Star Spangled Prints: Block Printing on Flag Day

Description

Celebrate Flag Day by using sponges, potatoes, or foam to block-print stars onto muslin and/or paper. Free mini-Colonial flag to take home! Our theme is Flag Day! Celebrate using our American flag’s five-pointed star as a design element. In honor of America 250 and Flag Day, participants will print 5-pointed stars onto muslin and/or paper using paint or ink. The "blocks" will be precut into 5-pointed star shapes from sponges, potatoes, and foam. **Dress for mess! Additionally, each artist will receive a miniature Colonial 13-star flag to take home. Flag Day commemorates the date in 1777 when the Second Continental Congress officially adopted the design for the first United States flag. Flag Day was first celebrated in the late 1800’s, but President Truman made it official by signing legislation designating June 14 as National Flag Day. The congressional flag resolution stated that, "The flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." We have all heard how Betsy Ross made our first flag following George Washington’s design. He asked for the typical 6-pointed star but Betsy showed him how a 5-pointed star was easier to make by cutting with a single snip. We will demo that snip. This a free event, but donations are appreciated as they help us cover the operating costs of our museums. Cash, check or Venmo are welcome.