Torpedo Factory Hosting 19th Annual Art Safari on Saturday in Alexandria

Looking for something fun to do on Saturday? An Alexandria tradition, Art Safari is a day of free hands-on craft activities for kids and families taking place Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St. in Old Town Alexandria.

Throughout the day, visitors can participate in activities such as origami, giant papier-mache animals, and more. The Art League and the Alexandria Archaeological Museum will offer even more engaging programming. Children should wear clothing that can get a little dirty. Most activities are appropriate for children kindergarten age with parental supervision through middle school.

Here’s a look at what’s on tap Saturday:

• Studio 15 – Origami treasure boxes – Tanya Davis and Gloria Barbre
  Children create simple origami triangle boxes or try a more complex square treasure box and lid.
• Studio 16 – Papier-mâché dog – Lisa Schumaier with Kelley Organek of UpCycle
  Inspired by Alexandria’s dog-friendly culture, this year’s papier-mâché sculpture will be a life-sized dog, which the children will construct by layering decorative adhesive-soaked paper to a large wireframe base.
• Studio 16 – Bottle cap necklaces – Lisa Schumaier with Kelley Organek of UpCycle
  Starting with recycled bottle caps from Alexandria’s own Port City Brewing Company, children decorate their own unique necklaces with ribbons, string, and glitter glue.
• Studio 21 – Gallery scavenger hunt – The Art League
  This year, The Art League’s scavenger hunt explores the Art NOW exhibition. Each completed scavenger hunt can be shown at the gallery desk to receive a special prize.
• Studio 22 – Clay Experience – Susan Greenleaf
  Children play and experiment with a piece of wet clay to mold and shape into any form they can imagine.
• Spiral Staircase – Fiber demonstrations – Fluff & Nonsense
  Artists transform fluff into beautiful fiber art with interactive hands-on demonstrations for spinning, felting, weaving, knitting, and crocheting.
• 2nd Floor Hall – Easel stations – The Art League
  With acrylic paint and paper, artists Cara Reiner and Caroline Fogg will help children paint anything they’d like at the open easel stations located along the 2ndfloor. Note: The stations close to new participants at 3:30.
• 3rd Floor Hall – You Can Resist – The Art League
  Artist Jean Stark teaches children the crayon resist technique. After drawing with a crayon, they paint over it with watercolors for a beautiful effect.
• Studio 325 – Relief Printing – Patrick Sargent & Printmakers, Inc.
  Using foam blocks, pencils, and spoons, children learn about relief printmaking when they hand press designs onto paper. Note: This station closes to new participants at 3 pm.
• Studio 327 – Potter’s Art – Alexandria Archaeology Museum
  Children create their own sketches and learn to identify 19th-century Alexandria potters from the designs on stoneware pottery.