THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 9, 1995 TAG: 9506080183
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Glistening with sand and metallic paints, Joy Ingram's papier-mache vessels might easily be mistaken for ancient artifacts found in the hull of a sunken ship and lifted to the surface by a deep sea diver.
The artist creates the unique objets d'art in her Norfolk studio where she also paints original designs on floor cloths and faux finishes wood.
This Sunday, at a free international Boardwalk arts festival for kids, Ingram will teach youngsters how to make a mosaic.
Groups of children will choose colorful ceramic squares and inlay them in geometric patterns on cement park benches, then grout them.
``Instead of breaking the tiles which could leave sharp edges for little fingers, we'll use the tiny squares,'' said Ingram.
Later, the benches will be donated to the city of Virginia Beach.
``It's a real hands-on experience,'' said Ingram, who teaches art history at Tidewater Community College and papier-mache and faux finishing at the Virginia Beach Center for the Arts.
She is one of 12 local artists and art educators who will show kids how to design and execute art projects at ``ArtZoned: Kids at Work.'' The one-day event geared for the younger set is a feature of ``Boardwalk '95,'' a 10-day festival of the visual and performing arts.
Coincidentally, Ingram is just now completing the drawing for an octopus on her most recent project - a floor cloth in Cretian design. At Sunday's kids festival, youngsters will have the opportunity to work on ``Octopus Garden,'' a coral collage to be assembled from found objects attached to a leafless bush.
``Our goal was to offer things not found'' at other similar events, said Betsy Di Julio, education director for the arts center.
Other group projects for kids include sand sculpting and loom weaving.
A 6- by 12-foot loom will give youngsters the chance to add their own stitches to fabric. Both the weaving and the coral collage will be later exhibited at the arts center.
``Make and Take'' artwork for kids will include cartooning, book marks, lapel buttons, Styrofoam relief printing, tissue flowers and foil tooled pins. The emphasis will be on allowing creativity.
Children may also try their hands at designing a vacation postcard. Judges will award prizes for the best entries.
Throughout the afternoon, local artists will demonstrate techniques in ceramics, oil painting, water color, oil pastel, basket weaving and calligraphy.
Grown-ups will have no exclusive on the performing arts at this year's expanded art show. Throughout Sunday afternoon, there will be story, song and dance to delight youngsters.
``Music in Motion: Earth Moves'' is a choreographed production that aims to heighten awareness of endangered species, recycling efforts, the importance of rain forests and the human role as world caretaker.
And Maria Broom's program of songs, dances and stories of the Far East, Africa and the South Pacific brings together multi-ethnic populations and depicts the world as a global village with differences and commonalities to be shared.
All children's activities, including art project materials, are free. ``ArtZoned'' takes place from noon until 6 p.m. in the 24th Street park. MEMO: [For a related story, see page 8 of the BEACON for this date.]
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Joy Ingram creates unique works in her Norfolk studio, like these
papier-mache vessels. She also paints original designs on floor
cloths.
by CNB