In a stroke of brilliance, irony, or both, a recent “Crafts-4-Kids” program, hosted by the St. James Artisans, explored a story about hibernation as a howling northerly wind outside created an even deeper chill on a 39-degree day.
The transition between reading a wintertime story and working on a craft snowman was entirely logical, and the artistic results were quite inspired, created from paper plates, cotton balls, glue, crayons, construction paper, and “googly eyes.”
The St. James Artisans are St. James residents whose creativity and community spirit are well established. Their team represents a kaleidoscope of talents and skills in many forms of artistic expression, from sketching and painting and photography to woodworking, metalworking, textile design, ceramics, knitting, crocheting, quilting, stained glass, floral design and more. Beyond their array of talent, what makes them special is their desire to share their skills with the community.
They continue to host free Crafts-4-Kids sessions at Harper Library. Aimed at pre-school and kindergarten age kids, Crafts-4-Kids combines reading and crafts, enabling the kids to take themes from the books and incorporate them in their artwork.
Crafts-4-Kids is the perfect alliance between the quite young and the no-so-quite young, offering the Artisans a chance to return to their artistic roots and the kids a chance to learn from some “real” artists who understand that art is more than an object created. Art is the beauty of a young smile, the gleam of young eyes, and the sound of young laughter, elements that work well in any medium and against any background.
If your kids are looking for a chance to express themselves, consider stopping in next time that Crafts-4-Kids is offered (Tuesday, Feb. 11, two sessions: 10-11 AM and 1-2 PM; call 910-457-6237 or stop by the library to register) and meet the Artisans whose commitment to the community makes this program such a success!