Forget Van Gogh. Pass on Picasso. The next generation of great artists is right here in Auburn.
Kids have been gathering to learn new techniques and activities at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts Saturday Art Club program.
Every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. this summer, the JCS Museum hosted community kids for a morning of free art projects that ranged from mosaics to metalwork. Children of all ages are invited to join with consent of a parent or guardian.
"The Saturday Art Club is a K-12 program that's like an open studio for kids in the community," said Andrew Henley, education curator for K-12 at the museum. "We supply the materials and give them an idea. It is usually either focused on a technique or concept."
One of the goals of the program, Henley said, is to provide developmentally appropriate material for the younger kids as well as cool stuff for the older kids.
When choosing what projects to do, Henley said he likes to choose things that work well with whatever collections the museum has on display.
"I like the flexibility of being able to change it if I have something that comes up that's really cool," Henley said.
Jackie Weaver, JCS Museum docent, said her favorite project the kids did over the summer was based off of the Dale Kennington screens, which will be on display until Sept. 26.
The folding screens are six panels each, with a different scene on each side and a poem locked in a cabinet describing the theme of the screen.
"They had four-panel screens rather than six-panel screens, and the kids really enjoyed being able to see the exhibit and then create their own," Weaver said.
Carrie Smith, a senior in art, has been volunteering with the Saturday Art Club since the beginning of summer.
She started after a friend asked her to volunteer with him, but then "they kept asking me back until it became just a regular thing."
Smith said one of the most popular projects from the summer was when the kids learned paper marbling using shaving cream.
The funding for the Saturday Art Club comes from a generous grant from the city of Auburn to the museum specifically for programs like this.
"Many, many thank-yous for making this possible," Henley said.
Henley was also happy that he has seen many University professors attending with their kids.
He wants both professors and students to know that the museum is holding these free events for kids and to encourage them to come check it out.
Attendance throughout the summer has varied, but every Saturday the museum has seen anywhere from 10 to 100 kids from all over the Auburn community.
However, with the start of school, plans are to cut back to just holding the club every third Saturday.
The next club meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12. The project has yet to be determined.
If interested, contact Andrew Henley at andrew.henley@auburn.edu or go to the JCS Museum Web site www.jcsm.auburn.edu.
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