SUSSEX — The Summer Art Program, sponsored by the Miles B. Carpenter Museum in Waverly, was held at Sussex Elementary and Sussex Middle schools, and, according to a statement released on behalf of the Museum, was a huge success again this year. The elementary students under the tutelage of Dr. Natalie Delbridge studied and painted art based on the theme, "Art Around the World in 15 Days".
During their journey the students learned about such artists as van Gogh, Stella, Picasso and Miles B. Carpenter, who was a Waverly resident and folk artist.
Dr. Delbridge told the children of how Carpenter created art from pieces of wood he found. He saw something in each piece, she said, as she dumped a pile of wood pieces on the table and allowed each child to pick a piece and tell what they saw in it. Each child saw something different. The children discovered a whole new world through wood, oil pastels, paints, Chinese dragons, African masks, painting and designing bottles and trying their hands at the canvas.
The older group of middle school age and some high school students were under the tutelage of Joseph Elliott. These students found delight in relief paintings using drift wood and drift rock, painting wooden letter stencils, using scrap plywood to make their own unique creations, and making a cube shaped storage box with hinges and a lid, to store most anything. The students were inspired by Carpenter's life and folk art style so much, they tried their hands at making a basket of his renowned signature, "Watermelon Slice".
The summer class culminated at the middle school on July 30, with an art show and reception. Some of the pieces remained on display through Sept. 13, in the art studio on the grounds at the museum, located at 201 Hunter St., adjacent to 460 in Waverly.