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BUDDY ART CLASSES


Spring 2016: Saturdays, January 23, 30, February 6, 13, 20, 27

3:00 - 4:00 pm  
Free

WJCC Recreation Center rooms A&B
5301 Longhill Road, Williamsburg
 
Buddy Art Fall 2015

Register Online for Buddy Art Classes
or Printable Form (.pdf)

JCC Parks & Recreation Brochure (click on Inclusion)
Participants are also required to register with JCC Parks & Recreation.
You may register at the Rec Center on the first day of class if you’re
not able to access the registration form online.


What is Buddy Art?

Buddy Art is a program designed to provide art activities for children with special needs and/or physical disabilities. The program is free and is sponsored by Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center (formerly This Century Art Gallery) in cooperation with Campus Buddies, student volunteers from the College of William & Mary, and James City County Parks & Recreation.

A variety of art activities are offered based on the ages, ability levels, and interests of the participating children. Each child is assigned a volunteer "Buddy" to work with them one-on-one, helping them to explore the materials, and replenishing their supplies as needed. Each station has a volunteer Activity Supervisor who is responsible for setting up and overseeing the activity and explaining to participants what the materials were and how to use them. Participants may stay in one area or explore multiple activities during the duration of the class period.

Each week has a theme such as "Self-Portraits" or "Fall Leaves". There are generally five art stations including activities such as Finger-painting, Clay (air-drying clay), Collage (cutting or tearing & pasting colored/textured papers and other objects), Drawing (crayons; markers; pastels; colored pencils; drawing pencils), Stamping (with stamps relating to the theme), and Easel Painting (tempera). Special projects might include body-tracings for self-portraits or printmaking projects such as leaf-printing.

Parents are invited to participate with their child or to simply observe. Buddies are assigned to each child regardless of the parent’s participation so that the parent can share the activity without having to be responsible for managing the art materials and set-up.

The Buddy Art program will continues with Fall & Spring sessions of 4-6 classes scheduled during the William & Mary academic terms with students from the Wm & Mary Sharpe Program continuing to serve as "Buddies".

Buddy Art - Spring 2013

View the Buddy Art Photo Albums to see how much fun everyone has in the Buddy Art Program!!!

The Buddy Art Program is free to participants and is run by WCAC volunteers. To volunteer in the Buddy Art Program, contact the gallery at 757-229-4949 or email Karen Schwartz, Buddy Art Coordinator, at buddy.art@thiscenturyartgallery.org. To make a donation toward Art Supplies, please send your contribution to Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center, attn: Buddy Art, P.O. Box 388, Williamsburg, VA 23187-0388.

Buddy Art appreciates the generous support of donations and grants from Margaret Pritchard, St. Olaf’s Catholic Church, Hudgins-Holiday Chevrolet & Cadillac, Williamsburg Ford, and the Williamsburg Rotary Club.

Special Thanks to Hudgins-Holiday Chevrolet & Cadillac
for sponsoring our new Buddy Art T-Shirts!

Thank You Hudgins-Holiday Chevrolet-Cadillac for Buddy Art T-Shirts!

November 2014 Buddy Art Group
Buddy Art Photo albums:
April 2008 Pilot Class | Fall 2008 Photos
Fall 2008 Video | Fall 2008 Art Reception
Spring & Fall 2009 Photos
Spring 2010 Photos

James City County Parks & Recreation has developed a Buddy Handbook for volunteer Buddies in the Buddy Baseball and Buddy Art programs. While this handbook was initially designed for Buddies volunteering in Buddy Baseball, it applies equally to Buddy Art and for anyone volunteering in either of these programs or any program serving people with disabilities:  Volunteer Handbook (pdf)