Women's Drawing Workshop at Zone Z

It was a very rewarding privilege to lead the first Women's Art Workshop in Zone Z. Zone Z is a higher area in the cerros (hills) from where I was living, Zone D, and where our main classroom is located. Out of interest and curiosity, I attended a craft fair with my aunt in Lima, since she has a passion and is a bit obsessed with collecting craft supplies and creating beautiful crafts for home decor. I guess the 'artsyness' does run in my blood.

At this fair, I learned the technique of Pyrography, which is a drawing/decorating technique on wood, mdf, and even fabric. A soldering tool is used like a pencil to draw. I showed the small jewelry box I decorated to our director, Lara DeVries, and she immediately asked me if I would be interested in doing this as a workshop with the women's class. Of course I accepted and a month later after gathering materials and spreading the word, it was made a reality. My first experience teaching an adult art class and it was very successful!

Demonstrating the initial steps of taking an existing image and shading the back of the paper to create transfer paper which they would later trace over to get the image onto the mdf square.
Teaching Luz Saida how to use the tool.

2 of the women laughing about 'terrible' drawing skills.
Elena working on a butterfly drawing. She's a HUGE help to the organization, a liaison between the community of Zone Z and LLI.
Oh Irene! At her age, she has the eagerness to take classes with LLI. Her hands were shaking with arthritis throughout the drawing process but it turned out so well.
This woman worked the entire time with her child on her back. What a trooper-mom!
...working on a Nazca Line drawing of a mono (monkey)

Very talented ladies. The best drawings of the class.

I think they've just discovered a hidden talent.
Martha's beautiful drawing, and most of it while she was breast feeding her son. Another trooper-mom!
Me alongside Elena (center) and Lara DeVries (right), director of LLI.
A group of wonderful ladies after a successful workshop led by me, couldn't be done without help from director Lara (center), and volunteer Eleanor (far right).

*Update*

Due to the talent and success of these ladies, future workshops will continue with other volunteers leading the class. There is potential for turning this into a business for the handful who have mastered the skill and will use it for selling decorated wooden picture frames, jewelry boxes, wall art, etc.