Creative professionals 2013

Creative professionals 2013
Žiedūnė Aleknaitė
I am a construction engineer currently doing engineering - technical work, but creative
work is my constant companion in solving various problems or looking for a way out of any
awkward situations. Creative approach and view through an artistic prism is what helps me
find most rational and untraditional solutions. I like to sketch the information received,
create patterns, simple algorithms that are very helpful in choosing the optimal alternative.
People often ask me: how is it possible to combine art and engineering? And the answer is
very simple: they do not have to be combined; they go next to each other just like a
building of complex configuration and solid structure on the outside yet cosy, warm spaces,
unconventional and colourful interior inside of it. Seems incompatible, but at the same time
very identical.
Milda Arčikauskaitė
The essence of my activity, its main axis is a thought expressed through a musical sound
made by voice. Everything related to voice, such as an expressive word pronunciation,
different voice techneques, is what interests me. I am very interested and atracted by art
synthesis, thus I participae in performances and various projects where music, singing is in
line with dancing, movement, poetry. I am a singer and composer by profession, however,
I‘ve been always interested in teaching - it feels good to share gained knowledge with
others.
I believe I could show how to combine specific knowledge (for example, vocal exercises,
“warm-ups“ by a certain series of pitches played to a student by an instrument) with
improvisation, with that what is natural, emerges from inside a person, so that a person
holds a sense within himself/herself on how to associate specific knowledge, theory with
his/ her feelings and sings whatever he/ she finds beautiful. Because we are often taught in
schools that this is how something should be done and there is no other way for doing that,
even though I myself feel sounds and music in my own way. Thus it is important to revive
and strengthen one‘s creativity rather than closing it.
Giedrius Bagaliūnas
My creative areas are photography and design. I used photography when practicing as an
art teacher. I see how young people get interested by bringing a camera alone. Just as it
raises interest, that energy, if properly directed, can completely change the usefulness of a
lesson.
Currently, photography is very popular, accessible and is often closer to people than, say,
art, where people often feel uncomfortable, because they do not trust their abilities. It
encourages communication, working in groups. Moreover, visual arts make it easier to raise
interest, convey a message.
Andrius Blaževičius
I am a film director. What are the elements from my field that I‘ve adapted in other areas?
The most common case, yet one of the most banal ones, is watching movies and discussing
them with students and teachers. A variety of topics have been examined through movies those of historical memories, conscience, freedom, etc. New was the fact that people,
regardless of their age, almost always get involved, are not afraid of expressing their own
thoughts, are open and flexible.
During the project “I Learn from Films” we were creating films with children on topics
relevant to them - from bullying to the first love. It was interesting to observe children
trying to unravel in their movies topics important to them, to watch how sometimes their
horizons, view of the world would expand.
Salomėja Burneikaitė
My first acquired profession is directing. Theatre touched my life back in my childhood,
drew me in and never let go. Not only has a dream taken me further - acting, artistic word,
directing, puppet theatre, drama and theatre education, theatre studies, directing events,
folk art, - but also deeper, towards the project work using drama therapy techniques,
creativity dissemination, through the use of opportunities provided by puppetry or textile
techniques. Besides my main job, I have been working in schools as a drama teacher and
event director for a long time. Since then I have been happy to share my findings in
seminars, creative workshops, conferences, various meetings, camps, festivals in Lithuania
Creative professionals 2013
and abroad. I experienced that theatre makes life interesting from my first theatre
directors. This message has been revealing new opportunities to me up until now.
Mantas Cegelskas
I am an actor performing in theatre, TV and film projects. Also, I give lectures on the art of
acting to children and young people, and hold seminars to adults on the subjects of team
building, public speaking, stage movement.
What possibilities does my area of expertise provide in the learning process? To develop
the creativity of children and young people through theatre, dance and movement. With
the help of acting etudes, dancing, imagination training exercises, public speaking and text
comprehension exercises not only do I seek to reveal body expression possibilities, but also
to teach to assess various real life situations and to better adapt in social environment.
