Aspiring young artists in kindergarten through grade 12 in the Plymouth Public Schools will have their work displayed during Youth Arts Month 2012. YAM 2012, presented by the Plymouth Public Schools Unified Arts Department at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, begins with an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, and runs through March 25. One promising artist, Ashley Anderson, a seventh-grade student at Plymouth South Middle School, is thrilled to have her self-portrait included in this year’s show. Anderson is one of only 14 students from the school whose artwork was chosen for the exhibit by art teacher Mary Jane Calhoun-Donelan.
Mrs. C-D, as she is known by her students, is enthusiastic about YAM 2012 and the artwork her middle-school students have created – including paintings, sketches and even a 3-D plaster mask. Calhoun-Donelan, a teacher with the Plymouth schools for 31 years, said, “Art is fun for the kids and the concepts taught in art class utilize the parts of the brain that develop problem solving skills – a necessity for our future thinkers.”
Anderson has enjoyed creating through finger painting and drawing since before starting preschool, but her passion for art really began when she was 10. Her mom enrolled her in a summer art camp at the Plymouth Center for the Arts.
“I decided to try an art class because I thought it would be a fun thing to do,” Anderson said, with her eyes beaming, “and now I take at least one or two new classes each session.” Since that summer, two years ago, her enthusiasm and artistic ability have taken off. The opportunity to take a variety of courses, including Basic Drawing, Wild Life Illustration, Cartooning and Pen & Ink Illustration has challenged her to develop new skills and techniques. She dreams of a future that includes attending the Rhode Island School of Design and pursuing a career in the arts.
Her first class was taught by Terry Kole, an instructor at the Center who has a unique ability to bring out the best in her young students. “I moved to the Plymouth area two years ago. My first YAM experience was in the spring of 2010. I was bowled over at the caliber of talent both in the students and in the teachers. I’m honored to play a small part in the art education of the future artists of the South Shore and I can’t wait to see the show, to see what’s been hanging out in their imaginations!” Kole said.
Aspiring young artists in kindergarten through grade 12 in the Plymouth Public Schools will have their work displayed during Youth Arts Month 2012. YAM 2012, presented by the Plymouth Public Schools Unified Arts Department at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, begins with an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, and runs through March 25. One promising artist, Ashley Anderson, a seventh-grade student at Plymouth South Middle School, is thrilled to have her self-portrait included in this year’s show. Anderson is one of only 14 students from the school whose artwork was chosen for the exhibit by art teacher Mary Jane Calhoun-Donelan.
Mrs. C-D, as she is known by her students, is enthusiastic about YAM 2012 and the artwork her middle-school students have created – including paintings, sketches and even a 3-D plaster mask. Calhoun-Donelan, a teacher with the Plymouth schools for 31 years, said, “Art is fun for the kids and the concepts taught in art class utilize the parts of the brain that develop problem solving skills – a necessity for our future thinkers.”
Anderson has enjoyed creating through finger painting and drawing since before starting preschool, but her passion for art really began when she was 10. Her mom enrolled her in a summer art camp at the Plymouth Center for the Arts.
“I decided to try an art class because I thought it would be a fun thing to do,” Anderson said, with her eyes beaming, “and now I take at least one or two new classes each session.” Since that summer, two years ago, her enthusiasm and artistic ability have taken off. The opportunity to take a variety of courses, including Basic Drawing, Wild Life Illustration, Cartooning and Pen & Ink Illustration has challenged her to develop new skills and techniques. She dreams of a future that includes attending the Rhode Island School of Design and pursuing a career in the arts.
Her first class was taught by Terry Kole, an instructor at the Center who has a unique ability to bring out the best in her young students. “I moved to the Plymouth area two years ago. My first YAM experience was in the spring of 2010. I was bowled over at the caliber of talent both in the students and in the teachers. I’m honored to play a small part in the art education of the future artists of the South Shore and I can’t wait to see the show, to see what’s been hanging out in their imaginations!” Kole said.
Anderson is thankful to the art teachers who keep her motivated and help her strive to do her best work. The art instruction at Plymouth South Middle School teaches students the basic techniques and skills, but is limited to two session per week for one term each school year. “Some of the kids are so disappointed when the art class is over,” Calhoun-Donelan said. The Plymouth Center for the Arts is a place where students who want to develop their skills further can find a creative and educational learning experience outside of school.
During the past couple of years, the Center has been developing educational art classes specifically for young artists. The children and teen courses include Clay Fun with Kendra D’Angora, Artistic Nature Studies with Doro Simone, Psycho-Symmetry with Jill Voelker and numerous others, including Art Camps during school breaks and during the summer. To learn more about these offerings, go to www.plymouthguild.org.
The YAM 2012 exhibit will continue through March 25 during regular gallery hours. The Center will remain open till 6 p.m. Friday, March 23.
The Plymouth Center for the Arts, at 11 North S., is open six days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4. Gallery admission is free, with fees for some special events. Parking is available on the street and in the public lot directly across from the Center. Call 508-746-7222 or go to www.plymouthguild.org for more information.
