What is Buddy Art?
Buddy Art is a program designed to provide
art activities for children with special
needs and/or physical disabilities. The
program is free and is sponsored by Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center (formerly This
Century Art Gallery) in cooperation with
Campus Buddies, student volunteers from the College
of William & Mary, and James
City County Parks & Recreation.
A variety of art activities are offered
based on the ages, ability levels, and
interests of the participating children.
Each child is assigned a volunteer "Buddy" to
work with them one-on-one, helping them
to explore the materials, and replenishing
their supplies as needed. Each station
has a volunteer Activity Supervisor who
is responsible for setting up and overseeing
the activity and explaining to participants
what the materials were and how to use
them. Participants may stay in one area
or explore multiple activities during the
duration of the class period.
Each week has a theme such as "Self-Portraits" or "Fall
Leaves". There are generally five
art stations including activities such
as Finger-painting, Clay (air-drying clay),
Collage (cutting or tearing & pasting
colored/textured papers and other objects),
Drawing (crayons; markers; pastels; colored
pencils; drawing pencils), Stamping (with
stamps relating to the theme), and Easel
Painting (tempera). Special projects might
include body-tracings for self-portraits
or printmaking projects such as leaf-printing.
Parents are invited to participate with
their child or to simply observe. Buddies
are assigned to each child regardless of
the parent’s participation so that
the parent can share the activity without
having to be responsible for managing the
art materials and set-up.
The Buddy Art program will continues
with Fall & Spring sessions of 4-6
classes scheduled during the William & Mary
academic terms with students from the Wm & Mary
Sharpe Program continuing to serve as "Buddies".
View
the Buddy Art Photo Albums to see how
much fun everyone has in the Buddy Art
Program!!!
The Buddy Art Program is free to participants
and is run by WCAC volunteers. To volunteer
in the Buddy Art Program, contact the gallery
at 757-229-4949 or email Karen Schwartz,
Buddy Art Coordinator, at buddy.art@thiscenturyartgallery.org.
To make a donation toward Art Supplies,
please send your contribution to Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center, attn: Buddy Art, P.O. Box
388, Williamsburg, VA 23187-0388.
Buddy Art appreciates the generous support of donations and grants from Margaret Pritchard, St. Olaf’s Catholic Church, Hudgins-Holiday Chevrolet & Cadillac, Williamsburg Ford, and the Williamsburg Rotary Club.
Special Thanks to Hudgins-Holiday Chevrolet & Cadillac
for sponsoring our new Buddy Art T-Shirts!
