Category Archives: color garden

Taller de la luz – Lamparas de Tuetano

taller de la luz
taller de la luz

Maria Isabel, archeologist from Swiss, living in Spain offer her second workshop in the color garden of CASAdelDRAGON in Cervera del Maestre. This workshop will be about prehistoric illumination and light.

In a 3 hour session you will experience how to assamble material and how to build a light, like the prehistoric people did it 40 – 35.000 years a.DC.

The workshop will be held in the colorgarden / art camp of CASAdelDRAGON. In case of bad weather the workshop will be held in the gallery itself.

Meeting point is 10.30 am at the house of the Dragon (Calle Las Parras) or 11 am at the color garden 1000m down the hill from Cervera del Maestre.

You are interested? Great. Please announce your partizipation till 10.04.2020 12am via email (juan / at / petry . eu) or use WhatsApp 0049 160 99131933 (artsurpriseme).

The Picasso of Tomorrow

The Picasso of Tomorrow
The Picasso of Tomorrow

Agnieszka Merta is a mother (of a 4 years old boy) and an artist. She is living in UK and Spain and she will offer a workshop about drawing and painting and sculpturing based on natural materials and inspired by nature.

I like to invite your children for a very special art class where our creative energy is inspired by nature. We will draw, paint and sculpt looking at the nature around us in the FamiliaFeliz community garden in Cervera del Maestre.

The sky, the ground, the trees and animals around us have always been inspiration for artists! Let your child imagination go, grow and blossom. Hope to see you soon

Agnieszka Merta, Artist

The workshop is created and held by a mother and professionally trained artist. The fee of 10 Euros per children includes all used materials. We will meet 26.04.2020 at 11 am in the color garden (or in case of bad weather events inside the CASAdelDRAGON).

For further information and answers to your questions please contact the artist directly: WhatsApp +447984458808 or mail agymerta/at/gmail.com.

experimental cooking – participative art event

experimental cooking
experimental cooking

As part of the artistic and social project of CASAdelDRAGON in 2020 we invite you for one very special art & cooking event. Sunday 25.04.2020 at 11am we will meet in the color garden of familiafeliz. We will cook together in a two hour session and enjoy after the color garden and art camp of CASAdelDRAGON.

The workshop is open for vegan & vegetarian friends as well as for those who eat meat!

This event is linked to previous events in Spain and Germany and also to the upcoming exhibition in the house of the dragon.

You are interested? Great. Please announce your partizipation till 20.04.2020 12am via email (juan / at / petry . eu) or use WhatsApp 0049 160 99131933 (artsurpriseme).

We expect a contribution of 10 Euros for buying the food and drinks. The workshop itself is free of charge. Meeting points are 10.30am at CASAdelDRAGON Calle Las Parras,19 12578 Cervera del Maestre or 11am inside the art camp in the color garden (1000m down the hill from CASAdelDRAGON).

experimental cooking – smoked out of tajine
participative art event
CASAdelDRAGON
Las Parras,19
12578 Cervera del Maestre
Castellon

Start 11am / Duration 2+4 hours / 10 Euros for food and drinks per person / limited places / Apply till 20.04.2020 12am

The food of tomorrow at less entropy

experimental gardening - the food of tomorrow - heavens gate for paramedcium
experimental gardening – the food of tomorrow – heavens gate for paramedcium

One of my best memories of biology lessons at school was the introduction into fauna and flora in microscopic size. We harvested some grass outside the school building and cut it into little pieces. We stored it in a jar with some water for 3 weeks and we explored the life inside of one drop of the liquid under a microscope.

expoerimental gardening - the food of tomorrow - a bed in the color garden
experimental gardening – the food of tomorrow – a bed in the color garden

On September 2019 we designed a new bed in the entrance of the art camp, which is part of the color garden of CASAdelDRAGON. After harvesting delicious cauliflowers and some onions in January 2020 we prepared the bed for a new season with salads and herbs beginning of March 2020.

experimental gardening - the food of tomorrow - new setup for a new season
experimental gardening – the food of tomorrow – new setup for a new season

We cleaned the stone frame around and inside the bed and collected a big pile of grass and rotten organic material.

experimental gardening - the food of tomorrow - replacing and testing the watering system
experimental gardening – the food of tomorrow – replacing and testing the watering system

We covered the soil with hay from another field nearby and we tested the watering system.

experimental gardening - the food of tomorrow - ready to grow
experimental gardening – the food of tomorrow – ready to grow

Finally the bed was ready. But we thought about all the organic material with was part of this bed before. If we take out season by season salads and vegetables we need to fertilize and re-energize the soil. We are using already methods like composting and terra preta and water from aquaponics. The question was: what else we can try to transform organic waste into something useful for our beds.

