When I was growing up it was a fact of life that we had to travel in order to receive extra lessons in any specialty field we were keen on.
Being the youngest of five meant the week was full of trips for Mum and Dad to and from regional towns around where we lived, to get extra curricula education. Living at Greenethorpe my parents would pick me up once a week from High School in Grenfell and we’d travel to Young for art lessons. This was over an hour round trip and occurred for at least four years.
But Canowindra is a bit different. You can imagine how exciting it has been for me to be a part of an Art Mentoring Program that has been running here in Canowindra for the last 3 years.
The program has offered young artists lessons in all the art basic styles and mediums and then encourages them to discover the personal field they prefer. Organised and supported by the Canowindra Arts group with strong funding support by the Sally Foundation.
The Sally Foundation is a private philanthropic organisation who invest in youth related projects in the Orange region.
This year we have seen 14 young people aged 9 – 15 finish the course which culminates in an excellent Art Mentoring Exhibition to be held on the 28th September at 6pm at our Art Space at 70A Gaskill St. There will be over 50 pieces displayed from simple flowers in watercolour to teddy bears painted in Oil.
I am proud to call myself a local and after talking to a lady in a nearby town recently I am excited to say that we are getting a reputation of being a town known for its art, music and culture.
The Sally Foundation, founded by Geraldine and Mike Roche, are assisting local organisations and the communities in the region to improve the lives and prospects of young people. The Sally Foundation is also active in Zimbabwe where Geraldine supports a local youth drama group.
By Sue Hodge