When working with children and young people I regularly use not only the usual acting
techniques of theatre teachers, but also my personal acting experience, which allow
reaching each students’ creative corners and help them get rid of complexes and fears, and
gain confidence to create. So that work through theatrical means is more effective and
gives more tangible results, dance and movement therapy is necessary for unveiling
undiscovered layers of movement, thinking and self-assessment.
Gytis Skudžinskas
I have graduated from Vilnius Academy of Arts, visual design programme. Since 1999 I have
been periodically working in visual art areas (photography, installation) and participating in
sound art projects. I have been taking part in exhibitions in both Lithuania and abroad. I
worked as a project manager in Klaipėda Cultural Communication Centre, while currently I
am employed in the Union of the Lithuanian Art Photographers. I was granted book art
awards in Vilnius book art competitions. I have published a personal photo album and
several books co-written with other writers.
I led student photography workshops in Klaipėda Cultural Communication Centre,
educational projects “Art in Manors” organized by PI “Arts Street”, presentations and
workshops in Kiev.
Laisvis Karvelis
I do work that I love - I film. Mostly films, which could probably be best defined by the
concept “creative documentary”. My status is a freelancer, which means that I do not
have a permanent chief, but at the same time I have forgotten what planned vacation
means.
Why back to school? I participated in a project where I had to give lessons in 15 schools of
Lithuania. Mostly in rural areas. Children (students) were yearning for communication,
especially for less formal. I hope that the “Creative Partnerships” project is an opportunity
to continue this dialogue.
Irina Černiukė
I am a physics-oriented PhD student, future scientists and a mother of three wonderful
children. For several years I had been fussing around between scientific career and my
family, till I finally realized that I should not be sacrificing any of them. I simply had to
combine the two passions - science and children. This is how www.tortadienis.lt organization of festivals and educational workshops on scientific topics - was created. My
goal is to interest children in all natural sciences; therefore, we always start with the
Creative professionals 2013
simplest things and move towards more difficult ones. Even a simple experiment can
impress, encourage taking interest in science. For example, a fantastic story, some
objective, is created (say, to find a treasury hidden long time ago) and some scientific
tasks are performed in order to find it.
Kristina Luna Dolinina
All my activities are related to India. I teach Hindi language and literature in university,
and practice a classical hindi dance, or, to be more precise, two styles of it...
So far I have not used the elements of skills of my area in other fields, but I believe that
there are a lot of possibilities for doing that. I believe that through the Hindi dance one
can get familiar with distant and very different culture, thus going deeper into oneself and
own culture. Also, to look into physical capabilities of one‘s body from an absolutely
different perspective and to learn to express oneself through the body language - a dance.
My area of activities can help lay foundations for the development of artistic
communication and expand the limits of cultural - aesthetic perception of the world.
Marijus Gailius
I create from words - both vocally and in writing. I am a simple mediator between sources
and perceivers: I have to appealingly and understandably process knowledge, while by
occasionally writing prose I also give shape to ingenuity.
In my former school I taught students the basics of journalism, encouraging them to
discover the pleasure of reading.
Viktoras Gundajevas
Director of cartoons, TV shows, organizer of various amateur film projects (festivals,
contests, trainings). What possibilities provided by my field do I see in the learning
process? Art lessons can be enriched by creating animations.
In ethics classes some film script can be created thus analysing one or another object. A
film-making process can allow for a deeper understanding of works of literature or
historical moments by screening them. Such activities would enrich literature or history
lessons.
Mindaugas Jakas
My work is to make objects surrounding us more beautiful. I also try to teach this craft my
students. I graduated from the graphic design programme in Vilnius Academy of Arts.
Since then I have been actively working with publications, packaging and other design
objects seen every day. For me design is not just a profession, but a way of life as well.
When working I sometimes don‘t even know whether I am working or resting.