The memory of the magical biology lesson guided us to another experiment.

experimental gardening - the food of tomorrow - the paramecium reactor
experimental gardening – the food of tomorrow – the paramecium reactor

We stored all the organic waste from cleaning the bed inside a blue barrel and placed it under a carob tree nearby. We filled it up with stored rain water.

The water will cloud greenish, stink and in the next 2 weeks there will be a strong increase of numerous bacteria, both aerobic and anaerobic. A lot of them will be later food for paramecium, a single – celled – organism. We will add some of the liquid to the bed when we are going to water the plants in the bed.

Paramecium is a very good indicator for water quality and in many aspects an interesting organism (its DNA has double size compared to humans).

To transform organic waste close to the bed into a useful fertilizer is a strategy we will explore more. Following the second law of thermodynamics and reduce the increase of entropy will guide us to our food of tomorrow.

mosaic workshop in the art camp of CASAdelDRAGON

taller-trencadis-castellon
taller-trencadis-castellon

A l’abril de 2020, famíliafeliz et convida a fer un taller artístic sobre un mosaic trencadís. El taller tindrà lloc els dies 11 i 12 d’abril de 2020, de 10h a 13h i de 15 a 17h. El taller és gratuït per a adults i nens (edat mínima de 8 anys acompanyats per un adult participant) i s’inclouen menjar i begudes. Les places són limitades. Aquest taller està relacionat amb esdeveniments anteriors a Espanya i Alemanya i també amb l’exposició de la casa del drac.

El punt de trobada és la residència d’artistes CASAdelDRAGON 11.04.2020 a les 10.30h o a l’entrada del jardí de colors a les 11.00h.

Les persones que facin el taller i estiguin interessades a fer servir l’opció d’allotjament poden registrar-se al 10.04.2020 a partir de les 17:00 o les 23:00. fins a les 9.00 hores.

Si voleu fer el taller, poseu-vos en contacte amb Juan / at / petry.eu o utilitzeu el WhatsApp 0049 16099131933. Si necessiteu allotjament, podríem oferir places limitades a la residència d’artista CASAdelDRAGON des del dia 10.4.2020 al 13.04.2020.

 L’objectiu principal del taller és comprendre la tècnica i les estratègies d’obres d’art mosaic més grans, així com realitzar algunes noves obres d’art per al jardí de colors de CASAdelDRAGON.

Si voleu participar, poseu-vos en contacte amb nosaltres abans del 05.04.2020 a les 12h.

Taller de trencadís
CASAdelDRAGON
Residència d’artistes
Las Parras, 19
12578 Cervera del Maestre
Castelló

In April 2020 FamiliaFeliz envites for an artistic workshop about trencadis ( mosaic ). The workshop will happen 11 and 12 of April 2020 each day from 10am to 1pm and from 3pm to 5pm. The workshop is free for adults and kids (minimum age 8 years, guided by one partent) and includes food and drinks. Places are limited. This workshop is linked to previous events in Spain and Germany and also to the upcoming exhibition in the house of the dragon.

Meeting point is the artist residence CASAdelDRAGON 11.04.2020 at 10.30am or at the entrance of the color garden at 11.00am.

Guests who want to use the accommodation option are able to checkin 10.04.2020 after 5pm or 11.04. till 9.00am.

If you are interested in this workshop please contact juan / at/ petry.eu or use WhatsApp 0049 16099131933 . If you need accomodation we could offer limited places in the artist residence CASAdelDRAGON from 10.4. to 13.04.2020.

The main goal of the workshop is to understand technique and strategies of larger mosaic art works and to realize some new pieces of art for the color garden of CASAdelDRAGON.

