Photos and stories from Sarah Kerr Photography

CAMERS, SPICE AND CHAI an evening of photos

2011-08-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

Cameras, spice and Chai,
by photographer Sarah Kerr.
Slide show & presentation about here volunteering and travels in India

Freakin’ CoffeeShop, Aug 25th, 7 pm

106-2456 Rosewall Cres. Tintown, Courtenay

Sarah Kerr will share her experiences; photos and short videos with you of her resent three month stay in India. From teaching school kids photography, with Kids to Kids and volunteering with Fertile Ground in Assam to spices of Jaipur and chai in Darjeeling. This evening is going to be a wonderful journey for your eyes and ears.

www.sarahkerrphotography.ca

FMI : 250.337.5863 or Freakin’ 250.338.0229

or FMI about Fertile Ground/ Kids to Kids

www.fertile-ground.org

2011-07-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

Moments for Vancouver Island MusicFest 2011.

The question I have gotten recently and every year after this amazing festival when running into aquatints or neighbors is "so what music did you enjoy the most at MusicFest this year?"

I always grin and try to think of at least one band or performance that I may have actually sat down and listen to. Sometimes I remember mostly I say " really I don't go to MusicFest for the music". Most people find that odd and seem a little put out when I say this but as the years go on it is become apparent to me that the music is not the main resin for me to be at MusicFest. So you may "ask what is"? The moments of MusicFest. This year it was connecting with some of the volunteers and find out about their stories of volunteering or their families volunteering over the generations. The moments when the crowd is really enjoying a show and I get a little taste it because the music is about to end. In past years I went and talked to the people out in the camp grounds about their experiences at the Fest and that was really fun and like a whole other world that I had never really experienced, the weekend camping experience that is.

The the main thing I enjoy the most about MusicFest is every year I get to see my friends perform and develop their crafts, like contact dance or hula hooping or poi and acting. These friends and performs make the weekend what MusicFest is for me. The moments that I get to see them shine and show the community what talented people they truly are. The purpose of these performers is to be bring wonder and magic to the festival site and this is what I truly love to see happen. I always feel so honored to photograph them and see their beauty thought my lens.

So really I just love magic.

Here are a few of those people doing what they do best,

More Moments from VI Music Fest 2011

weaving my way though time

2011-07-01T22:51:00.000-07:00

My time in Assam seems like a dream to me, so far away, but I think I am still in a very long dream. Some momments I really want more then anything to wake up and some moments I cant beleave that I am not dreaming. As India always is it messess with everything you hold as truth.
I now have moved into the south of India to the supper heat and some supper old parts of the world. The Caves at Ellora were amazing and so much history. I am so glad my journeys have lead me to this wonderful place. On to new adventures.

2011-07-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite images for working with Fertile Ground

and doing the Kids to Kids Photo project.

Eager first class of students, Kids to Kids photo project.

Sharing their photos, Kids to Kids photo project.

Aspiring artist proud of his work and his culture.

Capturing Culture, Kids to Kids photo project.

Seeing their environment in a different way, Kids to Kids photo project.

Girls planting their trees as part of Kids to Kids and "Prakriti" Save Nature connection.

Kids proud of their competed collage, Kids to Kids photo project.

Images for working with Fertile Ground: East/West Sustainability Network

One of my favorite parts of this trip was visiting the Singpho friends and seeing some of their tea gardens.

Rajesh Singpho Organic Tea Grower, Fertile Ground.

Pompy Gosh, watering demonstration garden, Fertile Ground.

LeighAnn share how to make paper airplanes on a rainy day, Fertile Ground.

Working together to make some compost tea, Fertile Ground.

Planting new seeds in new deminstration garden in Sodia, Fertile Ground

Three of the Sodia school teachers.

Peggy and LeighAnn deciding how the Kids to Kids funding can best effective in helping the local schools.

Little ones learning songs in small Sodia School.

