By Amy Batista, Special Writer
The Rise Summer Camp Art Exhibition opened Sunday afternoon and features local students’ artwork created this summer.
“The artwork is so inspiring that we wanted to display it in other places besides our office and camp and we wanted to open it up to the entire public,” said Case Manager and Summer Program Coordinator Cristiana Ciobanu.
The summer camp art exhibition kicked off on Aug. 9 with a reception from 3 to 5 p.m. at 12 Farms Restaurant at 120 N. Main St. The Rise office is located directly above the 12 Farms Restaurant.
“Since 12 Farms opened this past spring, we have coordinated an exhibit of our summer campers’ artwork,” Ms. Ciobanu said.
The theme is “Recycled Art on the Rise” and the show features an exhibition of mixed media art creations by children ages 5-15.
“The works are creative pieces of recycled art, using common things that are discarded every day,” she said.
Jill Lee-You, the Rise Summer Academic Enrichment creative director, sifted through donations at the Greater Goods Thrift Stores to find items for the children to recycle into art.
“They worked really hard on them,” Ms. Lee-You said. “We used a lot of the recycled materials.”
They used magazines, jewelry, toilet paper rolls, CDs, records, jeans, and much more.
“We used balloons to create some of the artwork,” she said.
“She worked with the children to see common things differently, creating creatures from caps of laundry detergent, paintings using old jeans pockets, and gorgeous wall decorations from old records,” Ms. Ciobanu said. “We all know that we are supposed to reduce, reuse and recycle, but for the Rise artists, reuse and recycle takes on a totally different meaning.”
All the work was based off of books that they read, said Ms. Lee-You.
She said Group 2 “loved doing the dot paintings.”
“We read the book by Peter Reynolds and they created dots using paint and then they used beads and then we used other paper,” she said. “They really enjoyed doing the dot paintings.”
She said they also read “A Pocket for Corduroy.”
“So then we created the bears with the little pockets,” she said. “The kids liked all the little details because in the book it has a little nametag that he puts in his pocket.”
The kids also had nametags hidden in the pockets like in the book.
“We had art twice a week so it took us a little bit longer to complete our projects,” she said.
The project was “really special for her,” Ms. Lee-You said.
“Rise is not just our community but it’s a family,” she said. “What’s really nice is the kids; since I’ve been here so long over the years I’ve seen them grow and develop as artists. That’s what’s special for me.“
Ms. Lee-You has been working for the program for 10 years, starting out as a counselor and then graduating to art teacher and finally returning to run the art program at the camp.
Sanziana Penafiel, 15, of East Windsor, a high school volunteer, assisted Ms. Lee-You in the art room.
The exhibit will be available for the general public to view through the end of August.
“Come in and enjoy it,” Ms. Ciobanu said. “You can just come and browse. You don’t have to sit down for a meal and order anything. No questions asked.”
“It’s a bright, colorful show that really fits the space and has been well received by the customers so far,” said 12 Farms Restaurant co-owner Rennie DiLorenzo. “The art is stunning.”
He said he would like to thank Rise and all of the artists for sharing their work with them and the community.
“The artwork from Rise is colorful and imaginative and the best show we have had so far,” said the restaurant’s other co-owner, Barbara DiLorenzo. “We are proud to show their work.”
Her personal favorite is the group piece with all the owls.
All of the pieces in the 12 Farms Gallery are for sale.
“Just as the tuition for the camp is based on income, we are asking that people purchase the artwork based on what they can afford,” Ms. Ciobanu said. “The pieces range from sparkly geometric hangings made from repurposed jewelry to an inspired angel sculpture based on a parent looking down on his daughter.”
All of the donations for the artwork will go toward scholarships for next summer’s camp program.
Sebastian Canton, 7, of East Windsor, said he liked painting.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said.
Whitney Pando, 11, of Hightstown, posed by her abstract flower project and said, “It was fun. It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had before, especially sharing it with my friends — that was the greatest part of it.”