Creative professionals 2013
A publication can be informative, decorative or illustrative. The creation of a publication
can be a great tool for learning various things. Creating and making publications with own
hands is a great pleasure from the beginning till the end of the process. I believe that this
area can become of interest to others as well.
Laurynas Katkus
My area is literature: poetry, prose and essays. Also, literary translation, including the
translation of poetry, and, if desired, literature criticism and interpretation of some piece
of art. I have released three suites of poems, a novel and a collection of essays. I have
translated a number of works of poetry, prose, essays from German to English and some from Spanish to Russian. I have defended my doctoral thesis in philology.
I believe that literature - as a narration, metaphor or argument - participates in a number
of different fields. For example, when taking part in the AKIM programme, we with
students analysed lyrics of rock songs as literature. The outcome was not bad at all:
students got a better understanding of what was said in their favourite songs, at the same
time realizing that poetry writing principles applied to these lyrics as well.
Dalius Kederys
My creative/ professional area is visual art. I see in the learning process a great
perspective for solving problems that students face; we create video clips about those
problems. I believe not only would they be able to solve them in such a way, but also this
would help draw the attention of teachers and parents, if they do not see those problems.
Gabrielia Kuodytė
I am not only a theatre and film actress, but also have practiced pedagogics. I worked in
Vilnius Naujoji Vilnia music school for three years, where I taught solo singing and the art
of acting. Also, I took part in multiple seminars, where I directed stage movement classes;
I also worked in several children camps, where I gave theatrical lessons. I am not afraid of
working with children, as, besides acting in performances on the world’s major stages, for
the fifth year I am driving around Lithuanian cities and towns, acting in kindergartens and
schools with a stained glass puppet shadow theatre “Vaivorykštė“ (English: Rainbow). I
find working with children endearing.
By taking part in this project I want to share my knowledge. My goal is artistic education
of teenagers of a problem age.
Giedrė Paplaitytė
I am a traditional jazz dance performer and teacher, one of the founders of “Lindyhop.lt
club“ and one of the first promoters of this genre of dance in Lithuania. Today I feel that I
have discovered the area of activities, which combines the basic elements of a happy
Creative professionals 2013
everyday life: freedom of movement, music of high artistic value and natural direct
communication.
This is the seventh year that I have been teaching Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz. I can
confidently say that jazz dance is a source of positivity, just like it looks from aside. These
are the dances that set free and provide a common language for those who cannot find
adequate words to express themselves. I am glad to be able to keep travelling and
teaching jazz in dancing festivals in Lithuania and abroad. Moreover, I often have a change
to direct dance lessons in places where many people that do not know each other meet
(for example in teambuilding and recreational events, private celebrations).
Gabrielė Labanauskaitė-Diena
My area is drama theory and practice, writing poetry and performing in interdisciplinary
way together with the group “AVaspo“, organization of audio-visual poetry festival TARP.
How have I applied elements from my area in other fields? In a seminar held in Klaipėda I
had a chance to present to teachers different ways of poetic expression and how classic
texts can be presented to children differently, in an innovative and interesting way - in the
form of a drawing, photograph or a movie. What came as a surprise was that teachers
were surprised themselves. It looked like there was nothing new, however, teachers,
having viewed such teaching methods sceptically, became enthusiastic about them at the
end of the seminar.
Moreover, when analysing texts with students of theatre acting and directing, we try to
always include physically active tasks and bring a piece of literature work close to the
relevant present-day context, as, according to students, such moments, experiences and
personal connection with material is what they remember best after some time.
Milda Laužikaitė
I have a bachelor‘s degree in graphics and hold a master‘s degree in photography, but my
heart has always been inclined to music, thus I‘ve constantly tried to go beyond the limits
of a painting and combine colours and sounds in performances, films and installations.
Now I am totally immersed in the sea of sounds - I sing multipart songs and simple songs, I
run my fingers over piano keys, play trombone, examine the world of percussion and
home-made instruments, participate in various musical experiments. I value music as a
pure creative process, which is not about professionalism but rather about the joy of
participation.
