Hulley grant makes art classes a reality

Program promotes children's creativity

I attended an after-school class at St. Mary-St. Michael School and wrote a story about it for The New Haven Register last month.
The program was funded by a generous grant from the Jamie A. Hulley Fund for the Arts, based in Orange, Ct.

These are some of the photos I took while at the Derby, Ct. school: 

Fifth-grader Genesis Brito, 10, of Derby, works on a painting of her dog following the style of Vincent van Gogh. Valley Arts Council President Rich DiCarlo of Derby works with two of her classmates in the background.

Fifth-grader Emily Tokash, 10, of Hamden, paints the sun.

Valley Arts Council Vice President Steve DiRienzo of Derby, far left, works with art students.

Fourth grader Elizabeth DeCrisanti, 10, of Waterbury, puts finishing touches on her abstract painting in the cubism style.



Paint prep!  

This is what I saw when I arrived a few minutes before class started. DiCarlo and DiRienzo said they always prepped the acrylic paints for the pupils to save valuable class time.




Editor's note: These photos previously appeared on the New Haven Register's View from the Valley blog.