ECO-ART: LESSONS BEHIND THE LABOR

Previously, programs under the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri's Art for Kids Club have focused on multicultural and ethnic art, says Louise Lansford-Ridgeway, a member of the arts council.

"If you look at the definition of multi-cultural, it includes your own backyard," Lansford-Ridgeway said. "That's where the root of this program is, creating art out of things you already have, trying to re-use things and turning them into something useful."

The Eco-Art program is "real hands-on," she said. "They're doing an art project, but they also get the real lessons behind the art, learning about color and positives and negatives and composition."

Upcoming sessions will include solar art Saturday at Trinity Lutheran School; mask making, Feb. 3 at Jefferson School; sand casting, Feb. 24 at May Greene School; watering can and flower pot design, March 9 at St. Paul Lutheran School; fish printing, March 30 at Washington School; and tin can printing, April 13 at Alma Schrader School.

A special session on framing and displaying artwork will be held May 11, with a location to be announced.

All sessions start at 2 p.m.

The Art for Kids Club "is one way we could see of really disseminating art information into the community," Lansford-Ridgeway said. "This program costs a dollar a child. That's pretty amazing. This is a public art program for a dollar a child."

At the end of each session, parents and children can take home recipes and instructions explaining how to do projects at home, she said.

The cost for the sessions is $1 per person, including adults. Sessions are open to children ages 5 to 13, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Preregistration is required by the Wednesday prior to each session. Call the arts council at 334-9233 for more information or to register.