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Press photo/Jake Browning Luis Fernandez and several of his students after finishing the first project of the Greenway art class lineup, a small tree sculpture made of stone and copper.
Macon County kids with a penchant for art can take their passion outside this month with a series of free classes organized by the Macon County Art Association and hosted by the Friends of the Greenway (FROG).
Frank Smith of the Art Association says things have been good at Uptown Gallery lately. Like everyone else on Main Street, the gallery’s business became a bit scarcer when COVID-19 hit the scene last year, but foot traffic is picking up again. June was the best month the gallery had in the past three years. In addition to stocking more work from their affiliated local artists, the Art Association is also trying to put a greater focus on arts education. Support for arts in schools among local government officials hasn’t been everything they hoped for, so with kids out of school for the summer, they see an opportunity to bridge the gap themselves.
“It’s our intention at the gallery to do more outreach,” Smith said. “A little education goes a long way.”
Jim Clink of FROG, another supporter of the arts, thinks the Greenway is the perfect place to host some summer art classes. The weather is nice, there’s plenty of natural beauty around for inspiration and there’s more potential to spread the word since passersby may see them working. It’s also important to FROG members to get more involved in public improvement projects – they had their own extended hiatus during COVID-19, so they’d like to get back to making the most of Greenway facilities.
“We have a great venue in the Big Bear Picnic Shelter,” Clink said. “We think we should be cooperating with as many people as possible to make our community a better place to live.”
The class instructors will be artists from the association who specialize in working with watercolor, acrylics, stone, metal and more. Smith said if there’s a particular discipline in art that you’re interested in learning, there’s someone associated with the gallery who could teach you. It doesn’t even take a massive time or resource investment. A couple of short lessons can provide you with a simple skill that you’ll use forever.
“When I was in school, we had the little watercolor kits that we could use, but nobody taught us how to actually paint with it. We’d just splash on some colors, and everything would run together and turn brown,” Clink said. “Just a little bit of teaching can really help a kid make something that they can be proud of.”
These classes may be enough to turn a kid who hasn’t gotten to take an art class before into a lifelong artist, or it might just be a fun way to while away a summer day. Either way, it’ll be a positive experience for students during their break right after a school year full of struggles.
“While I could list a dozen critical thinking skills that are developed and fostered in children through art, after a very difficult year, I think the most important thing we can give them right now is an avenue of fun and self-expression,” said Carol Johnson, an artist with the association.
The art classes will be held at the Big Bear Picnic Shelter every Saturday in July from 10 a.m. to noon. Kids of all ages are welcome, although the projects are targeted at kids age eight to 12. There’s no charge to attend. Space is limited, so to reserve a spot, call Uptown Gallery at 828-349-4607.