There are many benefits to engaging children in visual arts, including encouraging creativity and imagination, enhancing fine motor skills, boosting self confidence and encouraging observation and appreciation for the aesthetics around them, to name a few.
With that in mind, members of the Corry Area Artists’ Guild recently held art classes for kids, the most recent of which — Wooden you like to fish? — was held March 20 at Williams Place.
“We finished our last kids workshop, and we had 10 kids present,” said Bonnie Rafferty, guild president. “Just like the first class, My Pet Collage, the kids did such an amazing job.”
Rafferty said the class painted wooden fish carved by guild members Hank Raffery and Bill McClintock and made an actual fishing lure, guided by McClintock.
“Both guys talked about how the fish were carved and, if the kids were interested in trying carving, they should try to carve soap first,” Rafferty said.
Julia McCray demonstrated how to mix primary colored paints to get other colors, while Nancy Mitchell and Bonnie Rafferty kept the kids’ paint palettes filled.
Thanks to the Corry Community Foundation funding for supplies, the cost for the class was only $10.
Once the projects were done, the guild had an imaginative impromptu drawing exercise.
“While they waited to be picked up, I folded a paper in 3 sections, then I had them draw a monster head on the top one,” Rafferty said. “Then they passed it to the next student and they did the body, then passed it again and drew monster’s feet. We unfolded the picture, and I had them name their monster.”
From there, stories were made up by the students for each cartoon piece.
“There was a lot of of giggling, and they were quite proud of how their monsters turned out,” Rafferty added.
The guild will be holding its annual art show in May, and members are hoping for grade 6-12 student participation.
“We will award ribbons for best student art and a people’s choice award,” Rafferty said.
Member or not, adults and students can find art show information on the guild’s Facebook page, “Corry Artists’ Guild.” Forms may be obtained by contacting Rafferty via email at bonjraff@gmail.com. Registration forms are due April 26, 2024.
