Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.
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See Yourself Here? Share with us your creative ideas or projects and you could be featured on this page. Send a brief description and any accompanying imagery to Jodi Greenwald at jgreenwald@ballantynemagazine.com. The magazine staff reviews submissions and consults with Matt Olin at CreativeMornings/Charlotte, www.charlotteiscreative.com. C R E A T I V E S P A R K Full STEAM Ahead! Teacher Fuels Enthusiasm for Science By Matt Olin and Jodi Werner Greenwald | Photos by Ray Sepesy SEE YOURSELF HERE? Share with us your creative ideas or projects, and you could be featured on this page. To be considered, send a brief description and any accompanying imagery to Jodi Greenwald at jgreenwald@ballantynemagazine.com. C R E A T I V E S P A R K Vintage Vibe Local Resident Fashions Wearable Art By Matt Olin and Jodi Werner Greenwald | Photo by Ray Sepesy In this edition of "Creative Spark," Morris shares her creative process with Matt Olin from CreativeMorn- ings/Charlotte, www.charlotteiscreative.com. What was your original "spark" of inspiration? The altered couture styles I discovered on Etsy. But the more I searched, the more what I wanted was in my own head. That was the beginning of my "self-taught" adventure. From where do you source your vintage textiles? In the beginning, it was my mom being an excellent early-bird hunter at yard sales. I now have contacts that specialize in sell- ing vintage linens. Friends and customers also donate beauti- ful linens to me to repurpose. How long does it take to create a single garment? From two hours to two days. Sometimes I will look at a large tablecloth for hours, hold it up at different angles, plan the cuts around the patterns. If it's big and beautiful, I pray over it. I have to get up enough nerve to cut it. I can't imagine being a surgeon. Do you have a favorite piece? My current favorite is one I dyed an eggplant shade because it was stained. It merged per- fectly with a faux suede jacket I rescued from a thrift store. Is there creative tension inherent in creating clothes that are both works of art and something practical to be worn? Mixing prints can be a chal- lenge from an aesthetic standpoint as well as a wearable one. Cer- tain prints and colors have a lot more range of flattery than oth- ers. Early on I decided if I could merge unpredictable elements and keep it comfortable, I would have a successful line of clothing. What's up next? I have big plans for my little scraps. Nothing should go to waste. I would like to see a whole separate product line produced from my leftover pieces. The cus- tomer would be informed at point of purchase that a portion of each sale goes to help a specific charity. Anything else you'd like to tell us? I am a single mother who started on a shoestring budget. My most valuable trade secret is my mom. She tags, trims, runs errands and picks up all the slack when I travel to shows. She's my amazing sweat- equity, dependable business partner. Cara Morris creates wearable art from the basement of her Ballantyne home. She sells her one-of-a-kind pieces at boutiques, art shows and on her website, www.runway45.com. In 2016, she won "Best in Show" at Waxhaw's Kaleidoscope Fest. C R E A T I V E S P A R K Written Legacy Simple Notes, Letters Enrich the Human Spirit By Matt Olin and Jodi Werner Greenwald | Photo by Ray Sepesy What was it like growing up as the "dreamer" in your family? I think being the dreamer was a direct result of being the middle child. Thinking outside the box was a necessity early in life. Find- ing creative ways to stand out and express one's self is essential for everyone. The middle child learns to do it a little earlier than most. What's been most challeng- ing about creating your book, "A Life through Letters"? Making sure that I captured the spirit in which my father wrote his original letters. That was ever present in my work. It was such an honor to posthu- mously co-write with my father, and I wanted to get it right. How did you keep yourself motivated and accountable to see this project through? I had worked on the project starting in early 2013. Then in January 2015 I simply decided that was the year I was publish- ing the book. I picked a date and would not let myself stop until it was completed. I would often think of the struggles my father had in his life due to his physical limitations. That always kept me motivated. How do you want your book to make others feel? I hope this book inspires people to connect. We all have people in our lives with whom we should be in touch. A simple note or letter has such a tre- mendous impact on the human spirit. Emails can be deleted in a fraction of a second. As I say in the book, letters can last a lifetime — and sometimes beyond. Where are favorite spots in Ballantyne to get inspired? Rush espresso, hands down. I spent a tremendous amount of time there while working on the book. It is where I go to write, connect and create. Paul and Jenny have done an amazing job of creating a space that feels like a community. Anything else to share? I see letter writing as a way to preserve one's legacy. One of the very fortunate by-products of this project is that I now have a living, breathing tribute to my father and our entire family from which my two little boys can learn. I would encourage everyone to take the time to capture that same legacy and put their own stamp on it. FOR MORE INFORMATION http://www.alifethroughletters.com https://creativemornings.com/cities/clt Ballantyne author Ashley Davis found inspiration in his father's handwritten letters and published them in a curated collection. In our first Creative Spark — a collaboration with Matt Olin and the CreativeMornings/CLT team — Davis shares with us the joys and challenges of his creative process. BALLANTYNE SPRING 201 7 96 Creative Sp ark C R E A T I V E S P A R K Written Legacy Simple Notes, Letters Enrich the Human Spirit By Matt Olin and Jodi Werner Greenwal d | Photo by Ray Sepesy What was it like growing up as the "dreamer" in your family? I think being the dreamer was a direct result of being the middle child. Thinking outside the box was a necessity early in life. Find- ing creative ways to stand out and express one's self is essential for everyone. The middle child learns to do it a little earlier than most. What's been most challeng- ing about creating your book, "A Life through Letters"? Making sure that I captured the spirit in which my father wrote his original letters. That was ever present in my work. It was such an honor to posthu- mously co-write with my father, and I wanted to get it right. How did you keep yourself motivated and accountable to see this project through? I had worked on the