Art in the Open: Semillas de Memoria: A Community Workshop w/ Kalle Duncan

Join Art in the Open at Confluence Park for an afternoon of creativity, reflection, and healing. Presented by the San Antonio River Foundation and hosted by multidisciplinary artist Kalle Duncan, this workshop invites you to transform grief into new life.

Through the tactile act of working with the earth, we will honor the people and places we hold in our memories. This is a space to acknowledge place-based grief in reflection of the evolving landscapes of our city and our homes while celebrating our collective resilience.

Under the Confluence Park pavilion, participants will be guided through:

• Hand-Sculpting: Create a custom clay vessel using air-dry clay to serve as a tangible home for your memories.
• Dialogue & Reflection: Participate in a supportive conversation about the people and places we hold in our memories. We will also address methods of healing, placekeeping and nervous system regulation.
• Letters of Transformation: Write a letter to a loved one, a place or a past version of yourself on handmade paper embedded with native San Antonio wildflower seeds.

The Takeaway: You will take your vessel and seed paper home to plant. As the flowers bloom, you’ll have a living tribute to nurture as a visual representation of your own journey and growth!

To ensure an intimate and supportive environment, we are offering two sessions. Please select your preferred time when registering.

• Session 1: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (30 RSVP slots only)
• Session 2: 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM (15 RSVP slots | 15 Drop-in spots available first-come, first-served)

Capacity: 30 participants per session. Age Requirement: 12+. Please note that we will be using clay tools with sharp ends and discussing themes of loss and healing. We ask that guardians consider their minor's comfort level with these topics at their own discretion.

• What to Wear: This event takes place outdoors under the pavilion. Please dress comfortably for the weather! Air-dry clay can leave a dusty residue on clothing, so wear something you don't mind potentially getting a little messy.
• What to Bring: All supplies (clay, tools, seed paper) are provided! Just bring an open heart and mind.
• Arrival: Please arrive 10 minutes before your session begins to check in at the pavilion.

About Art in the Open
Art in the Open is a public arts series presented by the San Antonio River Foundation that invites artists and the community to experience creativity in dialogue with the natural world. Through workshops, performances, and installations along the river, the series reflects the Foundation’s mission to preserve, enhance, and transform the San Antonio River Basin as a vibrant cultural, educational, ecological, and recreational experience. Guided by these four pillars—culture, education, ecology, and recreation—Art in the Open activates public spaces where art, nature, and community meet contemporary art. "ART IN THE OPEN: Discover Art Along Your River."

About Kalle Duncan

My multidisciplinary practice is a narrative-driven exploration of grief, matriarchy and the landscapes that shape the self, presented through painting, film, sculpture and murals. Rooted in my experience as a fifth-generation Chicana, I examine how love persists as an evolving force shaped by memory, loss and survival. Growing up within a matriarchal family taught me how care, power and resilience are transferred across generations; these dynamics inform both the subject matter and the physical structure of my work.
Grief is the central axis of my practice, manifesting as a multifaceted examination of transformation and agency. My work extends beyond traditional notions of mourning to include the dissolution of generational trauma alongside the displacement of Black and Brown communities and the erosion of cultural landmarks. I frequently utilize interior and exterior spaces: domestic kitchens, living rooms and landmarks from my upbringing in South Central Texas as symbolic landscapes. These domestic and communal sites function as both emotional and political terrains. By documenting neighborhoods impacted by displacement and gentrification, I position remembrance as an act of resistance against systemic change. Guided by Chicanx cultural traditions and collective forms of memory, I navigate the intersections of identity and the spaces we inhabit.

Info: Session 1: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (30 RSVP slots)
This first session will be a more intimate, guided experience for registered participants only. The RSVP-only format allows for a quieter and more reflective space as we move through the workshop together.Capacity: 30 participants per session
Age Requirement: 12+

Please note that we will be using clay tools with sharp ends and discussing themes of loss and healing. We ask that guardians consider their minor’s comfort level with these topics when deciding whether to participate.

Info: Session 2: 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM (15 RSVP slots | 15 Drop-in spots available first-come, first-served) The second session will be more open and flexible. In addition to reserved spots, a limited number of walk-up participants will be welcomed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Capacity: 30 participants per session
Age Requirement: 12+

Please note that we will be using clay tools with sharp ends and discussing themes of loss and healing. We ask that guardians consider their minor’s comfort level with these topics when deciding whether to participate.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Confluence Park, 310 West Mitchell Street, San Antonio, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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