Žydrūnas Ramonas
I have completed directing studies.
Today I work in the Klaipėda drama theatre as the head of staging. My work includes
combining artistic, technical and creative teams for a successful result - a performance,
which continuously trains my diplomatic and creative skills, which I want to share with
school-age youngsters.
My studies and practice encouraged me to establish my own pantomime-based theatre
“Akimirkos” (English: Moments), which is my hobby. The success of it is totally dependent
on well-aimed creative ideas.
Darius Linartas
I am an architect having graduated from architecture programme in Vilnius Gediminas
Technical University back in 1997. As a student I started writing articles in cultural and
professional publications (“Kultūros barai”, “Archiforma”, “Arkitektas”, “Statybų pilotas”).
Graphomaniac propensity has gradually led me to doctoral studies. In 2011 I successfully
Creative professionals 2013
defended my doctor‘s dissertation and was awarded a PhD in Art History. I have
periodically been participating in architecture competitions, which allowed me to train
creative “muscles”, improve my teamwork skills, and collaborate with artists and experts
of other fields.
Auksė Luišaitė
For many years I have been a leader and choreographer of the dance group LEGENDA
(English: Legend), I hold a bachelor’s degree in dance pedagogy. For eight years I have
been coordinating various contemporary dance-related projects; since 2004 I have been
practicing Pilates method, and over the past five years - a dance-movement therapy.
The motto of my life is “I live because I dance”: for me dancing is not only a way of
expressing myself, but also a meeting with myself and others, movement towards myself
and self-recognition. I have been dancing since early childhood; at the age of 19 I gathered
a dance group, however, while studying/ teaching certain structure-based dancing, I
missed greater freedom of body movement, allowing the expression of experiences,
emotions, feelings, where there would be no room for comparing oneself with others and
assessing that “I do this better/ worse”. This niche was filled by a course in integrated
dance-movement psychology and psychotherapy completed several years ago.
Rita Mačiliūnaitė
I am a composer, singer, performance creator and performer. My main activity is music in
theatre and theatre in music. These are the spheres that aren’t only notes, text or acting.
Both theatre and music fit much more. A person himself can become music, while the
whole life can become a theatre. It is important to know when, where and how this could
be properly used.
I do not view art as a utopia; it is simply the right use of all experiences at a time. When
working with students I learnt a variety of educational “deceptions”: foster musical
imagination through visual objects, teach acoustic by listening to the noise of a city,
analyse theory through creation, and, most importantly, show that everything is much
simpler and more interesting than it looks at first glance.
Austėja Tavoraitė
I try to see, therefore I live inbetween photos and images. Currently, I am studying image
media in greater detail in the Academy of Arts.
I lived in Georgia, where I had a chance to teach children, organize creative workshops,
which reminded me that a small matchbox, having which it is possible to go catch images,
can be enough in photography. Photography can be creatively used in telling a variety of
stories. All is needed it to get ready for image hunting and stay vigilant.
Antanas Matutis
I am an entrepreneur in the IT field and on the Internet. I often apply online marketing
skills to spread a message about social projects, which I take part in. What possibilities
provided by my area of expertise do I see in the learning process? There is a broad set of
possibilities, starting from the introduction of new learning methods online to the transfer
Creative professionals 2013
of experiences gained in business to students. It is very important to prepare children for
the actual labour market and here we still have plenty of room for improvement.
Regina Morkūnaitė
I have a university degree in geography; to be more precise, I currently specialize in the
terrain stability processes, processes affecting surfaces, such as dunes, landslides,
outcrops, human impact on surface. I work in the Nature Research Centre. I often get to
go on expeditions.
In the teaching process I would like to give arguments for why one should know
geography. This field of science teaches to see environment as a system, the components
of which are interrelated. I want to show what miniature processes reflecting large
processes occur in the environment. For example, small brooks resemble the work of
large rivers, outcrops unveil millennium-old layers, sand grains can tell who created them.
