If you are interested in supporting this endeavor please contact me.

Del Mar Artist Patti Fox and her team of local educators, “The Olympic Village“, in cooperation with the IRC in San Diego, led a program teaching an art and nature based workshop to the high school refugees they met previously at the beach in Del Mar. This time the village went to their local park, Colina del Sol on Tuesday, August 3 to continue the theme of building trust with these students. This program consisted of several lessons developed by the artist and her village members. Experienced lifeguard and yoga practitioner Sebastian Slovin started the day with a guided relaxation practice, something most people don’t make the time for in their daily lives. Artist and sculptor, Josh Lary led a nature focus time and the two educators connected the group with their local environment. Finally, Patti Fox and Artist Thomas Bosworth led the students in color pastel and painting practice, teaching color theory, mark making and painting techniques encouraging nature inspired self portraits and water driven imagery.

The village encouraged the students to find their voices in form, shape, color, line and value. They focused on learning how to relax in healthy ways and connecting to the environment, using this connection to emotionally connect with the art pieces they created. Fox reminded the teens that kindness and respect for one another and the village was the order of the day. Wide smiles and paint covered hands were aplenty during the event and the students produced beautiful, process based work to share with their families and friends.

The day was best remembered by two e-mails I received said Fox. The newest village educator Josh Lary that night. “Spending time with the refugees on Tuesday, August 3rd was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in a long time. Sebastian’s Yoga and breathing exercises were a great way to begin the event. It gave everyone a time to center themselves before beginning their creative journey with Patti, Tom, and myself. At first some of the refugees seemed a little timid about expressing themselves on paper, but once they began flicking paint and using their hands to create colorful abstract representations of themselves they couldn’t stop. They wanted to learn new techniques, information about contemporary artists, and ways to use various materials that were provided. It was simply amazing to see how appreciative and thankful these kids were to be involved in the Olympic Village. They could see we really cared about them, their story, and their future. After the exercises were over we said our goodbyes with high-fives and hugs. This was my first experience interacting with the refugees and it definitely won’t be my last,” said Lary.

After two twelve hour days as an ocean lifeguard in Del Mar, Sebastian Slovin wrote, “I didn’t really know what to expect at this event. I was a bit skeptical about any language barrier there may be with the students but was confident that our team would be able to get through to them in other ways. A large part of what I do is encourage people to slow down and quiet down enough to notice how beautiful it is just to be. We then stay with that awareness for a time and bring it into the creative process. When working with teenagers there is always a lot of energy and sometimes it can be difficult to be still. When we began it took a few minutes for everyone to settle in, and soon we were all there together in the park, totally present, enjoying each others company and the beauty around us. I asked them to just try and be aware of their surroundings, just to notice the beauty. It was really fun for me when many of the students pointed out details of the clouds or the trees that they said they hadn’t noticed before, like the thunder heads building in the east or the tiny beads of sap dripping from a tree branch. Later when the students began the art process it was so wonderful to see each of them open up and express themselves with enthusiasm. It was an amazing day.”

We will be exploring grant writing with the International Rescue Committee so we can create a workshop based program to continue their education and explore ways that they can use the skills they build with us to work towards the dreams they have for their future. For further information please go to The Olympic Village.

Refugee teens, hailing from Burma to Somalia, were exposed to a quintessential part of Southern California culture on July 12 – a day at the beach.

As part of its Students Plus summer school program, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) rewards participants with a weekly trip to the sand and surf. Each Monday, IRC staff and volunteers take the students, now living in City Heights, to a different beach in San Diego.

This particular Monday in Del Mar, however, was different. Read the rest at Lifeguards, artist treat refugees to day at beach By Roger Li

The lifeguards of Del Mar, under the supervision of Pat Vergne played a huge role in making this past Monday a memorable day for a group of refugees, most of them from Africa.  They arranged for speed boats to take the teens out in small groups so they could see what the Pacific Ocean looked like past the breakwater. Each one approached cautiously, but when the first group came back with ever-lasting grins, the rest could barely wait their turn. The event was held under red tents with tables, chairs, towels and a generous amount of food that kept everyone happy and comfortable. The kindness and care that the lifeguards showed the refugees was unforgettable.

The heroes today were the Del Mar Lifeguards and Patti Fox’s Rag-Tag team of artists and visionaries like her. Patti’s team includes many of Torrey Pine’s High School alumnus:  Sebastian Slovin, a Del Mar Lifeguard and teacher of healing through yoga and awareness of nature; Scottie Blinn a musician and recording artist, Thomas Bosworth a recent graduate of School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Selena Marinello student at Maryland Institute College of the Arts, focusing on art criticism and interdisciplinary sculpture; Lauren, Greenwood student at San Francsico State University, studying Recreational Therapy; and Pia Chakraverti-Wuerthein, president of the art club at Torrey Pines High School.

