Kids create art to raise art class funds

The Desert Sun • December 10, 2009

Ornaments and coffee mugs painted by children in the Old Town Artisan Studio are on sale and will help raise money for local youth programs.

More than 100 children painted 266 ornaments.

And 12 valley children who are part of a grief support group painted coffee mugs inspired by their deceased loved ones. Those mugs are now for sale at the Old Town Coffee Company, said studio visionary Victory Grund.

“They are beautiful, and they come out of the hearts and hands of kids,” Grund said of both the ornaments and the mugs.

The studio started making ornaments after Thanksgiving and let children paint them in time for the La Quinta holiday tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Grund said.

“We offered them (an opportunity) to paint and glaze three ornaments, keep their favorite one and then donate two back to the studio so they can be hung on our window,” she said.

More than 100 children came to the studio throughout last week to paint more than 300 clay ornaments for the holiday window. As of Dec. 8, the 191 ornaments out 266 have been sold.

Proceeds from the ornament sales will go toward the studio's art classes for various youth organizations, including Boys & Girls Club of the Coachella Valley, the Braille Institute in Rancho Mirage, and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Desert.

During the classes, students learn how to sculpt clay and make pottery. Costs range from $20 to $35 per class to support instructors who work at the studio.

Ten children from the President Gerald R. Ford Boys & Girls Club of La Quinta participated in the ornament-painting, said Martha Jimenez, youth development program specialist.

“There are a lot of schools cutting their art budget, so it is incredible for the children to be able to show their creativity and being able to express themselves,” Jimenez said.

Twelve children from the Mourning Star Center, the Visiting Nurses Association of the Inland Counties' grief program for children who are dealing with the loss of a relative, painted 110 coffee mugs at the artisan studio last week.

The artisan studio's resident kiln master, Sergio Naduville, said it took 40 hours in late November to make the ceramic mugs.

“I was ready to be part of a project that benefited children and families,” he said.

During two workshops last week, Naduville recalled some of the mugs had messages like “I Miss You” and “I Hope You Are in Good Hands.”

“Some of the mugs were really amazing, and the messages to the people being missed showed that they were loved,” he said. “I was really touched by those kids.”