Joy full learning classes held on Sundays, a class dedicated to art, singing and dancing.

Getting a new swing set ready, painting it red!

Mr Soban making dinner for staff and volunteers, Fertile Ground

Sanjip collecting roofing materials for little shelter in new garden

Fertile Ground Gang at the new demonstration Garden in Sodia

Growing our future, Mahan Borah of "Prakriti" Save Nature and Peggy Carswell ED of Fertile Ground

Onyx making a very poignant speech at the ingratiation for "Prakriti" Save Nature.

Traditional Assamese Bihu dancing as part of ingratiation for "Prakriti" Save Nature

Vermicompost, the future to help our fertile ground, Fertile Ground.

"Kids To Kids Project" talk at the Zocalo

2011-06-04T16:57:00.000-07:00

Come join Onyx, LeighAnn and Sarah as they share their stories about their trip to Assam India and their involvement in the Kids to Kids project.

What started as 4 Comox Valley children helping at Fertile Ground's fundraiser almost 2 years ago, has turned into an amazing project connecting kids here with kids from Assam, India. The Kids To Kids Project is raising awareness in the younger generations in two very different cultures about the universal need for sustainability on a worldwide level.

The Kids To Kids Project is continuing to bring kids in Assam and kids in the Valley together as they work to support healthy environmental practices around the planet. Onyx, LeighAnn and Sarah are looking forward to sharing stories and photos on Sunday, June 5 at 2pm at the Zocalo Cafe. The photo collages from the Assamess school children will also be on display at The Zo from June 1.

5 schools and around 150 students

2011-03-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

To date, around 150 children have been taught some photography skills and 5 classrooms in 5 schools have had the opportunity think about the environment and how they can show Canadian children what they are doing to help theirs, thought the kids to kids program.

Well it has been an epic three weeks here in Jorhat working with Prakiti: Save Nature, and the school kids here. It has been a learning experience for me and great teaching experiences too. I am so honored to have had the opportunity to partner with a great NGO here that is really doing some great work, in the education of farmer and now with school kids to raise the awareness of organic practices and sentimental awareness.

Teaching in Assam is really a joy but a challenge as I am not a quick learner of languages so the support and teamwork that made this program happen was really important. Each of my explanations needed to be translated and explained in such a why that would be understandable to the kids and with the support of many of the Prakiti volunteers this was possible. Mahan a major volunteer and organizer with Prakiti has been my partner in this process and has helped me with the classes and understanding ways to teach so that the kids will learn better. When I watch him speak on matters regarding the environment the kids are just spellbound and really enjoy his talks, so this is really inspirational to me. My classes are covering simple things such as how to turn the camera on and take a photo along with some examples of how to take better photos. Letting the kids have time to use the cameras is most important and then trying to give them some one on one examples, but this is hard as there are more 30 students and more the 14 cameras in use at one time. Keeping them all charged and running and getting the photos off the cameras and printed has been a full time job on its own.

When I arrived at the school there would always be a major commotion, as the kids would come out to the western woman. Smiling faces and long stairs and giggles and screams of from the little kids they are always so funny. The older kids all say “hello Mama” and that is also quite funny and cute too.

I think my favorite day is the last day when we go to a kid’s house to do a field day. We gather and the kid that lives there are asked to name a tree in their name and plant it in their yard. They have a lot of fun with the and I think take it really serenely, as I think Mohan does a great job at explaining the importance of this friendship and responsibility of the life of this tree to the child. Then the kids are asked to take photos of the house and family and most importantly cultural things that make Assamese life unique. The photographing of things like hand looms and silk spinners is always a hit with the kids. Then at the end of the class we have been asking the kids if anyone knows a song or can do a performance for us. Some have been class prayers other traditional songs from tribal communities and in one school a boy did an outstanding job of a theatrical monologue. I am really looking forward to cutting these all together.

