LOCAL ARTISTS TO CREATE NEW WORKS FOR KIDS EXHIBITION

"Why can't you just assign us a story?"Anne Hayes anguished, happy with her invitation to contribute to the Art and Mice exhibition. She felt that there were simply too many good stories and rhymes to select just one. In fact, nearly every artist we asked felt the same way, and leaped at the chance to do something special for children. They felt it was an honor to create for a young audience. And to redo the art for "the classics," was icing on the cake.

"Childhood is something all of us have in common," said Passports Director, Christine Bethea. "Wanting to recapture the joy of those days, is something all adults can truly appreciate. Revisiting those stories and rhymes, gives us all the excuse we need to return to those happy, simpler times."

The art that is produced will be eco-family-friendly and appeal to both parents and kids, allowing adults time to reminisce and children opportunity to practice their reading skills; elements which enhance quality time spent together.

So far, artists Anne Hayes, Debbie Holt, Brenda Brown, LaVerne Kemp, Barbra Mackey, Alison Zapata, Anne Hayes, Susan Constanse, Cheryl Cappezutti, Christine Bethea and Adam Wadell have accepted the challenge Of Art and Mice which expects to hold its opening exhibit sometime in the fall.

Martin Missfeldt's Mona Lisa in MS Paint

This is a masterful painting of the Mona Lisa by a computer wiz!



Fantastic video

HOW our STORY BEGAN p/c

Our Group is called Passports: The Art Diversity Project. The Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) gave us a GRANT. A "grant" is money given to a group or person to do a special project. We wanted to do art about children's stories, songs, fables and rhymes that you have heard or your parents grew up reading or even your grandparents know. Some of these stories are CLASSICS, which means they are old, in a good way. People like them so much they have been told and retold many, many times. We have asked 12 artists to do art, about some of their favorites, and we will have an exhibit of the art they make in the up coming year. This is a picture of United States Senator, Jay Costa, giving Passports Director, Ms. Bethea, her grant which is also called an award. Did you ever win an AWARD or PRIZE for something special? Can you and your family tell us about it? (Example: Daniel G.--last initial only-- got an award for loosing a tooth!)