GCAC's Art in the House Student Exhibition at Main Library

Children from the Greater Columbus Arts Council's Art in the House program were featured artists at an exhibition March 4 through April 27 at the Columbus Metropolitan Library's Main Library. The exhibition featured artwork inspired by program artists' visits to the Otterbein College Frank Museum of Art, which houses the college's collection of art from Africa, Japan and New Guinea.

GCAC, together with the Frank Museum, connected students to local artists and cultural organizations through the museum's exhibition Uncommon Threads: Blankets and Robes from Sierra Leone and Ghana, open through Jun. 5. Through visits to the museum, program artists and participating Art in the House students learned about weaving textiles and patterns in the African tradition. Program children, ages 5 to 11, then created their own artwork for the exhibition. In addition to creating their own work, students combined various media in their pieces, "weaving" text and phrases in a literary component to the project.

GCAC and Otterbein College, under the leadership of Professor of Art and GCAC Board member Nicholas Hill, have collaborated for many years on arts-based activities for youth participating in GCAC's educational outreach programs. The current Art in the House exhibition at the Main Library is one more chapter in the history of these collaborations.

"Arts-based programming is always valuable in developing creative and critical thinking skills," said Jim Arter, GCAC's Associate Artist. "But collaborative projects with partners like the Frank Museum, the Columbus Metropolitan Library with GCAC's Art in the House provide the children with a broader sense of community, multiple perspectives on culture and deeper awareness that through working with others we can accomplish more than working alone." Arter added, "This type of multi-layered programming requires more work and more vision on the part of the artists working with the children but the benefits to the children and our community are well worth the effort."

Through Art in the House and its partnership program TRANSIT ARTS, GCAC, TRANSIT ARTS and the Columbus Federation of Settlements organize and connect local artists, arts and cultural organizations and independent arts education programs into a comprehensive network of accessible opportunities for students in grades kindergarten through 12. Special focus is placed on the needs of children during out-of-school hours, such as afternoons, evenings, weekends and during the summer. The partnership and GCAC's arts education programs are financially assisted by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners.

Photo: Students at the opening reception