If you want to partizipate please contact us before 05.04.2020 12pm !

taller de trencadis
CASAdelDRAGON
Artist residence
Las Parras,19
12578 Cervera del Maestre
Castellon

All about LOVE – participative art event

all about love - participative art event
all about love – participative art event

Com a part d’un projecte social i artístic a CASAdelDRAGON aquest 2020, us convidem a un acte molt especial. El diumenge 22.03.2020 a les 11h ens trobarem al Jardí del Color de la Familiafeliz. Allà pintarem i dibuixarem junts i juntes durant dues hores. Aquest esdeveniment està connectat a accions anteriors dutes a terme tant a Espanya com a Alemanya i també amb l’exposició de la Casa del Drac.

T’interessa? Genial. Anoteu la vostra participació. Oberta la inscripció fins el 20.03.2020 a les 12h a través del correu electrònic (Juan / at / petry.eu) o utilitzeu WhatsApp 0049 160 99131933 (artsurpriseme).

Per participar a l’esdeveniment és gratuït. Els punts de trobada són a les 10.30h al carrer CASAdelDRAGON Las Parras, 19 12578 Cervera del Maestre o a les 11h a l’interior del camp d’art al jardí de colors (1000m baix del turó de CASAdelDRAGON).

All about LOVE (Tot sobre l’Amor)
esdeveniment artístic participatiu
CASAdelDRAGON
Las Parras,19
12578 Cervera del Maestre
Castellón

Inici 11:00 / Durada 2 hores / Entrada lliure / places limitades / Sol·licitar fins el 20.03.2020 12:00

As part of the artistic and social project of CASAdelDRAGON in 2020 we invite you for one very special art event. Sunday 22.03.2020 at 11am we will meet in the color garden of familiafeliz. We will paint and draw together in a two hour session. This happening is linked to previous events in Spain and Germany and also to the upcoming exhibition in the house of the dragon.

You are interested? Great. Please announce your partizipation till 20.03.2020 12am via email (juan / at / petry . eu) or use WhatsApp 0049 160 99131933 (artsurpriseme).

To participate in the event is free of charge. Meeting points are 10.30am at CASAdelDRAGON Calle Las Parras,19 12578 Cervera del Maestre or 11am inside the art camp in the color garden (1000m down the hill from CASAdelDRAGON).

All about LOVE
participative art event
CASAdelDRAGON
Las Parras,19
12578 Cervera del Maestre
Castellon

Start 11am / Duration 2 hours / Entrance free / limited places / Apply till 20.03.2020 12am

I la llum es va fer

 “Que existeixi la llum”. I la llum va existir.

(Gn 1,3)
contemporary art exhibition in the house of the dragon
contemporary art exhibition in the house of the dragon

I la llum es va fer

Per Assumpta Arasa Altimira i Ira Vonnegut

I, van passar els anys, mil·lennis, i la vida al planeta, a poc a poc, ho va anar cobrint tot. Perquè cada societat ha intentat explicar com va ser aquest inici. Com en un petit planeta, d’una estrella de nivell 40, ha sigut capaç de crear-se vida. I quina vida!

Però malgrat aquesta bellesa, podem estar tristos i tristes. Incendis, inundacions, desequilibris atmosfèrics, aniquilació d’espècies d’animals senceres, contaminació de rius, aires irrespirables, el final real d’aquest el nostre paradís sembla que el tenim davant dels nostres ulls.

Avui, més que mai, ens veiem obligats i obligades a lluitar per casa nostra, la Terra. Per això, la necessitat de fer aquesta exposició. Perquè també des de l’Art i la Cultura hem de reivindicar la vida i la dignitat d’aquesta, perquè necessitem que la Llum i l’Esperança torni a fer-se! (PDF)

And the light was done

And, years, millennia passed, and life on the planet, little by little, covered everything. Because, as far as we know, every society has tried to explain how this beginning was. As it seems strange for our small planet (one from a star level 40) to create life. And what a beautiful life! 

But despite this beauty, we can be very sad. Fires, floods, atmospheric imbalances, the annihilation of whole animal species, river pollution, breathless air, the end of this paradise seems to be just in front of our eyes, facing this every single day.

