Nearly two dozen 2 “Best if the Best” paintings by students that participated in a special summer camp project at the St. Cloud Boys & Girls Club during June and July is currently on display at the Veteran’s Memorial Library of St. Cloud through Dec. 1.
Eighteen students ages 13-15 explored aspects of themselves through “creative expression” with the use of acrylic paints and the strokes of a brush. The project entitled, REFLECTIONS: Portraits of Who I Am, was presented by The WYE Project, Inc. (WYEP) in collaboration with the St. Cloud Boys & Girls Club.
This is the second year the project was presented as collaboration between the two organizations. This year funding was provided to WYEP by the City of St. Cloud Community Support Grant Program for the project. This also marks the second year for the St. Cloud Library to host the Best of the Best works from the collection.
With leadership under the project’s coordinator, three student interns also assisted the participants, and in the process, the interns were able to explore aspects about themselves, as well.
“It was refreshing to see the youth expressing themselves through paint and art without feeling any sort of pressure to make things perfect. It’s inspired me to take time to just make things, without worrying about perfection,” intern Sarah Martin said. “This experience proved to be helpful for my growth as a person, and beneficial to me as someone who is just beginning to look into employment/first jobs.”
For more info about The WYE Project, go to www. TheWYEProjectInc.org
