polum bolum is a new non-profit through Peaceful Belly Farm located in Sunny Slope Idaho.
Their goal is to reconnect the community with their “more than human” counter parts. Through outreach, volunteer opportunities, and educational programs they work to create a space where relationships can be formed and creation can be explored in a sustainable way.
Through polum bolum I have had the amazing opportunity to
Start Building Their Educational Program!
in 2024 I started to transform their community garden into an outdoor classroom! I worked to create curriculums that focus on getting children outside and curious about the world around them. From free day classes, week long camps, to evening collaborative cooking experiences, I have been exhilarated to be laying the groundwork for an incredible program that will continue to grow for years to come.
The Art Classes!
Puppet Camp:
This camp was created with the intention of introducing children to my favorite art form, puppets, while exploring how we can create in a sustainable way! Using only recycled or donated materials we had kids spend three whole days creating a shared vision for our puppet story as well as creating as many large-scale puppets as possible. Seeing how enthusiastic everyone got about this medium was truly magical. Most of the kids expressed in the end how they plan on continuing to create and play with recycled materials!
Natural Dye workshops:
While building and planting a dye garden I have been able to lead natural dyeing workshops on the farm! From bundle dyeing, natural vats, raw indigo processes with our own indigo, eco printing, and more! Getting people excited about how they can use plants and kitchen scraps in a new way has been so rewarding. I love to focus not only on how we explore color, but how we can recindle the forgotten relationships we have with the plants around us!
COB Creations!
Working with COB in the garden I’ve gotten to inspire children to participate in messy play! It’s been very difficult to get some children to want to interact with dirt of any kind in the garden. They are worried about clothes, parent’s approval, and continuously ask to rewash their hands. COB has not only been an incredible avenue to help kids feel comfortable making a mess, but it is such an open medium that it allows for complete exploration! Its a class that opens the doors for total freedom while battling any consumerist tendencies of needing to purchase materials to create, and feeling like you need to take something home after a class.
With the classes I teach, my main goal is to inspire artists to be more mindful of their art practices. I want to show people that you do not always have to consume to create! Through small classes I teach how to make your own recycled paper, create your own natural inks and watercolors, how to use recycled materials to make woven instillations, and so much more! Apart from the one-day art classes I have also created the curriculums for three different weeklong kids’ camps! These camps inclued a cooking camp, focusing on cooking from scratch and learning how to harvest on the garden for meals. A natural artist camp, where we create all our own materials and learn what it means to be a sustainable artist. And a large-scale puppet camp! It’s like all our art classes wrapped up into one experience!