Today, more than ever, we, as humans, are forced to fight for our home, the Earth. This is why we want and need to put together this exhibit. Because we believe that we must vindicate, also trough Art and Culture, the life on our planet and its dignity, because we need Light and Hope to exist again!

Inauguration : 21.03.2020 – 7 pm – CASAdelDRAGON, Las Parras,19 – 12578 Cervera del Maestre – Castellon – Spain – special guest > musician Sinta Salvadó

Exhibition 22.03.2020 – 08.05.2020 – every Saturday and Sunday 10am to 2pm

This exhibition is linked to several workshops, located at the art camp of CASAdelDRAGON.

mas actividads… / more activities…

all about love – painting session | mosaic workshop – tencadis

The shower of happiness

the shower of happiness - every end is a beginning
the shower of happiness – every end is a beginning

I paint, see the black lines of the artist Nora Valdez. Dark figures. Menacing guardians of ambition guard unknown fears. Strong forces are in front of me.

Rolf Habel, artist, social worker, musician, friend

In early 2020 CASAdelDRAGON invited the German artist and musician Rolf Habel for a visit in the artist residence. We enjoyed him the third time in the house of the dragon, as a close eye witness of the progress of our living community.

the shower of happiness - nice lunch in the art camp
the shower of happiness – nice lunch in the art camp

As all the guests Rolf enjoyed the tasty food in our art camp. It is a pleasure and high value, to be able to harvest fresh salad close to the art camp in our own garden and to prepare it “just-in-time”.

From the beginning Rolf was attracted by some drawings on the walls of showers and dry toilets in the art camp. It was an intervention from Nora, a famous artist from Boston, United States, who created a sculpture nearby.

the shower of happiness - in the line of creation
the shower of happiness – in the line of creation

Rolf started to paint, with a lot of respect for the original drawings on the wall. Like the goal of the art camp itself, it became a flow of creation.

the shower of happiness - colorised interpretations
the shower of happiness – colorised interpretations

In the last week of his visit Rolf was highly motivated to arrive every morning in the garden area to continue the work. He was feeling exited by having this bigger canvas to work on. For him it was also a return to some memories of his past and a silent dialogue with our social community project and all its implications.

the shower of happiness - a kind of dialoge
the shower of happiness – a kind of dialoge

Here, someone wants to assert who is considered to be what. The wood is thirsty and the brushes are hard. Paint residues in cans that have not been opened for a long time. The sun shines and warms me soothingly. The almonds bloom, bees hum.

Rolf Habel, artist, social worker, musician, friend
the shower of happiness - following the guidelines
the shower of happiness – following the guidelines

It is early February and I am Spain, visit my friend Juan. He asked me to bring some color to the impressive but somehow very dark world of drawings – which were applied by the sculptor and famous artist Nora Valdez – to the toilet and shower shed of the ARTCAMP of the CASAdelDRAGON, the artist residence of the living community FamiliaFeliz.

Rolf Habel, artist, social worker, musician, friend
the shower of happiness - respectful interventions
the shower of happiness – respectful interventions

I have a lot of respect for Noras work, which reminds me of lead glazing in churches. Almost something sacred comes from these drawings. I want my colors to shine like colorful glass. I feel myself in their ideas, feel a little like someone who reads in the foreign diary. Changing my colors, bringing light to the narratives.

Rolf Habel, artist, social worker, musician, friend
the shower of happiness - the artist absorbed by emotions
the shower of happiness – the artist absorbed by emotions

More and more cheerfulness comes into the strict composition. I reshape the specifications so that it now appears as if the painting has been poured from above on this house. At least that’s what i feel like in the meantime. Waves and waves of happiness are supposed to overwhelm the visitor of the shower. Like the fairy tale “Sterntaler” from the collections of the Brothers Grimm. Be brave, you’re not poor, you may have so little, give everything away, give your last shirt, you will be richly rewarded in this shower of happiness.

Rolf Habel, artist, social worker, musician, friend
the shower of happiness - donations of color - ready to use for our guests
the shower of happiness – donations of color – ready to use for our guests

All works done by a lot of contributers in the last years, are based on earlier contributions. Like Rolf who was inspired by Noras drawings and sketches on some walls, Nora was inspired by these four buildings in a line (which are symbolically the begining of the art camp itself). These buildings are made by people like Clara and others, to welcome guests from all over the world. They are places in a plot, which was sponsered mostly by an german artist Edgar and his wife Angela.

