The South Natomas Community Center Art Club's Art Show at University Art Supplies, March 10th

   

I'm excited about my students' art show coming up a week-from today. It will be in the window of my favorite art supplier's store. 

The exhibit will go up on March 10th, "Second Saturday" and will be in the store's special window for the rest of March and all of April. The students have a little reception outside the store, serving punch and cookies. The manager, Dave Saalsaa, is always so supportive, and parents usually bring more relatives and friends to see the work.

 I have ten regular students in class this year, from age 7 to age 16 (the latter a returning student.) Most of the students are 9 or 10. The above pictures are 5 of the 10 pieces that will be in the show — pictures taken before they were matted. Along with the matted pictures on display, the students have "artistic statements" with artist photos, and the pictures have labels with the name of the work, the student's age, and the media used for the art piece. 

Here's the announcement. 

                                  ANNOUNCING:

THE SOUTH NATOMAS CHILDREN’S ART PROGRAM

                             2018 ART EXHIBITION

    SHOW-CASING WORK OF ARTISTS AGES 7-16  

          

WHERE?  THE WINDOW OF UNIVERSITY ART SUPPLIES

UNIVERSITY ART STORE WINDOW

                                                                        2601 J STREET

                                                                        SACRAMENTO, CA. 95816

                                                         (Midtown – corner of 26th & J Streets)

EXHIBIT OPENS SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2018 WITH A STUDENT RECEPTION FROM 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

 ART WORK WILL BE DISPLAYED THROUGH MARCH AND APRIL

I simply love doing this each year, but I had to drop it last year when it looked like I might have a second eye surgery. As it turned out, I didn't (touch wood). I really missed the class. I love what I'm doing as a writer, but I do spend the majority of the week huddled over my keyboard and in the land of imagination. A real high point is going to this class each Thursday and watching the students get immersed in their art. This was the first year we got easels, and we use these for the painting, but also for some pastel work.

If you like art and you are in the Sacramento area next Saturday, I hope you can find time to come by for some punch and cookies and enjoy the student art. University Art Supplies also has good prices on art materials, for those of you who paint or draw. 

Meanwhile, do you have pet projects that take you away from your keyboard and your WIP? Any school programs that you participate in? 

The After-School Art Club's Art Show Ten Days Ago

I had meant to blog about my students' art show earlier, but time got away. (Some weeks are just like that.)

First, I'd like to thank University Art Supplies Store for hosting the students' art reception on Saturday, March 12th to kick off the exhibit, which will be displayed in the window for the rest of March and all of April.

University Art is a marvelous art supplies store that provides several programs for young people, as well as classes for all ages. They are located at the corner of 26th Street and J Street. You can learn more about their products and programs HERE, (and please "like" them on Facebook HERE. )

Next, I'd like to thank the South Natomas Community Center for being so supportive of the after- school art club. They purchase materials for me and store them at the center. All I have to do is go in and teach, and students already love art before they ever come in. The center offers a variety of services and classes for the community. You can learn more about their programs HERE 

Now -- on with the Second Saturday art reception and exhibit. For those who don't live in Sacramento, "Second Saturday" each month is when  art lovers go from gallery to gallery, enjoying  receptions for new art exhibits. The receptions often feature wine and munchies, but our artists served punch and cookies. Below are the 17 pieces of art displayed, along with pictures of some of the students and their families. Enjoy.

A

            Students range in age from 6 to 14, although the class is mainly set up for 8-to-12-year-olds. But some are returning students and go farther with the lessons, and some have older siblings in class, which keeps the class from becoming geared to 1st or 2nd-graders: The younger ones simply keep up and constantly amaze me with their grasp of what are basically lessons for older kids. Below are pictures of some of the students who came to the reception (in shifts, between noon and 2:00 p.m.) and their proud families. It got pretty hectic at times, so I didn't get a chance to photograph everyone who came.

This artist is seven.

Her cousin, artist on the right, is nine.

The artist on the left just turned eight.
Hopefully her brother will join one day.

Another seven-year old artist.

This artist just turned seven.

The artist on left is ten. Shy sister on
right is too young for the class.
Her thirteen-year-old sister, a fine
  artist, was sick and couldn't attend.

Two artists, sisters; the one on left is
seven; the one on the right is eleven.

                 

I  didn't get a photo of these two artists
 before they left, so this is last year's
photo: The artist on the left is nine
this year; on the right, fourteen.

The artist, eleven and dedicated,
is almost hidden by her two
younger siblings in this picture.

Being involved with these students gives me a special boost each week. I always come home rejuvenated by their energy. We have two more classes this year, and then the art class is over until November. While I have other projects that need tending to, I'm going to miss them. 

How about you? Are you an art lover? Do you do any volunteer projects that give you special enjoyment?

The Student Art Show - At Last

          I promised pictures of my students' art exhibit, and here they finally are. The exhibit went up March 14th, and it's coming down tomorrow so that I can pass back the art pieces Thursday (our last class this year.) The art club is one of the great joys of my life, and I am especially grateful to the South Natomas Community Center on Truxel (Sacramento) for supporting these classes, and to University Art Store on J and 26th Streets for holding the exhibit this year. We had a little reception on the opening day (punch and cookies) and whole families turned out to see it. The students are normally 8-to-12-year-olds, but this year I had one 7-year-old and two 13-year-olds.    
          Enjoy: (I've only named the artists - all others are "sib", "sis", parent, etc.)

Danielle, Edgar & their father

Claire (center), mother & grandm.

Karla (center) with sib & friend

Yaritza (right) w. mother & sibs.

Antonio (2nd fr.  left) w. parents & sibs.

Kailee (right),  mother & sis

Maya (in red), Ella ( in pink), parents 

Brennan and mother

Angeline (center), parents, sibs,
and grandmother

Savannah (center), mother (right), and
Emily (left) 

Miranda and mother

Madison (2nd from right) and mother
(next to her), grandmother & sib.

Kiley and mother

Ian (left), sis, and father.
(Older sis, Kate, artist, was absent)

Erica (in red), Vanessa (in front of her),
mother (right) grandmother (left) and
youngest sister.

Kiley (left), Emma, (middle),
and Madison (right)

Alyssa and father

Reina (right) sisters and mother

And that's it -- for another year.

I hope you enjoyed
meeting them and
seeing their work.