Also, I can teach how to tell loam from clay or sand from sandy loam. Terrain is the basis
of our entire landscape, but why is it so unstable? Dunes altogether are an example of
movement, but why then deserts seem so monumental? South America is shaken by
earthquakes, but what causes landslides in stable Lithuania? And what are the differences
that should be noted when traveling in countries overseas?
Roman Ustinovič
My area is the development of websites and graphic design. My other areas of interest
and hobbies are singing in a choir, street dancing (popping), traveling and reading.
Gitana Platakytė-Grigienė
My creative- professional areas include advertising, TV shows, movies, audio books,
creative projects. I am a director, producer, project manager.
Which elements of my area have I applied in other fields? We with students created video
tours, examined the subjects of history and literature, created scenarios and shot and
edited video tours based on them. Based on the Lithuanian folk tale “Eglė žalčių karalienė”
(English: Egle the Queen of Serpents) students and film specialists created a movie “Egzas
2028”. A new interpretation of the tale was created (new scenario was developed; it was
acted, filmed and edited).
Andrius Pulkauninkas
My creative/professional areas are theatre, contemporary dance, directing, performance.
In my practice I have been developing the overall communication skills through
improvisation classes. I am also a graduate of natural sciences, thus I can integrate natural
sciences (biology) with performance, improvisation, theatre. I have been teaching VGTU
Creative professionals 2013
students Theatre Communication and Scenario Writing (it’s been going well). An
example of how my professional area can be applied in the learning process could be
explanation of complex things through role playing and integrating knowledge as a game. I
am interested in music, play non-traditional instruments, meditate.
Eglė Sirvydytė
I have two hearts. One belongs to music, the other one - to psychology, people and
cognition of the world. Thus I am still happily balancing between sufficiently introvert
music creation process (composition, concerts, recordings, travels and creative
collaborations) and really extrovert work with people - it’s been ten years now that I am
actively working in non-governmental organizations, hold various trainings, seminars for
young people, teachers, adults, organize camps and study human psychology. Only now I
am doing all this outside university - in the reality thousand times more impressive than
the university was.
What practices, elements of my area have I applied in other fields? In this context I follow
an intuitive coordinate system. For example, on X -coordinate the topic is xenophobia.
There are numbers of forms and methods on the Y-coordinate system - from role playing
to “secret missions”, invisible social theatre in the streets of even vocal exercises.
Agnė Skamarakaitė
For the past 8 years of my life I have been working with a microphone and sound - I am a
host of live radio shows. I talk and interview on a variety of subjects - from sports to
politics. Such work experience helps in my everyday life - my rhetorical skills are
improving, the ability to listen and hear, cope with stressful and unexpected situations,
accept people having different opinions, critically evaluate and analyse information
becomes stronger. All these skills can be useful and applied in the learning process.
I am a graduate Master of Oriental studies, which changed my view of the world, allowed
getting rid of certain stereotypes, perceptions that the West is an all-round centre - that
of culture, knowledge, understanding of the world.
Sigita Emilė Stankevičiūtė
I am a graduate of textile specialty in the Vilnius Academy of Arts. And textile hasn’t let
me go up until now, which I am really happy about. I am using arts when examining with
children the theme of healthy living, works of literature and writers, historical events,
cognition of the world (drawing nature, learning plants, searching for natural paint). I
believe art in general is a very rewarding means of expression allowing children to get
familiar with a topic of interest to them not only verbally, but visually as well, to express
their emotions through colours, and understand themselves. Especially since all children
are incredibly creative, their creativity should be encouraged and supported.
Eglė Stankūnaitė
I am 25 years old and could consider aviation to be the area of my expertise. I have a
Master’s degree in aircraft piloting and currently work as a flight dispatcher in “Avion
Express”.
