Moldovan Orphan Art Exhibit
Posted on: November 15, 2011 by Zach Hoag
New Moon Cafe is hosting an exhibit of the artwork of Moldovan orphans from November 14th – December 5th, 2011.
Moldova, a former Soviet Republic, is today the poorest country in Europe. Following the collapse of Communism the economic and social infrastructure of the country crumbled, and the resulting vacuum was filled with corruption, lawlessness and despair. In the ensuing years 25% of the population left the country seeking work. Many thousands of children were left behind, either with other family members who could not provide for them or they were simply abandoned. These kids find themselves on the street, or dumped into government run orphanages.
Total funding for the orphanages is the equivalent of about $1 per child per day. As a result, programs and services are severely limited and conditions are marginal at best.
The fate that awaits these children when they reach the age of 16 is horrific. At 16, they must leave the orphanages and often fall prey to traffickers who sell them as sex slaves.
ARS DOR under the direction of Ghenadie Sontu, is an organization that regularly visits the orphanages providing art classes as a vehicle for the children to express what is in their hearts ~ the rejection, abandonment and loss they have experienced. In the process of exercising newly found creative gifts, the orphans begin to discover their identity, as precious and valued.
Art therapy is a respected and effective method for dealing with childhood trauma. In the creative environment of art classes, leaders assess the psychological state of the children and work to build a sense of identity as well as hope and a future.
An exuberant display of the artwork of these children is on display at New Moon. 150 Cherry Street Inc. is sponsoring this awareness and fundraising event for the benefit of ARS DOR and the orphans of Moldova. If you are interested to learn more about this program please contact michaelbeer@150cherryst.org.
An Early Summer Banquet
Posted on: June 23, 2011 by Zach Hoag
Our friends from the Burlington Emergency Shelter joined us this past Saturday night for a Banquet at 150.
It was a lovely time of feasting and connecting with our guests; volunteers came to us from 150, Stand, Dwell, and GMS. Here are a few photos that tell the story...
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In the upstairs kitchen, preparing bruschetta...
A new volunteer named Jeremy from Stand checks on a table, as all enjoy salad and fresh organic bread...
Bride-to-be Amy and Jeremy get the main course of pasta primavera out to our guests and other volunteers...
And volunteer Keith gets an early start on dishes in our downstairs kitchen, as Marshall and Co. get the Ben & Jerry's ice cream sundaes out to the guests.
Thanks to all who participated and volunteered, it was yet another wonderful evening!
Pop Art @ Girls' Night
Posted on: June 23, 2011 by Zach Hoag
This month's Girls' Night took a pop-culture turn...and the girls loved it!
Art leader Debbie Beer says this: "We talked a little about pop art as a genre and images in pop culture right now (like Justin Bieber!); the girls drew an image, traced it within each space of a grid and filled in with color. Each square was differentiated by color choices. They turned out awesome, and it was one of their favorite projects so far!"
Next month, the girls will be doing an outdoor class at the waterfront with a picnic and drawing "plein air" with the lake and mountain backdrop. Then there will be a break for the rest of summer before the group resumes in the fall!
Here are some shots of the girls in action:
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Creating & Progressing: Girls' Group!
Posted on: May 12, 2011 by Zach Hoag
The Girls' Group art night this past Monday was the second in a series on image transfers. Art coordinator Debbie Beer says this about the project:
"The girls transferred the same image from a photograph as many as 3 times and were instructed to try different mediums in each - acrylics, pastels, colored pencils, and some used marker. They practiced skills in observing detail and replication, as well as creativity in making the image their own. It was fun and they came out great!"
In fact, this art night was one in which the girls truly progressed in their creative skills. That's one of our values here at 150 - to make creativity a vehicle for practical empowerment and youth development. These girls may be facing a variety of challenges, but their passion for art is one of the many ways that they are seeing beauty in themselves, their lives, and the world.
Enjoy these images; and stay tuned for a reception next month at New Moon to showcase all the beautiful work these girls have created!
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