It's wondererful that our cultural institutions have community outreach programs, but it isn't often that we can see one in action, or witness how it impacts the people who participate. The St. Louis Art Museum's "Art With Us" program (as described on its website) "provides interactive, hands-on art education classes to youth in collaboration with community and social organizations throughout St. Louis City and County." There are twelve "Art with Us" sites in the St. Louis area, and one happens to be right here in the neighborhood.
Over Halloween weekend, I visited Yvette Wood's Studio W in the Pierce Arrow Building on Washington (just east of Euclid), where 11 enthusiastic students, ages 5 to 16, had just completed a ten-session class inspired by Monet's "Water Lilies" (on view at the Art Museum until January 22). The children, some of whom were dressed in costume, hail from Peabody School, Northside Community Center, and one attends Gateway High School. The last session, which occurred that Saturday, was a "show and tell" for parents, and the children were bubbling over with excitement.
At the beginning of the course, the budding artists took a field trip to the Art Museum, and after viewing the exhibition, created their own water lilies in Yvette's studio, see above. Yvette, who taught at Meramec Community College for thirty years, arranged them on glass squares (to simulate the pond), and the children, under her expert direction, used pastels to recreate the garden at Giverny right here in the Central West End, see photos that follow.
The children were photographed standing in front of the pieces they collaborated on.
The older girls created a stained glass window, above, which they were understandably proud of.
For more information about Yvette Wood's drawing classes, call: (314) 324-5847. I've been taking lessons from her for a couple of years, and if she can teach me how to draw (and she has), she can teach anyone!