The last two days of being in Jorhat we have visited two of the schools and worked on the collages for the kids to kids project. What we have asked from each class of kids is to make a 4 page collage. One page for kids and friends, one for the school, one for the home life and culture and last one for environment and good works they have done to help the environment. This has been like a full circle and a good conclusion to see then kids getting to choose their photos they want the Canadian kids to see. I am so looking forward to seeing what the Canadian kids have to present to the Assamese kids back.

Leigh Ann and Onyx arrived today in Digboy and I will join then tomorrow and start the next leg of my journey. We will spend some days in the Singpho villages doing working with the school kids there on the kids to kids project as well. That will take about a week and then we will make the very long and bumpy ride up to Sodyia were we will spend another week doing this work as well. I am really looking forward to having a team of us doing this project and really to let Onyx do some of the teaching and playing with the kids. I think this will be a life changing experience for him and Leigh Ann along with the kids that get to have time with them.

On the 26^th we all come back to Jorhat to have a final celebration and inauguration of Prakiti: Save Nature. This will be in the afternoon and some of the children will be there to talk about their experience and most of all show off their wonderful collages. These collages and Leigh Ann, Onyx, Kel and Peggy will be going back to Canada from there and that will end Canadians teaching the Kids to Kids project for this year at least from this side. I think there will be a flurry of activities once they all return and so does the spring and greenery to Courtenay.

Well as they say let “let the journey continue”

Sarah Kerr

Overveiw of the Kids to Kids as I see it now.

2011-02-22T21:06:00.000-08:00

The Kids to Kids project is working toward bring kids in Assam and kids in Comox Valley into a friendship. This will be achieved through sharing stories and photos about their lives and their practices in environmentalism. The need for education about how we can help our environment and how to grow our own food healthily is a universal issue and this along with sharing culture is a great connection to be made between the two communities.

I have started teaching in Jorhat, Assam now and plan to go to 4 or 5 schools, most being classes 9/10 but also some younger too. The kids are eager to learn about the camera and how to use it, most have not used a camera before and so this is a fun experience for them. They are very coures about the other children that they will be connecting with. Most of the children are very shy, but in the schools were English is the main language the questions are coming. The schools are located out side of the town so they seem similar to Mervile or really to Arden rd area. We will be going out to some schools that are much more rural and are really interesting.

The program that I am asking the kids to do is to create a few collages that can be bought back to Canada. We are doing three classes with each group, first is just understanding how to use the camera, simple things like how to turn it on and use the shutter are more challenging then expected do to translation and most children have never used a camera before. The second day we are learning more about how to do some creative things and how to keep the photo looking good, this day we go around the school and show what it looks like and the plants and animals that are around.
The third day is a field day were we all go to one village near by the school were some of the children live and take photos of their homes, families gardens and cultural things. At this village we will also be planting a tree for each of the children, were these children are responsible for keeping that tree growing, so we will have images of this activity too.

So these photos will be collected and one big or a few smaller collages will be made for each group of kids so there should be about 5 from the schools in the Johat area. I am intending to teach in about 3 other towns as well, but will take more about that when I finish the teaching here.

Teaching Photography in Assam

2011-02-18T21:03:00.000-08:00

So today is my second class with the Kids to Kids project. I am in Jorhat a bussalling city in Assam. The school I am teaching at is out in the outlaying areas of the town. Great school and pricaple very supportive.

Having fun and working hard.

First Day in Assam

2011-02-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

First Day in Assam, staying in Digboy at the Rodery House with the Peggy and Kell and the other volunteers.
When to the Fertile Ground Deminstration Garden and watched Peggy and Poppy give a training to about 10 farmers from a naughbooring town. Started taking photos, a little slow, but I think it is the get lag,, also it maybe that this is the first day without coffee.
Well not too much to say and will have photos to add soon.

In the paper in NOV

2011-01-29T20:24:00.000-08:00

Seeds of Rhythm a big success

2011-01-29T20:05:00.000-08:00

Amazing time had by all.