Project Vortex

Adapatable Curriculum

Project Vortex members collaborate with educators around the globe. We share our techniques and offer adaptable curriculum and lesson plans for use in academic settings for all ages. Many of us independently develop and aid in the implementation of coursework designed to educate and inspire students and help facilitate full time educators to make eliminate some of the challenges that come with working with plastic debris. We believe it is essential to encourage wider use of plastic debris for art and design applications.

A few examples of open-source teaching materials are available below. These outlines can be adapted to suit most parameters. Many members of the Project Vortex collective enjoy working with communities via teaching, workshopping and appearances. Feel free to contact an artist directly or email to info@projectvortex.org and we can help you get in touch with an artist in our network who is near you.

Sculpture + Intercepting the Waste Stream

This college course was designed by Project Vortex founding artist Aurora Robson as an introductory sculpture course. The focus is on transforming waste material into a 3-dimensional work of art with an emphasis on quality over quantity. It provides an introduction to environmentally conscious techniques, literature and processes. Group discussions and critiques, film screenings, and readings complement studio time. Students are required to come to the first day of class with a sizable collection of material they have collected from any “waste stream” which they find inspiring to use as a medium. The class commences with a river, stream, creek or shore clean-up and culminates with a pop-up exhibition of work created by the students at a public gallery or cultural venue. The exhibition functions as a silent auction/fundraiser with all proceeds from the sale of the students' sculptures donated to local conservation or clean-up organizations. This course and variations of it have been implemented around the world.

Curating The Beach

Suitable for all ages, this is a workshop to intensify love for nature and empower action created by environmental artist Liina Klauss. In ‘Curating-the-Beach’ participants look at their environment as if it were an art gallery. The findings on a beach range from shells to ghost-nets to driftwood to plastic. Everything is art material, no discrimination made. This workshop can be conducted with a minimum of 10 and maximum of 80 participants. It can happen on a beach, on the side of a road, a river or a dump. Wherever we find ourselves, be it sand, concrete, grass or wasteland it will be our gallery. Whatever we find, marine litter, rocks, flowers, plastic bottles, all will be our art material.

Tracing Waste

Recommended for ages 4 to 99, this simple workshop was created by environmental artist, Liina Klauss, to sensitize awareness for marine pollution. The course provides a suggested interactive methodology where participants can develop their knowledge through a cleanup curation, life drawing, creative writing, sharing and discussion followed by a potential exhibition or sharing of lessons learned with family and the local community.