When doing such work, you have to know how to cope with stressful situations, quickly
react and make responsible decisions; in such cases creative thinking often comes in
handy when searching for a solution to some problem. These skills help me in my
everyday activities to better solve emerging problems and not panic when things look
hopeless. Also, I have had a chance together with children to apply mathematical
knowledge in solving aviation exercises, thus showing young people how elementary
school knowledge can be applied in practice.
As a representative of this area I could illustrate how complicated aerodynamic and
navigational calculations are born from the simplest mathematical knowledge, which can
be applied by any of us, and how the application of aviation accidents and incident
analysis can help to properly solve many problems and mistakes.
Creative professionals 2013
Besides this complex work, I have been actively practicing martial arts for several years
now.
Lina Tamošiūnienė
I studied interior design, landscape architecture in order to understand “road signs”
leading to the creation of environment surrounding people. I will help as I can. All what
I’ve learned myself: to sketch, paint, draw, design, decorate, construct, create own
environment, take pictures, film. Also when living my life I realized that only by getting
along with nature one will be able to get along with oneself, thus a healthy lifestyle,
ecology, cleanliness and natural rhythm are the most important guides for me.
Marija Šaboršinaitė
I photograph. I use a variety of photo cameras, pay a lot of attention to analogue
photography processes. I seek to use photography as a tool for discovering and
strengthening the relationship.
I would like to adapt the process of slow photography as a way for getting close to actual
problems. By this not only do I mean deepening the understanding of subjects taught at
school, but also personality development, raising mindfulness, attention to others.
I have graduated from the publishing programme at Vilnius University and have been
valuing books ever since childhood. I am interested in limited edition publications on a
wide range of topics and areas. A book can be used not only as a literature textbox or an
assignment for summer reading, but also as a history of drawings, a blog, an unexpected
album, a small newspaper or other special and unique personal story. Thus, a book reveals
itself as an object the internal elements of which are interrelated. These publications, so
called samizdatas or zinas, are used by artists from various fields, writers, designers and
people from other areas as a visual and material way for expressing their thoughts and
ideas.
Mantas Televičius
I am a textile artist, art therapist. I am interested not only in interdisciplinary arts, but also
in the benefits of creativity and creation to human well-being. Through my work I try to
make a contact with audience, interest it, to propose to engage in an activity. My video
installation, installation textile, painting or photographic works search for a connection
with a person, his inside and virtual world. Socially sensitive topic of mental health is also
touched upon in my work.
Art, textile is a very wide area. The practice of working with people revealed that various
textile techniques can serve as a means for promoting communication, learning new skills
and mastering the lost ones, structuring work in working groups, promoting creativity.
Although now I devote most of my time to art therapy and work in the hospital, I try to
remember the creative work. I am interested in psychiatry, psychology, botany, philately.
Jolanta Uktverytė
My creative/ professional area is environmental education. For eight years I have been
Creative professionals 2013
working in non-formal environmental education, where I’ve applied my knowledge in
educational work with young people on various topics - climate change, biodiversity, daily
ecology, waste water, water, energy, ecology footprint, food, sustainable development,
sustainable way of life, political participation, etc. I use visual materials (pictures,
drawings, collages, objects of nature, recycled paper and household items or food) in my
work to convey information at the same time involving the audience in participation and
creation.
I believe that there is plenty of information on how to live in harmony with the
environment, with a clear emphasis on the behaviour of a person as a consumer, but
often this information remains just dry words. In this avalanche of information the
essence of personal discovery and cognition is missing: why should we live in harmony
with nature and the environment, why is it important for us?
Gabija Vitkevičiūtė
I am a journalist, a writing and reading person, Master of Arts, a traveller, a mother of
three daughters, a wife of my husband, communications specialist, owner of a public
relations firm, Margarita (which I once impersonated in the theatre of VU German
philology students), a student of Chinese painting, eternal second-year student of piano
classes, a part of a zither ensemble - every day searching for and discovering something,
learning and sharing knowledge.
