| igniting creativity | youth art classes spark imagination at local montessori school
This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
| image | A kindergarten student points to the next yarn she intends to add to her radial weaving project representing ‘spring’ at the Yadkin Valley Community School in Elkin, North Carolina. Community school administrator and teacher Kimberly Seipel-Parks assists a first-grade student in the background. | image credit | Sydney Sieviec
We are thrilled to share the latest updates on the vibrant world of youth art education at our very own local Montessori school, the Yadkin Valley Community School in Elkin. Thanks to the generous support of the Spark The Arts grant initiative through North Carolina Arts Council, a group of talented young artists from kindergarten through 8th grade have been exploring their creative potential through a series of engaging art classes. Over the past semester, these budding artists have delved into the realm of mixed media landscapes, experimenting with chalk pastels, fabric, and paint. Now, their artistic journey continues as they embark on a captivating study of pattern, color, and texture, using radial weavings to represent the colors, celebrations, or feelings they experience during their favorite season.
| exploring new horizons |
Under the guidance of our dedicated art teacher and assistant director, Sydney Sieviec, along with the assistance of the teachers at the Yadkin Valley Community School, the students have made tremendous progress on their projects as they hone their artistic skills. The mixed media landscapes they crafted showcased their unique perspectives and demonstrated their ability to bring their visions to life. With chalk pastels, fabric, and paint as their tools, they transformed blank papers into breathtaking natural scenes, incorporating diverse textures and colors to evoke a sense of wonder and awe.
Building upon their earlier achievements, the young artists have now embarked on an exciting new artistic endeavor—radial weavings representing the seasons. In this phase of their artistic journey, they are exploring pattern, color, and texture in intricate detail. Radial weaving (sometimes referred to as “God’s Eyes” or “Ojos de Dios”) is a technique that allows the artist to create mesmerizing circular compositions while honing their skills in manipulating materials and understanding the interplay between hues, shapes, and textures. In addition to learning the basics of color theory, and the concept of pattern, student have learned three different patterns and are encouraged to vary their compositions, textures, and colors often within their work to add variety and visual interest. The students are diving deep into the essence of each season, infusing their weavings with elements that capture the unique characteristics and emotions associated with spring, summer, fall, and winter. This project can easily be recreated with found materials and it is one students often find themselves repeating again at home.
(click any image to enlarge)
| image credit | Sydney Sieviec
| hands-on education |
The art classes at the Yadkin Valley Community School emphasize a hands-on approach, fostering an environment where creativity can flourish. The students eagerly immerse themselves in the artistic process, learning various weaving techniques and experimenting with different materials. From selecting the perfect yarn colors to mastering weaving patterns, they are encouraged to explore their individual artistic voices and develop their own unique style. Through this experiential learning, the students are not only acquiring technical skills but also nurturing their ability to express themselves artistically.
| community support |
The North Carolina Spark The Arts grant initiative has been instrumental in bringing these invaluable art classes to the Yadkin Valley Community School. By generously supporting youth art education, this grant has opened doors for young artists to explore their creativity and will help them develop a lifelong passion for the arts. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the initiative for recognizing the importance of nurturing the artistic talents of our youth and look forward to continuing our art programming collaboration at the Yadkin Valley Community School during the 2023-2024 academic year.
(click any image to enlarge)
| image credit | Sydney Sieviec
| about spark the arts |
The North Carolina Arts Council announced support for 130 nonprofit organizations through their new Spark The Arts grant category during the 2022-2023 fiscal year. In total, the Arts Council is investing $2,484,071 to support programming centered around audience re-engagement and inclusion. Grant amounts range from $3,000 to $30,000.
The arts spark vitality, healing, and fellowship. These qualities are what kept North Carolina’s arts sector resilient through the pandemic. The Spark the Arts grant category places a special emphasis on strategies to engage audiences and participants in this effort.
The Spark the Arts grant funding at the Foothills Arts Center will reactivate, expand, and deepen the quality of learning experienced by youth and adult students, with funds split evenly between four programs: ceramics, fiber arts, violin luthier, and youth art. We are so honored to be a recipient of a Spark the Arts grant!