Patti Fox’s inspiration to help create new programs for the refugees derives from her own son, Allen Fox, a Torrey Pine’s High School alumni.  Allen entered the Peace Corps with a degree in Biology from the University of Washington and landed the last volunteer position in Africa.  He left in September 2006 for Dar es Salam, Tanzania for training and was assigned to Kyela, a remote village near the border of Malawi.  While visiting Allen for a month in December 2007, Patti did a mural project with an orphanage thus inspiring her passion to work globally with under-privileged kids.  Peace Corp volunteers use the term ‘women’s empowerment’ to encourage women in the villages to build stronger self-esteem to fight the stigma of being the weaker sex and thus all the problems that accompany that issue.  One of the ways this empowerment was achieved in Tanzania was when Allen organized a school wide American style Olympics that included the women in all of the sports offered: tug of war, disc throw and bike relays to name a few.   The most significant effort he made was in talking his headmaster into creating their first ever women’s football team at Ngana School. It was not without a struggle and it became one of Allen’s most significant experiences while in the Peace Corp.  The other was inspiring Patti’s 71 year old sister, Karen Butler, to join the Peace Corp, she is currently a District AIDS Coordinator in Goodhope, Botswana.

Patti asked her team of alumni to give their impressions of the day. Her resident photographer, Selena Marinello gives her response:

“As a photographer I capture small fragments of life through a tiny lens, but those small compositions bring out the story. Yesterday I was able to capture stories of awkwardness turned to joy; nervousness turned to generosity; and shyness turned to smiles. It was more than this, it was with whom was smiling and who was growing accustom to kindness.  Working with the refugees yesterday warmed my heart more than all the sun shining over California because they were enjoying themselves.  Seeing their faces light up as they explored the Pacific Ocean, some for the first time was interesting as a native to these waters.  The small conversations I’d have and their curiosity of what I was capturing opened my awkwardness and shyness until I was running around smiling as they were. The bonds that were created and the memories that will be shared from events like this are priceless.  Patti Fox, Pat Vergne, the International Rescue Committee, and the City of Del Mar created a positive awareness and a comfortable introduction for these refugees this past Monday. The Lifeguard Association of Del Mar have earned eternal thanks from all of us.  Their dedication and commitment to these courageous kids was awe-inspiring.”

Thomas Bosworth, an emerging artist in the local San Diego area, says:

“My experience with the Somali refugees was eye opening and intensely moving.  During the course of the day, I found that the need for people to be able to relate to others on fundamental levels was a pressing concern. Realizing the language barrier I immediately sought ways to relate.  I found out that none of my reservations or pretenses were true. Play was an immediate resource for connection, as well as sports, food, the ocean and simple conversation. Throughout the day, these factors melted away the gap between our cultural differences.  Seeing the broad smiles of the Somali girls Patti Fox was teaching how to boogie board was enough to dissolve any awkwardness I had felt initially with the group. I learned in the course of enjoying my time with the refugees, the act of being human could knock down any barriers between us.  We were linked essentially because we were alive, and in the moment.  I left the day understanding the need for people to value those on the front lines of the battle to help these refugees. People like Fatiya, Brendan and other dedicated individuals who give their time and energy every day. After seeing their efforts on the beach, I can’t underscore enough the need for programs like the one in development. We as a world can’t afford to let these people fall through the cracks. Their struggle is just too important and human to ignore.”

With the support of Gabriel N. Davis and the International Rescue Committee staff, interns and their high school ambassadors, we were able to give these 36 refugees an introduction to a team of mentors that are developing an after school program in the visual and performing arts to help these high school students live a successful life in this country.  Patti Fox and the “Olympic Village” will meet on Friday to discuss building workshop based programs.  Three goals of this program will be to create collaborative projects teaching self-respect, teamwork and self esteem building.  Patti’s team will teach expression through the visual arts while exposing the students to color theory, the importance of light and value and creating form using negative and positive space.  Music and teaching nature-centered awareness will be incorporated into these workshops.  “Teaching art making skills helps to empower you to communicate your feelings visually.  When you give yourself permission to dream, you find ways for these dreams to come true,” says Patti Fox.

Del Mar Lifeguard Association, the City of Del Mar and Patti’s team gave of their time and hope that this awareness encourages the local community to come out and support these organizations in their efforts.   For information contact: Del Mar Lifeguard Association.

Patti Fox at: http://pattifoxart.com/contact/

Read “Fourteen friends build a quiet space with observations by Patti Fox.”

Its a sharp little shop and Annmarie who is a jewelry artist and also owns a store across the street is a collector of mine and has done a beautiful job putting my work in her new store. I am honored.

Also, I wanted to let everyone know that my work can be found on the San Diego Museum of Art Artist Guild (SDMAAG)‘s website.

Patti Fox Vallecitos School Article

Art Rocks- This begins my Colors of Children Series
It began with creating collage over a river rock, using form and color to talk about how we need to bring creativity back into the lives of children. Then came the oil bar, how I see children as blossoms, slowly opening, absorbing the light, nutrients and every experience they encounter to create their life experience. I see my role as an advocate for children, encouraging change in our education so that they are taught threw the visual and performing arts. I can use all the help I can muster to do this. ……patti fox