“We want to give the students an opportunity to have the experience of a live performance and introduce them to the community. And to give the community the chance to see the local talent and to enjoy what these students are doing,”said Anne Kurtzman, Lead Teacher at Pioneer Career Center.
Once a month junior and senior students from Pioneer Career & Technology Center take advantage of an opportunity created by First Friday events in the Mansfield downtown area. This past Friday night at the Element of Arts Studio located at 96 North Main Street in downtown Mansfield, singers, dancers and musicians performed live. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. the gallery presented a showing of its local talent while hosting the opportunity for Pioneer students to perform.
Art Coordinator Kathy Goodwin commented on featured artist Ester Schnable. “She puts each piece together in an avant-garde way. The pieces just come together beautifully,”said Goodwin.
Schnable has been a student at the studio for the past two years and loves to create jewlery and glass art. Schnable says she favors working with beads and multi-colored glass.
The Element of Art Studio is owned by Richland Newhope Industries and is a non profit art gallery that showcases the artistic talents of individuals with developmental disabilities. Every artist receives 50 percent of every item that is sold in the gallery.
“Our main goal is for our clients to have integration with the community and the opportunity to make money doing the creative things they love to do,”said Goodwin.
The studio offers classes Monday through Friday and the individuals are encouraged to choose which forms of art they would like to participate in. Classes and subjects range from glass kiln, jewlery making and visual art that includes; water color and acrylics.
For more information on showings and classes visit www.eoastudiogallery.com or call 419-522-2965. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 10-3 p.m.
