Goshen’s downtown took on the feel of a massive art gallery Friday with the kickoff of the First Fridays Spring Art Fest.
Starting off the celebration was the inaugural Youth Art Hop, where 88 original pieces of artwork from 92 local student artists were unveiled at various downtown businesses over the course of the evening.
“This is our first year doing the downtown Youth Art Hop, and we’re pretty excited about it,” said First Fridays Director Grace Hunsberger. “The organizing leading up to it was crazy, but we’re really excited to have this opportunity to showcase the students’ work.
“There are very few opportunities for kids who have artistic talent, so we were excited to have downtown Goshen be a venue for that,” she said.
Lyman Hug, owner of Shutter Hugs Custom Framing, agreed. Shutter Hugs was one of several downtown stores to feature student art during the event.
“Art Hop is something new for First Fridays, and I think it’s really a good thing to do, because I think there are a lot of talented kids out there in the schools that need recognition,” Hug said. “You know, some of these kids are third-, fourth-, fifth-grade kids, and they’re already doing some pretty impressive stuff, so I think Art Hop is a great thing.
“These kids need to get their stuff up where people can see it, and get encouraged to continue to work on it even if they’re not going to make a career out of it. So I think this is a great opportunity for that,” he said.
“Lauren Hodges, the owner of Accents here, played a huge roll in getting this all together,” Hunsberger said. “She donated all the matting and a lot of the organizing time, so I can’t say enough about her.”
Brooke Boyts, a junior at Fairfield High School, was one of the six student award winners honored at Friday’s event.
According to Boyts, events such as Youth Art Hop are invaluable because they help give students like her the confidence and drive needed to realize their full artistic potential.
“I do think events like this are important for students, especially when you do stuff that is very tedious, because after a while you can get kind of discouraged,” Boyts said. “I think doing stuff like this makes you step back and think ‘Wow, I can do something big, and people will like it, and it’s worth all the time and effort I you put into it.”
Hannah Gerig-Meyer, an art teacher at Bethany Christian Schools, couldn’t agree more.
“I think events like this give students a lot of confidence by allowing them to see their work out on display and by motivating them to keep creating,” Gerig-Meyer said. “It just builds excitement for art, and that’s always a good thing.”
While the Youth Art Hop awards ceremony concluded Friday night, all featured works will remain available for public viewing as part of a month-long local art exhibit.
In addition, the Spring Art Fest continues today with the Goshen Open Studio Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event takes visitors on a self-guided tour of professional art studios located in and around the Goshen area.
For more information on the tour or to download a map, visit www.goshenopenstudio.com.
Local News
Goshen becomes a big art gallery
- Local News
-
-
Boys & Girls Club of Goshen says goodbye to longtime director Andy Purviance
It’s the end of an era at the Boys & Girls Club of Goshen. Andy Purviance, the long-time Director of the Club, will be saying good bye to the club and Goshen this fall as he and his wife Donna relocate to San Diego where Purviance will continue his career in Boys & Girls Clubs.
-
Goshen VFW Honor Guard helps send their fellow veterans to final rest
The heat of the stuffy May day is starting to gather outside of Rieth-Rohrer Funeral Home in downtown Goshen recently as members of the VFW Post 985 Honor Guard begin to shuffle inside.
-
Duty changes with birth of LaGrange soldier's son
Usually when people think of American veterans they think of men in uniform. More often today, than in yesteryear, the veteran is a woman. In tune with the times, the military has made accommodations for this increase in female recruits.
-
Fairfield graduates ready for the next step
Fairfield High School held its 44th commencement Friday night in its school gymnasium, handing out 145 diplomas.
-
Westview seniors graduate Friday night
Westview High School held its 46th commencement Friday night in its school gymnasium, handing out 97 diplomas.
-
RV shipments up in April
Wholesale shipments of recreational vehicles rose 9.8 percent in April compared to the same month in 2011.
-
UPDATE: Police release names of two killed in Bristol motorcycle crash
Two Elkhart residents were killed Friday night when the motorcycle they were riding crashed along Ind. 15 as they fled police.
-
Police probe possible fatal crash near Bristol
Elkhart County rescue crews responded to a possible double fatal traffic crash on Ind. 15 just south of C.R. 112 at 9:13 p.m. Friday night. Ind. 15 was closed to non-emergency traffic and a Samaritan medical helicopter landed at the scene to assist with rescue efforts.
-
Goshen teen who shot himself Tuesday arrested for using sawed-off gun in robbery
A 17-year-old male recently admitted to IU Health Goshen Hospital for a self-inflicted gunshot wound has been arrested in connection with the robbery of a BP gas station in Goshen this past Sunday.
-
Wild phlox can be found this time of year
Nature’s bounty can sometimes produce unexpected beauty in the form of wildflowers that can pop up anywhere and everywhere. They can be some of the most exhilarating because of the unusual colors, the delicacy of the blossoms, or simply their choice of location to grow.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
