and participants are quite willing to attempt the seemingly impossible,” Veronika continues. “Every creative group process gains its own momentum, carrying each member as if on wings, and challenging each to give his or her very best.”

Read the entire Spring Newsletter and 2011 Annual Report, where this article is taken from, by clicking here.