Art museum plans summer youth art classes

GLENDA SANDERS |, The Meridian Star, Miss.
·3 min read

Jun. 9—The addition of a printmaking class and a new animation creation class being taught by an Emmy-award winning producer and animator will highlight this summer's youth art classes being offered by the Meridian Museum of Art.

The annual youth art classes, which will include three week-long sessions during the two-month summer break, will culminate with an exhibition and reception from 2-3 p.m. Sunday, July 23, at the museum.

The classes are separated into age groups and will cost $60 each.

"We separated them in age groups so they are not too young or too old because the older ones do more extensive projects," said Kate Cherry, executive director of the art museum.

The first session of classes will kick off Monday, June 26, and will run through Thursday, June 30. They are being taught by instructor Elizabeth Fisher. Introduction of Art for ages 4 and 5 will be held from 9:30 until 11 a.m. Hand-building pottery for ages 6 to 12 will be offered from 11:15 a.m. until 12:45 p.m., and wheel-throwing pottery for ages 12 to 17 will be from 1-2:30 p.m.

Four classes are planned for the second session, which will run from July 10-14. Drawing and painting for ages 6-9 will be from 9:30 until 11 a.m. Printmaking for ages 6 to 12 will be offered from 11:15 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. Drawing and painting for older students, ages 10-12, will be from 1-2:30 p.m. Animation creation for ages 10-14 will be from 2:30-4 p.m.

The drawing, painting and printmaking classes will be taught by Cary Haycox, who teaches art at Northeast Lauderdale High School.

Cherry said Haycox had asked to have a full class on printmaking this summer.

"We have taught it within mixed media classes, but he wanted to do a more in-depth study of printmaking with the students," she said.

The animation creation class will be taught by Byron Vaughns, an Emmy award-winning producer, animator and director. Vaughns is known for his work as a storyboard artist or director for a number of cartoons, including "Animaniacs," "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe," "The Smurfs" and "The Pink Panther," among others.

Just two classes will be offered during the third session, which will run from July 17-21, and are being taught by instructor Marsha Iverson. Drawing and painting for ages 13 to 17 will be from 9:30 until 11 a.m. Portfolio Preparation for ages 13-17 will be from 11:15 a.m. until 12:45 p.m.

The sponsors of the youth art classes include The Phil Hardin Foundation, the Mississippi Arts Commission, The Riley Foundation, the Paul and Sherry Broadhead Foundation, the City of Meridian, the Community Foundation of East Mississippi, museum members, and Rea, Shaw, Giffin and Stuart LLP.

For more information on the youth art classes or to register, visit meridianmuseumyouthclasses.org.

Contact Glenda Sanders at gsanders@themeridianstar.com.