Cultural Memory & Symbol

Required Book:
“Lost and Found”; Amy Heller & Gail Browne; Schiffer Publishing; ISBN 978-0764359422
(All Books Can be purchased at Brewster Book Store)
Suggested Books:
- “Still: The Art of Noticing”; Mary Jo Hoffman; Monacelli; ISBN 978-1580936330
- “Nature’s Palette: A Color Reference System from the Natural World”; Patrick Baty; Princeton University Press; ISBN 978-0691217048
- “Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames”; Lara Maiklem; Bloomsbury Publishing; ISBN 978-1408889237
- “Inside the Head of a Collector: Neuropsychological Forces at Play”; Shirley M. Mueller, MD; Marquand Books; ISBN 978-0999652275
Recommended Supplies:
Highly Recommended:
- Smartphone camera
- Journal with watercolor paper (cold press)
- Soft pencil (HB, H, or #2)
- Pencil sharpener
- Technical drawing pen
- Refillable brush pen
- Colored pencils (watercolor pencils work well)
- Watercolor set (Art Toolkit)
Optional:
- Backpack or shoulder bag
- Binder clips
- Small ruler
- Small mixing palette
- Small sponge
- Small rag
- Small water bottle
- Small water spray bottle
- Small syringe (no needle)
- White gel pen
- Color wheel
- Small hand lens or magnifier
March 23, 2026 – 10:00 - 12:00 am – Cultural Memory & Symbol – Brewster Book Store
Description: Natural objects carry cultural symbolism and artistic history. Shells have been currency and ornament. Driftwood becomes sculpture. Stones mark memory. Feathers represent freedom, spirituality, or migration.
This session invites participants to shift from observer to storyteller.
Topics Covered:
- How artists have used found objects
- The Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi (beauty in imperfection)
- How meaning is layered onto material