Rolf suggested, that a next generation of creatives arriving to the art camp, should be motivated to continue this intervention.

All this reminds to another older art projects, a joint venture in art, as part of artsurprise, another social sculpture. Nora was part of a group of 10 artists from latin america. Each artists participated with 10 little artworks and 10 european artists “answered” by adding their artworks as well in this edition.

the shower of happiness - one of four - social art in progress
the shower of happiness – one of four – social art in progress

The taste of the future – planting fruit trees

planting fruit trees
planting fruit trees

30 of January 2020 we meet at 10am in the color garden to plant a couple of fruit trees. We will check existing trees. By pruning and cleaning we will maintain the project of plantation.

Meeting points: 9.50am CASAdelDRAGON or 10am Color Garden

Part of the foundation of a living community is a solution for cheap and healthy food.

To survive in the future you need to know what you can eat, where you can find it and how to protect it.

Juan Petry

In east spain we experience a change in clima. More heavy rain events with floodings and hot and dry sessions in summer are alternating.

In our fruit tree project we discover robust variations which can handle this new climatic conditions. Using strategies of fuzzy logic we act by setting up some local solutions and nature is teaching us, what might be sustainable.

You are welcome with your ideas. Lets meet and enjoy the planting session.

The Art of Education

the art of education - what  it is and what should it be?
the art of education – what it is and what should it be?

In early 2020 we had a lot of talks about living in communities, values and goals and further activities and upcoming projects.

It was also a time to reflext about the last years. The following collection gives an overview about social educative artistic activities of our community and address one Always re-emerging question: “What is this all about?”

the art of education - exploring yourself
the art of education – exploring yourself

In spain we are runing an artist residence, the house of the dragon (CASAdelDRAGON). One key to deliver informal education is a huge garden area called the color garden. It is our campus and space for a lot of social activities like camps in nature for families with kids (left photo).

Also we are involved in the summer school activities of APEAL, which is a NGO in Bucharest (Romania).

the art of education - it stuff for informal education purpose
the art of education – it stuff for informal education purpose

For the community project of ApEAL in Chiocanesti near Bucharest we collected some IT stuff to enable the association for computerbased workshops.

the art of education - students from a german university are building bridges
the art of education – students from a german university are building bridges

A group of biology students was building a bridge over one old water channel, designed by roman and arabic conquerors. This project was not part of the original workshop but the realisation of a common wish of the students to contribute in some way to the social project of our color garden.

the art of education - participative art installation in a gallery
the art of education – participative art installation in a gallery

The CASAdelDRAGON is an artist residence, guest house and a think tank for innovative social art projects. In the basement of the house we run a gallery since more than 10 years and we use the space also for partizipative art installations like the regalo bar, a shop, in which you can not buy anything, you just can receive a donation or you can donate something to others. It was quite a challenge for latin souls to use this opportunity.

the art of education - alternative bee keeping in Castellon
the art of education – alternative bee keeping in Castellon

Part of the color garden is a vegetable garden with a lot of young fruit trees. As an addition we are involved in beekeeping in the province of Castellon. This project address the actual situation of bees between industrial agriculture, micro-economical views on nature and sustainable needs for human habitats.

the art of education - aquaponic as contemporary art
the art of education – aquaponic as contemporary art

In a relation to the MLU Halle (Martin Luther University) we hosted from time to time biology students in the guesthouse. As part of one exhibition about social art we showed an smal scale aquaponic installation.

the art of education - latin roots and european identity
the art of education – latin roots and european identity

Magda from a little village near Bucharest was sitting on the terrasse of CASAdelDRAGON and said with tears in her eyes: “I want that my Children will see what i see now!” We where thinking the same 3 years before and we invited the first kids from Romania to visit the region of Maestrazgo, the land of the templer and deeply connected to the european history. In the following years we had several groups visiting and partizipating in our social art projects and we will continue this in 2020 and further on.

the art of education - everything about love
the art of education – everything about love

In our german home unit we established the “room for art” in the basement of one house. We invited people with interest in social art and contemporary education for a one day workshop to paint together. By transforming passive visitors to active creators of their environment we sculptured their brains, following Beuys and his idea of social sculpturing.

