Page 80 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2020

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SECTION
KIDS AT ART Children’s Art Education Programs
story by Alaysha Allen
Art is proven to play a key role in early childhood development, particularly in helping kids to express their emotions and hone their motor skills. In addition, the creative process assists in the development of visual awareness and instinct, and gives the child another form of communication. In Coastal Mississippi, we are fortunate
to have many organizations to help and educate children in the arts.
In Bay St. Louis, located within the Historic L&N Train Depot, is the Alice Moseley Folk Art and Antique Museum. The museum expanded in 2019 with the help of a grant from the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area; this was the opening of Alice’s Classroom, the new sector of the museum. This facility also partnered with Music, Arts, Practicality (MAP) of Hancock County to allow children to explore theatre and theatre production.
Lilyana Gandour, museum operations director, says, “The kids wrote a short play, built sets and costumes, and performed.” With Alice’s Classroom, the children were also able to explore varying forms of painting, weaving, and sculpting for free. The museum plans on continuing this initiative but does not yet have any concrete plans.
Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in Gulfport is very involved in promoting children’s art; they even have exhibit spaces for child-centered murals and installations! Lynn Meadows has an artist studio available to any visitor or school visits o ering a di erent activity each week. The materials for each week are provided and the focuses vary, ranging from a particular artist to a speci c technique.
“Sometimes we focus on a particular artist, such as Picasso, Georgia O’Kee e, or even Eric Carle,” says Museum Manager Carla Sharrow. “We might learn how to do an art technique that
the children may not have been exposed to, like some form of printmaking or a painting technique. We try to incorporate art activities with all of our special events, and even our science-based
programming that we do here at the museum.”
Theatre is also embraced at Lynn Meadows through the WINGS Performing Arts Program, which o ers shows and workshops for ages 5-18.
There are many other programs here on the Coast for a child to explore
every art form possible. A quick search can lead to an abundance of creative spaces, and these opportunities should be considered for children of all ages.
Alice Moseley Folk Art and Antique Museum
1928 Depot Way, Bay St. Louis 228.467.9223 www.alicemoseley.com
Lynn Meadows Discovery Center
246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport 228.897.6039 www.lmdc.org
80 | April 2020
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