Autumn Arts Afternoon slated for Saturday
By: Molly Petrilla
WEST WINDSOR Artists will become instructors and residents will become artists Saturday at the West Windsor Arts Council’s "Autumn Arts Afternoon."
The event will take place rain or shine from 1 to 4 p.m., and several local artists will encourage and instruct participants on a wide range of visual art techniques. Six stations will be set up under a heated tent at Nassau Park Shopping Center behind the Panera Bread store and the projects will take place simultaneously throughout the afternoon.
West Windsor fiber artist Carol Schnepps will present a community weaving project on her "Giant Loom," which is 15 feet wide and 8 feet tall. According to event co-chair Beate Witzler, Ms. Schnepps and members of the Arts Council have collected different types of recycled fabric including cotton, wool, linen and ribbon that will be formed into a large tapestry and displayed somewhere in the township.
At another station, Dick Snedeker, an Arts Council board member, will invite residents to paint designs on four large wooden sculptures known as "Fabulous Forms" he has created. The shape of the forms will not be revealed until the event, Ms. Witzler said.
In addition, origami artist Dan Robinson will offer instruction on the art of Japanese paper folding, and Ina Marx Brosseau and Allen Marx two Arts Council board members and antiques experts will present a workshop titled "Assemblages," at which residents will create framed 3-D projects out of natural materials including wood, bark and leaves.
Councilwoman Heidi Kleinman will lead "Drop ‘N Draw" a workshop on still-life drawing using oil pastels, crayons, markers and pencils. In addition to a still-life display, Ms. Witzler said that budding artists may also have the chance to draw live models, depending on how many volunteers step forward by Saturday.
Another station will consist of "Aboriginal Dot Art" presented by art teacher Barbara de Baylo. The technique comes from native art in Australia, and though designs were traditionally painted on rocks, participants at the event will use tempera paint and a variety of tools to print dots on construction paper.
For the past two years, the Autumn Arts Afternoon has drawn crowds of up to 500 people. Its purpose, according to Ms. Witzler, is to "encourage people to try out new things in the arts so they can find out what they like and what they can do."
And though the event has a decidedly child-oriented feel, Ms. Witzler said adults often become equally invested in the projects.

