Arts Center's 'globetrotters' offer cultural sampler

By THERESA HOGUE

Gazette-Times reporter

Making sweeping gestures across the chalkboard, Sudha Radhakrishnan connected a series of dots with deliberate, curving lines. An elaborate geometrical star appeared.

Five children clustered around her were following her lead, some clutching their heads or biting their lips Wednesday morning in concentration as they made their own kolam patterns, a traditional Indian art form that often adorns the front yards of homes.

Radhakrishnan was one of a group of guest teachers helping "transport" grade school students at The Arts Center to India for three days this week. The Arts Center holds special "Globetrotters" art and culture days for children when Corvallis public schools are out of session, as they are this week for parent-teacher conferences.

This week's events focused on India. Experts in Indian art, music, food, dance and storytelling visited the center to provide the children with a sample of the sights, smells and sounds of a complex culture.

Partnering with FASIS (Foundation for the Arts and Science of the Indian Sub-continent) and the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center, organizer Chris Neely of The Arts Center persuaded teachers from Portland and Seattle to participate in the Globetrotters event. Radhakrishnan, who is from Portland, said she was excited to share how kolam was tied to Indian history.

Kolam usually is made with rice flour and placed in patterns in front of the house each day. It has both artistic form and a multi-level function, as it provides food for insects along with its beauty.

"We are trying to feed everything," Radhakrishnan explained. She showed her students a pattern that had swooping pointed arms, and then checked on their progress.

"It sort of looks like a starfish with an eaten arm," said Henry Fowler, 7. "But soon, it will grow back."

Learning kolam involves not only a steady hand, but an analytical mind.

"There's a lot of math and mathematical symmetry involved," Radhakrishnan said.

Whit Spitzer, 8, was busily filling his paper not just with kolam patterns, but his own artwork. He has attended Globetrotter classes before, including one about Native American traditions. He enjoys drawing, but he was anticipating future events.

"I like to do the outdoor activities, and work with clay," he said.

After a snack break, Whit, Henry and the others switched classrooms with another group, and sat down on overstuffed pillows in front of Sreevidhya Chandramoule, a musician and singer. She explained a little about India's richness of languages, religions and regions, and how things like music often helped create a national identity for a country full of diversity.

Chandramoule showed the students a tall, bowl-shaped instrument called a vina, which is stringed like a guitar, but has a much different sound. She demonstrated the melodic qualities of the vina, and had them sing Indian scales before they gathered around to hear her play.

"Indian music is about feeling," she said. After playing one song, she asked the students what it made them think of.

"I felt like I was zooming across a vast expanse… on the back of a wild antelope," Whit said. Chandramoule smiled.

She then played and sang to them a song in Sanskrit. Some students bounced along; others fell asleep. Chandramoule took that as a compliment to the soothing sounds of the vina.

"I want you to listen," she said, "but if you fall asleep, that's fine."

Friday, the public is invited to a night of traditional Indian music at The Arts Center, performed by sarod player Brandon MacIntosh of Seattle. Admission is $5, or free for camp participants. The Arts Center is located at 700 S.W. Madison Ave. in downtown Corvallis. For online information on upcoming art and culture summer camps, see www.theartscenter.net.