Professionals Bring Direction For Young Artists

By Tanjua Damon

There were not any starving artists, at least not starving for food, in the Smart Too courses that are being offered to students in grades six through ten. But the young artists were hungry to learn about art.

The Smart Too classes are part of the Newtown Continuing Education summer programs offered to youths. The program, held for two two-week sessions, allowed students receive instruction from professional artists Dennis Best, Leyla Nichols, and Jon Miller.

Students were able to select courses in art journals, pottery, watercolors, the drawing process, and the temperatures of color.

Harrison Moore was working with pottery and has gained knowledge he will take with him as he continues growing as an artist.

“I wanted to learn how to draw,” Harrison said. “I learned new drawing skills and steps about the drawing process.”

Leyla Nichols hopes the summer classes give students an opportunity to express themselves and get away from technology a bit. She worked with students in pottery.

“Everything is computers these days,” Ms Nichols said. “It’s nice to bring you back to just dirt.”

Michele Rastelli admits that her parents made her sign up for the courses and was not very willing to participate before coming, but after joining in for two weeks she is thankful that she did.

“I’m really glad because it was a good opportunity for me to learn,” Michele said. “I love everything I’ve learned. I’ve learned new painting techniques, to use the wheel with clay. I hope to do it next year. It’s really fun. It’s one of the best courses I’ve ever been to. It’s free and lets you do what you want to.”

Ms Nichols wants the students to find something they are good at and experience it, then begin to add other aspects to their work.

“Find a specific medium you enjoy and stick with it for awhile,” she said. “But once you find the medium you like as you go incorporate others into it.”

Dennis Best worked with students in exploring the temperatures of color, which provided students an opportunity to see how color creates various effects in a piece of art.

“As an artist, it refreshes my art. Working with the kids gives my art a fresh feel,” Mr Best said. “I hope that they can utilize the temperatures and be bolder in their mixes.”

Mr Best wants all the students to feel they have accomplished something when they leave the class and feel good about what they have worked on during the course of two weeks.

“My ultimate goal is that everyone achieves a certain level of success,” he said. “They might have something complete and they might not. Everyone has achieved a degree of success.”

Ben Stokes enjoys art and found the courses offered interesting.

“I really like art so I read the sheet with all the classes. It was all art,” he said. “I liked it a lot so I joined. I like drawing still life because it doesn’t just have to be one certain thing. It can be fruit to a person.”

Some students wanted to expand on what they already know about art and how it affects their work.

“I like art and I just wanted to make myself better by coming here,” Nicole Sieber said. “I didn’t know much about shading and how to use it or how to use warm and cool colors to show shading.”

Kelly Bernardi already has a gift for drawing Japanese cartoon characters. She hopes to continue her talents and possibly illustrate a book some day.

“I like everything about it. I like to draw people. It kind of makes me feel free,” Kelly said. “I want to make comic books or maybe illustrate a book.”

This was the first year the Newtown Continuing Education Department offered a summer enrichment program for students in middle and high school. For more information about future programs contact 426-1787.