Fine Art Fiesta of Kutztown invited children to paint a mural and to paint rocks for Kutztown Community Library, learning about creating something together as a community to help others.
The mural will be displayed at the library and the painted rocks will go in the library garden.
“I hope they get a better sense of community and what it means to help somebody else out,” said youth librarian Taylor Kutz.
The program was part of the Kutztown Community Library Summer Reading Program with the theme Build A Better World.
“It fits in by you have to start with your community to build a better world,” said Kutz. “So building a better community, learning about community.”
The Summer Reading Program also includes presentations by Mad Science, Jesse the Reptile Guy and singer Mark DeRose.
Co-founders and co-directors of Fine Art Fiesta Sarah Locke and Rachel Akers presented the library program on June 22. Fine Art Fiesta opened last year with summer art camps.
“I hope that they learned that their affects in the community radiate out. I think it’s important for kids to work together,” said Akers. “This is one of those rare opportunities where kids from different ages all get to come together and work together. It’s important.”
“We love Kutztown. That’s why we’re here. When we collaborate and work together, you have an impact on what you do in this community,” said Locke. “One small act of helping somebody else can radiate out and have an impact in the community. Like one child said, just picking up trash in the park, that’s helpful to everybody who uses the park.”
Locke hopes the children gain a mindfulness of helping others in the community.
“The art component is a memory of that act,” she said. “This is where a lot of familiar faces are in town and these children are going to be coming not only be able to borrow books, participate in the programs at the library, but knowing that they had a hand in something beautiful at the library, that they are truly a part of it.”
“They not just somebody who visits; they are participants in the things that go on at the library and in the community as a whole,” added Locke.
Fine Art Fiesta also encouraged participants to fill out Artist Trading Cards, which they established in Kutztown. Children were asked to draw a picture on a small card and on the back they wrote the artwork title, their artist name and a message. They hung their art card on a line strung between trees near the library. Community members are encouraged take and trade art cards to get to know people in the community better.
