young artists

My name is Alison Giannone and I am a senior at Methacton High School.  I am pursuing a degree in Art Education, and as part of that pursuit, interned this summer at the Greater Norristown Art League art camp.  I have been fortunate to work with two very creative artists, Jo Ann Cooksey Bono and Mary Vogel Lozinak, from whom I’ve learned a great deal about art and its presentation to young children.  The GNAL is such a rich community resource that sadly I was not even aware of until high school.  I must have passed the GNAL hundreds of times in my life driving on Germantown Pike, never knowing the valuable contribution it provides to our community.   

 The summer camp is a wonderful opportunity for children to experience a variety of different art mediums in a warm and supportive environment.  The children take part in drawing, painting, sculpting, paper-making, tie-dye, paper mache, and a multitude of other artistic activities. The projects are designed for children as young as 6 and as old as 12, with individualized attention to help meet the child at their level of artistic ability. Children work for the entire amount of time they are given, and what ever time is left in the class is used for face painting, which never ceases to be the highlight of their afternoon! It’s been a delight painting those adorable faces.

 I think many people remain oblivious, as was I, to this wonderful place that contributes so much to our community. I would have loved going to the GNAL for summer camp or art classes as a child if I had known about it.  The fact that the organization is non-profit, makes it a wonderfully affordable way to expose children to art and tap into their inner creativity.   The pride the children take in their artwork has been one of the most rewarding parts of this experience for me, and I am grateful to the GNAL for giving me this opportunity.