Now in its third year, the Rowan Helping Ministries New Tomorrow’s Art Program exhibition will be on view in the 2nd floor Delhaize Conference Room at Waterworks Visual Arts Center, 123 E. Liberty St., through June 27.
New Tomorrows is a program offered through Rowan Helping Ministries for their shelter guests. The purpose of New Tomorrows is to help focus on self-esteem and confidence issues which is achieved by teaching Life Skills and providing programs and services for those individuals within our community.
Through partnership with Rowan Helping Ministries, Waterworks served 18 homeless Rowan County adult learners in 2012-2013.
Students met twice a month for two hours of visual art instruction at the Waterworks. Student artists were introduced to a variety of art media including wire sculpture, clay, watercolor, pencil, assemblage, handmade and altered papers, collage, pastel and mixed media.
The class was also provided an introduction to famous artists and works of art.
For some assignments, students created works of art inspired by artists, including the boxes of assemblage artist Joseph Cornell, and the wire sculpture of Alexander Calder.
The program included gallery tours and discussion about current exhibitions at the museum.
Each student constructed and kept an artist’s portfolio and sketchbook. There was a focus on skill building as well as self-expression.
Each class period consisted of:
• Art Fundamentals — a ten to twenty minute hands-on warm up exercise about such topics as the color wheel, warm and cool colors, observational drawing exercises, proportions of the human face and figure, value/shading and the elements of art and principles of design;
• Art History/Art Appreciation – and introduction to fifty famous artists and works of art with fifteen to twenty five minutes of discussion; and
• Art-Making – an introduction to the art medium/material and techniques followed by independent studio work by all students.
“Waterworks Visual Art Center inspires the participants of New Tomorrows to express their artistic talents through educational lectures, drawing, paintings, and much more,” said Sheenia Daugherty, New Tomorrows coordinator.