Why am I with this project? Children’s education and a person growing out of it is my
most egoistic expression, my biggest selfish ambition.
What can I give? Knowledge of how to correctly say what you want to say and so that
others hear that (public speech), how to creatively present even the most boring things
(non-traditional communication), how to realize and solve disputes (crisis management),
how not to fight and enjoy the magnificent life (stress management).
Ieva Veiverytė
I have completed film and TV directing studies in the Lithuanian Academy of Film and
Theatre. I have gained diverse experience in the areas of film, television and advertising. It
happened so that I live with everything that has to do with moving pictures.
I have participated in several creative film camps for children, where I taught editing
basics; later on I immersed in the whirlpool of the “I Learn from Films” workshops, where I
got to deal with groups of children and young people of different ages. Since this fall I am
teaching in the Skalvija Film Academy.
Vidas Vokietaitis
I am a Bachelor of Educology (specializing in primary school). In 2006, after graduation, I
established an education, creativity and arts centre “Eko Troba”, where I am still
conducting alternative education, culture and arts activities for young people. Topics
which I am most interested in are the environmental protection and ethnography (the old
crafts, folk songs, dances).
Rugilė Žadeikytė
I am an art critic specializing in the area of architectural theory. In my professional
activities I am interested in multifaceted functioning system of a city as a living organism
rather than individual objects of architecture.
I would like to contribute to the “Creative Partnerships” programme by organizing for
students sightseeing tours in their living environment, cities and districts, during which
students would be encouraged to look for a deeper personal relationship with the outside
world. They would learn the basics of the history of architecture and urban development
Creative professionals 2013
in an appealing and easily accessible form, complement their knowledge of art history
with new knowledge, not included in textbooks.
Also, I would like to draw attention to the fact that currenty the ability to comprehend the
phenomena of art, literature, history and technological development as a homogeneous
manifestation of the common spirit of the time of some specific era is acquired in
university only. I belive that an attempt to integrate this awarness into school education
woul be particularly useful.
Aušra Zabielienė
I am a musician - choir conductor and cultural anthropologist - ethnologist. Over the past
ten years I have been successfully combining my two specialties in scientific work. I have
been exploring the ethno-cultural musical heritage. I have visited many places in
Lithuania, recorded and analysed various ethno-cultural events, folk festivals, fairs, craft
days, calendar holidays and others. Currently I work in Yamaha Music School
When working in children’s music school, by listening to music we together with primary
school students created fairy tales, drew music, created musical improvisations on the
basis of drawn paintings, thus trying to combine art and music.
Karolina Žernytė
My creative/ professional area is theatre, puppet theatre and visual arts related thereto. I
create performances for the blind, the effect of which can be described as the
development of feelings and imagination as well as therapy. As a theatre teacher, I
together with students created performance about mutual relationship of students and
teachers, the Lithuanian holiday traditions, biology diversity; I participated in educational
improvisations on ecology; I taught children from children care homes how to make dolls
of gloves; I together with children created many performances on various topics through
theatre and visual aids in camps “Lietuvos Atgaja”. Through creative work I search for the
connection between an actor and the audience - live and direct communication ways to
help others through art.
Agota Zdanavičiūtė
I am a history graduate. My creative areas are art and music. I am a member of a neo-folk
group “Sen Svaja” and I participate in other Lithuanian ethnic culture - related activities. I
have organized a photography exhibition “Kasdienybės metamorfozės” (English: Everyday
Metamorphosis” and the lights installation “Korys” (English: Honeycomb).
When working with children I combine art and music, introducing them to the Lithuanian
and other nations’ folklore, traditions and customs. I mix history things with elements of
theatre, didactic games; for example, children visualising a certain historical period have
to impersonate a certain historical figure and answer other students’ questions related to
that particular period.
Marina Žuravliova
My creative and professional areas are apparel modelling and design. Together with a
colleague we are creating our brand TRIBE by Marina&Donata. Moreover, I work as a
stylist in the Lithuanian national radio and television and magazine “Laima”.