project starting in early 2013. Then in January 2015 I simply decided that was the year I was publish- ing the book. I picked a date and would not let myself stop until it was completed. I would often think of the struggles my father had in his life due to his physical limitations. That always kept me motivated. How do you want your book to make others feel? I hope this book inspires people to connect. We all have people in our lives with whom we should be in touch. A simple note or letter has such a tre- mendous impact on the human spirit. Emails can be deleted in a fraction of a second. As I say in the book, letters can last a lifetime — and sometimes beyond. Where are favorite spots in Ballantyne to get inspired? Rush espresso, hands down. I spent a tremendous amount of time there while working on the book. It is where I go to write, connect and create. Paul and Jenny have done an amazing job of creating a space that feels like a community. Anything else to share? I see letter writing as a way to preserve one's legacy. One of the very fortunate by-products of this project is that I now have a living, breathing tribute to my father and our entire family from which my two little boys can learn. I would encourage everyone to take the time to capture that same legacy and put their own stamp on it. FOR MORE INFORMATION http://www.alifethroughletters.com https://creati vemornings.com/citi es/clt Ballantyne author Ashley Davis found inspiration in his father's handwritten letters and published them in a curated collection. In our first Creative Spark — a collaboration with Matt Olin and the CreativeMornings/CLT team — Davis shares with us the joys and challenges of his creative process. BALLA NTYNE SPRING 20 17 96 Creat i ve Spark BALLANTYNE SUMMER 2017 96 Creative Spark C R E A T I V E S P A R K Written Legacy Simple Notes, Letters Enrich the Human Spirit By Matt Olin and Jodi Werner Greenwald | Photo by Ray Sepesy What was it like growing up as the "dreamer" in your family? I think being the dreamer was a direct result of being the middle child. Thinking outside the box was a necessity early in life. Find- ing creative ways to stand out and express one's self is essential for everyone. The middle child learns to do it a little earlier than most. What's been most challeng- ing about creating your book, "A Life through Letters"? Making sure that I captured the spirit in which my father wrote his original letters. That was ever present in my work. It was such an honor to posthu- mously co-write with my father, and I wanted to get it right. How did you keep yourself motivated and accountable to see this project through? I had worked on the project starting in early 2013. Then in January 2015 I simply decided that was the year I was publish- ing the book. I picked a date and would not let myself stop until it was completed. I would often think of the struggles my father had in his life due to his physical limitations. That always kept me motivated. How do you want your book to make others feel? I hope this book inspires people to connect. We all have people in our lives with whom we should be in touch. A simple note or letter has such a tre- mendous impact on the human spirit. Emails can be deleted in a fraction of a second. As I say in the book, letters can last a lifetime — and sometimes beyond. Where are favorite spots in Ballantyne to get inspired? Rush espresso, hands down. I spent a tremendous amount of time there while working on the book. It is where I go to write, connect and create. Paul and Jenny have done an amazing job of creating a space that feels like a community. Anything else to share? I see letter writing as a way to preserve one's legacy. One of the very fortunate by-products of this project is that I now have a living, breathing tribute to my father and our entire family from which my two little boys can learn. I would encourage everyone to take the time to capture that same legacy and put their own stamp on it. FOR MORE INFORMATION http://www.alifethroughletters.com https://creativemornings.com/cities/clt Ballantyne author Ashley Davis found inspiration in his father's handwritten letters and published them in a curated collection. In our first Creative Spark — a collaboration with Matt Olin and the CreativeMornings/CLT team — Davis shares with us the joys and challenges of his creative process. BALLANTYNE SPRING 2017 96 Creative Spark What creative classroom strategies do you use? My students get excited whenever we have lab investigations or modeling activities. For example, students modeled the distribution of water on Earth in various containers to show the amounts of saltwater, freshwater, groundwater, water locked in ice and surface water. What is the most creative project you've done with your students? Mind mapping. This is a powerful graphic and vocabulary tool that starts with a central idea ("chemical change," for example) and branches from this idea with related words and pictures, such as images of fireworks. How does a creative approach to science impact your students' learning process? When students experience science and form context with real-life situations, they internalize and connect to ideas. Does it enhance your teaching experience? Absolutely! Creativity increases student and teacher interest levels. This enthusiasm helps the students build a relationship with science and with me. This helps to bridge the gap between a requirement of coming to school and the love of knowledge, learning and enjoying school experiences. STEM or STEAM? STEAM all the way. It may start with a doodle and end with a creative explanation, an invention or a solution to a local or global issue. (Editor's Note: STEM represents "science, technology, engineering and math." The "A" in STEAM stands for "art.") Did you always want to be a science teacher? While at UGA, I worked part-time as a counselor for the YWCA, and that was my first experience working with youngsters. It seemed to be a natural fit, but I didn't think it would lead to a 20-year career in education. Science and math have always been my favorite subjects. What advice on creativity do you have for other teachers? Put yourself out there and allow students to explore. Collaborate with others. Keep students engaged. Give something new a try. If things don't necessarily go as planned, adjust and try it again. Bernadette M. Young is an eighth-grade science teacher at Jay M. Robinson Middle School and a national board- certified teacher in early adolescent science. Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, she is a graduate of the University of Georgia (UGA), holds a master's degree in educational leadership from Wingate University and has taught in Charlotte for 20 years. BALLANTYNE FALL 2017 96 Creative Spark Creative Spark