×

Art-O-Rama showcases variety at Parkersburg Art Center

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton Addie Renner, left, helps her grandmother Jan Whitman make a bowl during the Art-O-Rama at the Parkersburg Art Center on Saturday.

PARKERSBURG — Whether it was making a puppet or making a bowl in the pottery studio, 400 local children had a day of making art and seeing art made during the annual Art-O-Rama at the Parkersburg Art Center on Saturday.

Jessie Siefert, education director for the art center located on Market Street, said many different types of art, both graphic and performing, were presented Saturday to show children the varieties of art.

“Last year we had about 400 children and we had more than 250 during the first hour today,” she said. “We have dance, the Williamstown Strings, music with Mary, Mary Gonot’s Drum Circle, several make-and-take art stations, cartooning with J.D. Williamson, a LEGO station supplied by the Boys and Girls Club from their collection and we’ll also have raffles for a year’s art center membership and a free week of summer Camp Creativity.”

Siefert said the most popular stations were those dealing with painting and water colors, the LEGO station and the animals from the Ohio River Islands Wildlife Refuge.

Abby Hayhurst, director of the center, said the final attendance number was down slightly from last year’s record attendance. She thought Saturday’s warm weather was probably what kept people at home or opting for outdoor activities.

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton Makayla Duke, right, plays drums as her mother, Cathleen, left, holds her.

Art-O-Rama was made possible by 30 volunteers, including the Key Club, the Boys and Girls Club, Vienna Public Library, Ohio River Islands Wildlife Refuge, Schrader Youth Ballet, WVU-P, the art center’s PAC-PALs League and Clay Studio team, Williamstown Strings and the YMCA, plus a number of area artists and musicians, Hayhurst said.

Willem Neufer, of Boaz, had trouble deciding on his favorite activity. His mother, Abby Taylor, said he was happiest with those that were hands-on.

“He liked three things the most,” she said. “He liked the clay, where they let the little kids put clay on the wheel — which was really cool — then the cartooning and the finger puppets.

“He’s happy to be making something.”

Linda Buchanan, of Calhoun County, said she and her family were attending their first Art-O-Rama.

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton Working on watercolors at the Art-O-Rama at the Parkersburg Art Center were, from left, Sarah Boggs, Dakota Boggs, Collin Buchanan, Linda Buchanan and Calyton Shover, all from Calhoun County.

“We’ve never been to this before,” she said. “All the kids seem to be enjoying everything.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today