Creative professionals 2013
nd
As a 2 year student I got involved in voluntary activities in “Ekolaboratorija” (English: Eco
laboratory), where I gained a lot of experience organizing workshops during which I taught
both children and adults how to creatively revive materials that seem unnecessary to
second live.
Visual material is very important in the learning process. It would be possible to design
costumes revealing certain learning disciplines for better mastering and understanding
various lessons.
.
Vytautas Butkus
12 years in school, tens of thousands of hours, during which we have to prepare for life. In
the view of all this, the project “Creative Partnerships” looks like a drop in the sea. Maybe
to someone else, but not me. This is an opportunity to see alternative forms of education
that are appealing to both students and teachers. At the same time, this is a possibility to
discover one’s creative potential - we all have it, but sometimes we forget it. I draw on
experience from my versatility. On one hand I am a graduate of international relations
programme; I like economics, mathematics I worked in the Ministry of Economy. On the
other hand I have experience working with children and young people in summer camps
and on-going projects with a strong emphasis on creativity; moreover, I was a member of
the alumni board of my school and still am actively involved in the initiatives related to
school and its community.
Justina Brukštutė
I am a freelance graphic designer and illustrator, also I supervise the project, the main
idea of which is environmental education of children and young people through creativity.
I have gained experience of working with children when participating in various creative
design and eco game production workshops working as a painter and leader in children’s
creative summer camp. Also, I had a chance to volunteer in the Arts and Design Studio of
the Children and Youth Support Centre. The most exciting thing is learning from each
other, together creating and conveying own ideas free of traditional measures and forms.
It is even more fun when those ideas turn into a source of knowledge and aspiration for
many others.
One of the most spontaneous moments of the application of my area of practice was the
exhibition of marginal drawing called SKRENDU (English: I’m Flying). We implemented it
when studying for the Master’s degree. We with a peer classmate noticed that all our
group colleagues were simply drawing something in the margins of their notebooks
carried away by the subconscious flow. We pulled those drawings out of the context of
theoretical lectures and exhibited them in the gallery as pieces of art.
Giedrė Žickytė
I am a documentary film director and producer. My creative work and everyday life are
totally intertwined, thus they are constantly and seamlessly affecting any activity - starting
with professional habit to “observe life” and ending with the search on how to apply
humour, imagination, phantasy in figuring out the relationship with my nine-year-old son.
What possibilities provided by my area do I see in the learning process? Several years the
Lithuanian cinema theatres played my documentary “Kaip mes žaidėme revoliuciją”
(English: How We Played Revolution). This is an adventurous story compiled of archival
shots - a story of our road to independence, where rock music, pranks and youthful flight
interwove with serious political ideas and sincere strive for freedom. I was really amazed
at how students responded to the film. “Now I know what I was taught in history lessons”,
“And now I understand why my mom cried when listening to songs played by music group
th
“Antis”, “I just thought of an idea for my essay on the subject of March the 11 ”, etc. I had
no goal of creating an educational film, but rather created a story interesting from the
cinematographic point of view and to me myself, without chasing for historical truth, but
then I realized that the whole essence of truth lies in the emotion.
Lina Lužytė
Creative professionals 2013
Artūras Bukauskas
I have unwittingly selected many colourful specialties and studies, and thus I use them
pouring and observing patterns of dropped glass beads: film directing (vgik.info),
animation (lks.lt), radio physics (vu.lt), media teaching (vtdko.lt), advertising (altss.lt).
However You drop and look at them, you keep getting games with moving images and
attempts to read visual languages.
Mykolas Svirskis
I am a creative architect. Both in my everyday activities, when working with children or in
other areas I manoeuvre between game and serious analysis. I have applied layout so
often used in architecture for solving exercise problems. Also, I use environment, space,
colour, differences in the relations between objects when examining psychological and
sociological topics. I noticed that lessons held in different spaces differently affect a
student’s state, mood, creativity.