Return to story

FREDERICKSBURG'S LIBERTYTOWN ARTS WORKSHOP OFFERS CLASSES FOR CHILDREN >> HELP MOLD YOUR KIDS INTO ARTISTS

January 17, 2008 12:36 am

BY COLLETTE CAPRARA

FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Since its transformation from a vacated industrial building to a vibrant center of creativity, the LibertyTown Arts Workshop has buzzed with the energy of artists working with a broad spectrum of media and techniques. This exciting collection of 24 studios serves our community as a virtual academy for area residents of all ages, and registration is now under way for winter classes and workshops for children.

Hsi-Mei Yates will be teaching the art of "Chinese Brush Painting" for children ages 7 through 15, which will show participants how to use different shapes and movements in the creation of their art. They will be introduced to the basic tools of the craft (brushes, inks, watercolors, and rice paper) and will learn how to make basic shapes with a single brushstroke and how to put those together to create their final work.

Gabriel Pons will be offering two workshops inspired by a combination of Pop Art and Graffiti Culture. In "Intro to Street Art," kids ages 10 and up will use spray paint, collage, markers, and stickers to create a giant 4- by 2-foot streetscape that they can use to decorate their rooms. In "Skate to Create," they can express their individual style by designing and painting a take-home skateboard.

Three-dimensional art is the forte of Beth Jordan who will be offering "Fun with Clay" classes for children and teens. Youngsters 6 to 11 will learn sculpting techniques using clay slabs and coils, while the teen cohort will make their creations using a pottery wheel.

Mary Jane Bohlen will offer six different workshops for children. In two, young participants will be accompanied by a parent or another adult. In her "Making Books and Creating Stories" workshop, they will experiment with different book structures such as accordion-style, pamphlet, and Japanese bound books. In "Unique Clay Jewelry," the parent-child teams will be crafting beads from air-dried material and paper clay, which they will use to make pendants, pins, or necklaces.

Children will work on their own in another of Bohlen's jewelry workshops, "Paper Beads," in which they will create beads by rolling paper and covering various mat-board shapes with decorative paper. They'll then use these creations and glass beads to craft unique necklaces.

In Bohlen's "Stick Binding" workshop, youngsters will use paper bags and twigs as bindings to create books that can hold their collectibles. Her "Painting for Kids" classes will give children an opportunity to explore a variety of techniques to produce special effects with water-based paints.

Three of the artists will be offering classes in which children can create personalized Valentine's gifts for their loved ones. Participants in Bohlen's workshop, "A Gift From the Heart" will engage in a process in which their own hand prints are transformed into miniature form as a pin a relative or friend can wear. Melissa Sullivan will be guiding youngsters to create a mosaic stained-glass heart, while children in Deb Booth's "Love, Lace and Watercolor Card" workshop will bring home a valentine that will be cherished for years to come.

The artists explain that these classes give children a unique opportunity to gain confidence as they freely express their creativity. Bohlen said one of her little students announced to his mom, "I love art, because you can't make any mistakes!"

"Only happy accidents!" she added.