the art of education - discovering arabic roots in spanish ground
the art of education – discovering arabic roots in spanish ground

This Hand belongs to a great person. Her name is Fadella. She was coming from Bahrein to study our community life and she gave us a very deep impact in the arabic spanish european history. Her finger points on a handmade ancient nail, laying on a stone which is part of a roman trade path (which is part of our color garden).

the art of education - lunch time
the art of education – lunch time

The hosue of the dragon is an open house. A lot of times we are sitting together and share the Food whioch guests and Friends and visitors. These events are not intensivly organised and prepared and they appear more spontaniosly – but exactly this delives a flair, with is great and special.

the art of education - a christmas market in south France
the art of education – a christmas market in south France

Our close friend Anne is runing a severgardens project in south France. Part of this UNESCO featured project is to explore, develop and share knowledge about natural pigments and dye techniques and ways to produce natural colors for artistic purpose (which is also part of our activities in the color garden in spain). We spend a very cold and long day in France to connect locals with organic products and techniques and developed some connections for the project of Anne.

the art of education - a lecture about social science
the art of education – a lecture about social science

Following an invitation we gave some lectures in Germany for students of Biology. Partizipative strategies and methods of social art projects for science and classical education might re-design the thinking of former education.

the art of education - AMAL - and a happy new year
the art of education – AMAL – and a happy new year

In the educative space of Cecile – permaculture Penyaflor – near Tortosa we invited the guests to paint with us, reflecting the theme L.O.V.E. Later these art works became part of an exhibition under the title AMAL.

the art of education - workshop for leader
the art of education – workshop for leader

In Romania we organised a workshop about leadership. A group of children, teachers, government officials and social workers was involved to create a game about leading a summercamp for youth. The game will be published as part of another social art project ARTSURPRISE. It will be a tool to train youth in social leadership.

the art of education - where we go Cecile?
the art of education – where we go Cecile?

The missing link is another social art project in which we connect social spaces like Ceciles Permaculture Penyaflor, EcoTros or others. Quo vadis – the question for all of us and especially for social entrepreneurs like Cecile.

the art of education - a rocket stove for lunch time
the art of education – a rocket stove for lunch time

German students are buildung a rocket stove in the color garden. They are highly motivated by creating the foundation of something useful for the lunch of the next day (and the next day was really the next day!).

the art of education - light sculptures in Girona
the art of education – light sculptures in Gerona

In another open social space, the masia from Francesc, a friend living close to Gerona, was th stage for one art performance in the night. We created some light sculptures in the dark and enjoyed a conversation about art and relevance and sustainability of contemporary art.

the art of education - self organised cooking event as informal learning session
the art of education – self organised cooking event as informal learning session

To transform a passive event of a lunch into an active partizipation of the guests we invited some creatives in the color garden to prepare and enjoy local food and experimental cooking.

the art of education - learning as a personal process
the art of education – learning as a personal process

Learning something is in our opinion a personal process embedded into a social environment in which the person is free to discover and receive what (s)he is Looking for. Therefor the job of a contemporary living community with the goal of establishing a social space for informal learning and personal happiness is to create this space, to maintain it and to protect it.

the art of education - the free university of informal education
the art of education – the free university of informal education

Tine gave a workshop about awareness and meditation. The workshop was part of the educative activities of our free University (UNIIE). This underline, that we see our task more in enableling the space for informal learning than to just offer workshops.

A lot of people have a lot to tell. We want to enable them to do this… and to enjoy it at the same time.

the art of education - sense and meaning in life
the art of education – sense and meaning in life

Life brings people to the house of the dragon and they continue their way through their lifes. Some of them, as the nordic nod mosaic in the kitchen of the CASAdelDRAGON reflects, find back later and enjoy another time what they created and what others created in between.

If you have been reading this article till now – something we appreaciate a lot – you might belong to a group of people who really want to go deep into something. If you cross all These pieces of Information and ask yourself where is the red line in all of this, it is the power and success of partizipative art and ist influence on contemporary education. We are not aware about the outcome but we feel to be part of a wider movement of a lot of creative people all over the world. And even if we do not know if we will reach the goal, we are happy on the way.