March is one of my absolute favorite months of the year. I love March not only because it is the beginning of Spring or that the 17th is St. Patrick’s Day (a day that after living in Savannah for a while I now recognize as a national holiday) but because it is Youth Art Month. Youth Art Month was started in 1961 to increase community understanding and interest in art and art education. It is a nationwide movement and an all-around month long celebration of the visual arts. Here at the Arts Center we celebrate the arts 365 days of the year, but this month we have had some extra special celebrations.

We started off the month with the opening of the Youth Art Month exhibit. This exhibit is a selection of works from the art classes of Willie J. Williams Middle School, C.A. Gray Jr. High, CCHS, and this year for the very first time G.E.A.R. The talent present in our little town never ceases to amaze me, and I am always eager to see what our students have been working on. That being said, as I hung the Youth Art Month Exhibit I was absolutely blown away by the quality of work, skill, and creativity that was evident in this year’s selection of works. If you have ever heard the expression “like a kid in a candy store,” in the days before the opening I was the 6ft tall version while walking up and down our Traverse Gallery hanging pieces and arranging pedestals. I could not contain my excitement. Next year, I hope to expand the exhibit to all of our lower level schools in the community. A big thank you to our art teachers Alicia Montgomery, Candy Clements, Whitney Pitts, and Kim Greene! Without your dedication and love of art this would not be possible. You ladies truly make an important impact on our students. I would also like to thank the Kiwanis Club of Moultrie for hosting the opening and making the night one that will be hard to forget!

We kept the celebration going the next night with the opening of the Moultrie Federated Guild Pop-Up Art Show. This was an exhibit that showcased the work of our K-12 students enrolled in Arts Center visual arts classes. There was work present from Mrs. Kathy Nelson’s Mixed Media Classes and my Kids and Teens Ceramics Classes. I know that I may be biased, but believe me when I say this; we’ve got some young talent here at the Arts Center! It is so important for young artists to see their work displayed. Whether it be at home on the fridge or in an environment like the Arts Center, displaying a piece that a child has worked class after class on has a strong positive influence on their self esteem. It is a big way to tell them that their work is valued. Too often we look at kids and teens and see them as kids and teens when in fact, they are intelligent creative beings, so with that I encourage you to make a point to tell a young artist or young person in your life that they are valued and unique. By spreading the love we can create an environment for a generation of individuals who are, for the most part, aware of the importance of self-love and knowing their worth. These benefits are why I will never turn away someone wanting to show off their student’s work, and why I was over the moon when the Moultrie Federated Guild approached me with the opportunity to organize a showcase of CCAC student work. I am so thankful for clubs and organizations like the Moultrie Federated Guild and their support of our wonderful Colquitt County Arts Center. You ladies are incredible! Thank you for your hard work and dedication!

As I said, we celebrate the arts here 365 days of the year, and next up on our schedule is an exhibit showcasing the work of our talented Colquitt County Arts Center Artist Guild Members. This exhibit will open on April 5th, 2018 and will close April 27th, 2018. On the night of April 5th from 5:00 PM-7:30 PM the Arts Center will be hosting a reception that will be open to the public so I encourage you to drop in and take a look at the original works created by our talented members of the Artist Guild!

For more information on workshops or classes  as well as the multitude of other activities going on here at the Arts Center, feel free to give us a call at (229) 985-1922, drop me a line at aparrisharts@gmail.com, or visit our website at www.colquittcountyarts.com!