About this Event
Join Alan Salazar and Mona Lewis for cultural storytelling and natural art making in the Theodore Payne Foundation gardens.
Alan will begin with traditional Chumash storytelling with his new book, Chumash Stories: A Collection of Traditional Chumash Legends and History, featuring original art by Mona. Mona will share her materials and processes of using pigment and native plants for illustration and dyeing, and students will experience drawing and painting their own images with natural pigments. A great class for the whole family! Children 7 yrs and younger do not need a paid ticket.
All materials will be provided, but we recommend you bring your own sketchbook if you want the drawings to live in your journal.
In addition to your ticket, please consider your generous contribution helps grow this important programming!
Alan Salazar is a traditional storyteller and elder in the Ferdandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians and Chumash tribes. His Tataviam ancestry comes from the Tataviam village of Chaguayanga near Castaic, Californa and his Chumash ancestry from the Chumash village of Ta’apu, near Simi Valley. Alan is actively involved in protecting his ancestor’s village sites and tribal territories.
As a member of the Chumash Maritime Association he helped build the first working traditional Chumash plank tomol, canoe, in modern times and has paddled in plank canoes for over 22 years.
Alan does tribal education and storytelling to help enliven his tribal culture and has published multiple books on the subject.
Mona Lewis is an artist and arts educator in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, specializing in revitalizing the lost art of using plant dyes and earth pigments and teaching students how to use them in their work.
She has been an educator in Waldorf education 1998, and is co-director of the Waldorf Practical Arts Teacher Training program.
Mona has illustrated multiple books for writer Alan Salazar, exclusively with natural earth pigments.
Her own book, Nature’s Paintbox, is a collection of easy plant dye and earth pigment projects for artists of all ages.
COVID Policy for Outdoor Classes:
If you are feeling sick or experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, we urge you to stay home, regardless of vaccination status. COVID-19 symptoms include: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea)
Photo courtesy of Alan Salazar and Mona Lewis
Photo courtesy of Alan Salazar and Mona Lewis
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Theodore Payne Foundation, 10459 Tuxford Street, Los Angeles, United States
