I am a fine artist and have a background in art, therapy, and education and over the last few years I have combined those skills as a documentary filmmaker. I have been involved in setting up alternative educational programs building bridges between homeschool communities and public education. I enjoy helping create a local place based educational option for young people outside of the school system or work to facilitate each student's learning process no matter what educational path they have chosen. My interests are in creativity coaching, personal therapy and nature journaling with a focus on books arts and films that support a sustainable future for our world.
I have worked within the conservation and arts community celebrating nature through performance art. I find that the stories and images created by members of the community for a performance are far more resonant and effective than simply conservation work or theater on their own. This approach inspires people to consider and protect the natural world more from their heart and locally.
Bringing together the arts, sciences and service in performance gives the community the opportunity to combine its efforts and discover the voice of nature more clearly portraying the story of a river or migrating birds, and directing us towards helping the wilderness inside and outside of our lives.
I formed an organization, TOR (Theater of Restoration), made up of community artists, as a way to help young people and their families have a voice in the future of their ecological community. We use performance with our studies to support local conservation efforts and the arts.
I started The Gila River Festival in Silver City, NM in 2004 which continues to run each year in the fall in Gila and Silver City, NM. From 2003–2007 I did Field Work with UGWA and GRIP and developed and ran the community arts program in art and conservation for the Gila River Festival.
I do documentary video. I've produced four films and have edited, produced and filmed several others. See the section on video for a description of these works.
I illustrate for journals and magazines focused on the environment and have written articles on art therapy and sand tray therapy. I've self published three books: Bringing Nature to Life—The Use of Performance Art in Environmental Restoration, RiverWorks—Performance and Community Art for Rivers and Wingspread — a wing-ed view of life. I created the guides as useful and accessible tools for anyone that would like to do a place-based performance. There is information on this site about all three books, which are available for purchase.
Many wonderful people have influenced my work.
Professional Resumé (PDF)
Contact Information:
Nanda Currant
531 Altivo Ave
La Selva Beach, CA, 95076
Email:
Materials on this site are held in copyright by Nanda Currant.
