Children participating in this year’s Art Camp created dioramas depicting scenes from ancient Rome, landscape watercolors, quilts, pottery, and more. An exhibition of the students’ artwork was on display in PAAL’s upstairs gallery, with the show opening during August’s Friday for the Arts! This show provided students an opportunity to sell their art, with 10% of sale proceeds being donated to PAAL.

Thanks to surveys developed by The Phoenix Project, PAAL was able to collect input from the participating youth regarding what they’d like to see more of in next year’s program. Responses included: more clay, acrylic and watercolor painting, and paper mache lessons; new classes on mask making, silk painting, charcoal, and photography.

Parent surveys indicated that parents were generally impressed by the amount of artwork displayed at the Friday for the Arts! event, although they’d like to be able to take their child’s artwork home the evening of the show, and they were pleased with the meal program. Parents also indicated an interest in receiving more information about how to volunteer in youth art education programs, and two of the parents generously offered to teach in future programs!

We look forward to next year!

As part of the two-month project, which was completed over the summer, Ms. Wilson documented, photographed, and assigned numbers to each of the works to allow for future identification. In addition, she recommended and oversaw the addition of shelves to the storage room to create more storage space while allowing for more separation of the works.

During the project, Ms. Wilson uncovered many works that had not been on view in years. PAAL staff was delighted to have so many pieces to choose from for their July history exhibit.

Overall, the partnership between VCU and PAAL has been a huge success, providing Ms. Wilson with valuable experience towards her degree in art history and museum studies, while at the same time allowing PAAL to rediscover hidden treasures tucked away within its own walls.

September 10–12
Friday: Auction begins, 6–9pm during Friday for the Arts!
Saturday: Bidding continues, 10am–4pm.
Sunday: Arty Party, final bidding (ends 6pm), raffle & claiming of all works, 4–8pm · affordable original art works, music, wine & food provided by local chefs, and Celtic music!

What better way to support youth art education than with art itself? Come find new-to-you treasures at affordable prices at PAAL’s 3-day silent auction & arty Party! Original works on paper & canvas, limited edition prints, artisan jewelry & more will be available for bidding, thanks to our generous donors. All proceeds go towards PAAL’s educational art programming for area youth.

Thanks to: Andrade’s · Bistro At Market & Grove · Brickhouse Run · Cherry Turner · Dale Neighbors · Demolition Coffee · Ella Dickinson · Ende Medical Practice LLC · Invincia · J. Harrison, Inc. · La Bella Donna Salon · Longstreet’s · Maria’s · Roaming Oyster · Utopia Spa · Wabi Sabi

“Through the donation of local artists’ original works and artwork donated by our members, PAAL will be able to conduct a silent art auction,” said board president Ellen Ende. “The funds generated from that auction will specifically support the new educational programs targeted to our community’s youth, which is such an important part of our mission.”

The silent auction will kick off on September 10, 2010 during Friday for the Arts! from 6 to 9 p.m. Bids can continue to be made Saturday during 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, from 4 to 6 p.m. during the ARTy PARTY. Successful bidders will be announced between 6 and 7 p.m. at the ARTy PARTY.

The ARTy PARTY is a free event, open to the public, and will include light refreshments and raffled prizes.

Cash donations are also being accepted to help support educational programming and can be made in person at PAAL or online.

PAAL’s scheduled art classes can be found on the online calendar.

Also on exhibit is the PAAL History Exhibit, which will run through September 4.

For children, a mask-making workshop will be available. For adults, PAAL will offer a book-binding workshop plus a series of classes on drawing basics, oil and acrylic painting, wire and metal jewelry making, and memorial art and sculpture.

Read below for more details.

FOR KIDS

Saturday, September 25th: Mask-Making Workshop! 1-4 PM, 3rd grade and up, $15.
Artist and owner of Jackson Sage Botanical Skin Care Erika Hollen will teach kids to make masks from repurposed materials; milk jugs, cardboard and paper will be magically transformed, helping kids figure out what they can do simply using the recycling bin! This class runs at the same time as the adult-level bookbinding workshop below, so parents can join us for a class, too!

FOR ADULTS

Saturday, September 25th: Bind-a-Book Workshop! 1-4 PM, $15
Spend the afternoon with craft mistress Sarah Hand using paper, scissors, and all sorts of fun embellishments? Learn a few basic book binding decorative paper techniques to equip yourself with journals, sketchbooks and albums!

6 Wednesdays, starting September 22nd: Drawing Basics, 6:30-8:30 PM, $100.
Artist Doris Gilliland will teach students how to wield the pen, the pencil, and the pastel in this 6-week course. All beginners welcome!

6 Wednesdays, starting September 22nd: Oil and Acrylic Painting, 6:30-8:30 PM, $100.
Local painter Sheila Holland brings us a 6-week beginner-level painting course using two methods for those who are canvas-curious. All beginners welcome!

6 Tuesdays, starting September 28th: Wire and Metal Jewelry-Making, 10AM-12PM, $100.
Learn wire wrapping, cold connection and design techniques with artist Lynalise Woodlief, a jeweler for the John Adams movie filmed in Virginia! Take home beautiful pieces of your own making.

6 Tuesdays, starting September 28th: Memorial Art and Sculpture, 6-8 PM, $100.
My Precious Studio spills its secrets! Tere Hernandez-Bonet offers a special seminar on the art of remembrance… create a sculptural piece in memory (or in celebration!) of a loved one.

Included will be several pieces from Anna Mercer Dunlop, founder of PAAL.

Also on display will be a photographic record of the building’s history, from the devastating destruction by the tornado of 1993, leading up to the progression of the major building renovations that have taken place over the past year as part of PAAL’s new, expanded community vision. Plus an extensive collection of news clippings dating back to PAAL’s earliest days.

The show will open 6-9pm Friday July 9, 2010, and run through September 4.

Happy 4th!

Details are available here.