 |
|
|
|
Photograph by George Sakkestad
Roberta Gillard shows off the mask she made which was on exhibit recently at Villa Montalvo.
Montalvo reaches out with art
By Shari Kaplan
It only stayed for 11 days in Montalvo's gallery, but Villa Montalvo's Artshop Exhibition made an impression that will last much longer than that in the lives of the artists who contributed to it.
The Artshop, which took place from Aug. 26 through Sept. 5, is part of Montalvo's comprehensive Arts Education and Outreach Program. A collaborative effort with HOPE Rehabilitation Services and art therapist Catherine Crawford, the Artshop lets developmentally disabled adults and senior citizens explore the creative process through a variety of artistic styles and media. For seven weeks this spring, artists worked with Crawford, learning about art and trying their hands at painting, drawing, mask-making and sculpture. The summertime exhibit was the capstone.
"It's a chance for them to express themselves and show their talents that we might not have normally been aware of. Sometimes they might not have been aware of [their talents] either," explains Lisa Ramirez, Montalvo's director of Arts Education and Outreach.
"The visual arts sometimes tend to be a little intimidating, but this helps demystify the whole process and lets developmentally challenged people try out the arts for themselves. They're very talented, and they love making art," she says.
The Artshop is just one of many programs and activities that nonprofit Montalvo offers to students as well as to community groups who may have limited access to the arts. All programs are free, except for student matinees, which cost $1. "A lot of people don't always know all the different things we're doing for the community," Ramirez adds.
Montalvo's diverse programs include:
* Student matinees in the Carriage House Theatre, for which school children attend plays, musicals and puppet shows. Performances often conclude with a question-and-answer session.
* Students are invited to meet performers from the Performing Arts Series through assemblies, concerts, lectures and classes, sometimes held at the students' schools, other times at Montalvo.
* The Young Writers Competition for 11th and 12th graders offers cash awards and certificates for excellence in poetry and prose, with a reception on the Montalvo grounds.
* The Gallery at Montalvo presents unique and often innovative exhibitions throughout the year, with gallery director Theres Rohan coordinating tours, lectures, workshops, hands-on activities, performances and other programs for student field trips.
* The Artist Residency Program offers writers, composers and visual artists a chance to live for a time in cottages in a peaceful atmosphere while working on new creative projects. The residents also give public performances and meet and greet the public on certain days.
* Performing Arts Camps, in conjunction with the Recreation Departments of both Los Gatos and Saratoga, provide children ages 7 through 12 with day camps focusing on theatrical, visual and performing arts.
* Missoula Children's Theater is a one-week program that lets youngsters from 5 to 18 audition, rehearse and produce their own plays in the Garden Theater.
For more information about any of Montalvo's arts or outreach programs, call 961-5812.
|
|
|
|
Saratoga, California Since 1955
