Throughout the semester, the Lehigh University Art Gallery welcomes students, families and community members to Community Days, where visitors complete art activities inspired by the gallery’s current exhibition.
The most recent event occurred Saturday, Nov. 16 in the Lower Gallery. The event was inspired by the intricate and vibrant art of Nellie Mae Rowe, the artist currently on display in the museum’s main gallery.
Each workshop allows participants to interact with the gallery’s exhibition through their own art.
Allyshia Mohr, the Lehigh University Art Gallery visitor services assistant, said Community Days are popular with children who enjoy hands-on activities.
Lehigh students are also welcomed to join in the activities. Veronica Lada, ‘28, attended the workshop and said it gave her an escape from the pressures of college life.
She appreciated the flexibility of the activities and said they allowed her to explore her creativity.
“I enjoy that they are kind of unstructured,” Lada said. “You can do whatever you want, and you find out what you like and don’t like.”
Steve and Stacey Colton, local residents who attended the workshop together, said they try to find something fun to do together each weekend. They take turns choosing an activity, and Steve Colton said he chose to go to this event because his wife is an artist.
“(We learned) a new way to do art that was not overly complicated,” Steve Colton said. “(It’s) something we could do at home even (and) was very interesting and exciting for me.”
Beyond encouraging creativity, the workshops also allow participants to connect with each other. The gallery provides all needed materials and the activities require no prior experience.
“The response has been pretty good,” Mohr said. “People like to do hands-on activities, and it’s something to enjoy and relax in.”
The final Community Days event of the fall semester will be held Dec. 7, and the program will resume in the spring.
“I think we will (attend again), especially now since we are on the mailing list,” Stacey Colton said.
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