The artisan Manuela Ivan carries out painting on wood activities and performs naïve painting on wood and painted furniture. The products made by her were inspired upon long research in museums. Thus, she managed to gather several Transylvanian Saxon traditional patterns and learned the wood painting technique, which she wants to pass along. She does that by organizing interactive workshops with children of ages between 8 and 14 years old.
The workshop
Manuela Ivan told us how she works with the children in the workshop: ?For example, we teach children to paint a little chair in the workshop. First, we prepare the work surface by filling the joints, polishing and priming it. Afterwards we take a break and let the piece to dry and only after that we apply the ground colour. The next step is drafting the pattern suitable to the work surface and transfer the pattern on the piece. In the workshops with younger children we make fridge magnets on wooden frames, with traditional patterns specific to painted furniture.?
Floral patterns
Children learn which the Transylvanian Saxon traditional patterns are, how to hold a brush, how an actual floral pattern is differentiated and how to paint it on wood. Everything is adjusted to the child?s age. The purpose of this project is that students go home with the object painted by themselves. The message is that they learn about traditions and recognize the authentic pattern.
Fridge magnet
At the outdoor workshop set up in Brasov Council Square, we have met the artist Manuela Ivan surrounded by children. They made a public demonstration and made fridge magnets painted on wooden frames, with different floral patterns specific to the ethnographic areas of the county. Children were accompanied by their parents and performed work demonstrations with the artisan. Thus, children, parents and the audience added value to the craft by recognizing an authentic cultural act.
Contact details: 0726.10.70.80, email: ivan_manuela_maria@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com/ManuelaIvanMobilierPictat
