By Audrey Anderson
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Visual Teaching Artist Gowri Savoor led two lantern-making workshops at the Medfield United Church of Christ. They were the first of several workshops that will be held in Medfield to prepare for the inaugural Illuminate: Lantern Parade & Festival to be held at the Bellforge Arts Center on Saturday, March 2.
According to the Bellforge web site, “As the sun sets, the Bellforge Arts Center will transform into a radiant spectacle during this unique event.” Jean Mineo, Executive Director of the Bellforge Arts Center, explained that she hopes that many people will attend the event, both to carry their handmade lanterns in the parade and to watch the parade proceed through the quadrangle. She added that the parade will be accompanied by drumbeats as it progresses, and that there will likely be a musical performance as the parade concludes. This new wintertime event should be meaningful and celebratory.
To prepare for the parade, Savoor showed the participating adults and children at the workshop how to assemble their own sustainable lanterns for the parade and also for use in their homes. Using rattan strips, the group formed five hoops and arranged them into spheres, taping them together for reasons of structural integrity. Once the spheres were assembled, the group taped smaller rattan strips to the outside to form additional surface area. Then the group glued coffee filters to the outside of the lantern structures. Savoor wisely cautioned everyone to leave an opening to pass an LED light through. The light would be hung from a strip of fabric tied to the top.
The lantern-makers enjoyed the whole construction process, and they seemed to progress through the steps with ease and smiles. Children worked with adults to assemble the lanterns, and they helped to glue the coffee filters to the outside.
The parade should be a memorable event, as participants hang their lanterns from sticks and light up the night! Everyone is welcome at the parade. You can make a lantern in one of the upcoming workshops, or you can bring your own. There will also be extra lanterns at the event for those who do not have one.
See information about Gowri Savoor at https://gowrisavoor.com/ and read about her vision for light festivals at https://ariveroflight.org/.
