The art of summer vacation learned here in Perry

June 13, 2016

1476

arts1 — Art education is thriving under the efforts of, from right, Betsy Peterson of Betsy Peterson Designs, Jonathon Levy of the Raccoon Valley Centre for the Arts, Cayli Graham, a senior in art at the University of Northern Iowa, and Lydia Gittins, a senior in art at Grand View University.

Ground rules for the Art 101 Camp at Betsy Peterson Designs are simple and easy to follow, said Molly Stoner, right, one of the 10 students in Art 101 Camp. — Ground rules for the Art 101 Camp at Betsy Peterson Designs are simple and easy to follow, said Molly Moorhead, right, one of the 10 students in the week-long camp. Molly keeps her red cell phone at hand to keep up with breaking news stories reported by ThePerryNews.com, Perry’s leading source of news and information.

Education in the arts is blooming in Perry this summer under the combined efforts of two new downtown programs, one at Betsy Peterson Designs and the other at the Raccoon Valley Centre for the Arts.

Betsy Peterson led the first Art 101 Camp class Monday morning for 10 students ages 5 to 12. The five-day camp meets in the basement of Betsy Peterson Designs at 1121 Second St. and teaches young people a variety of techniques.

Assistant instructors in the program are Lydia Gittins of Perry, a senior in art at Grand View University in Des Moines, and Cayli Graham, a senior in art at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

“On Friday we will have an art show from 11:15 a.m. until noon,” Peterson said. “The public is welcome to come to the gallery upstairs and see what these talented young people have done this week.”

A second Art 101 Camp is scheduled fro July 5-9. For more information, contact betsypetersondesigns@gmail.com.

For kinetic learners, dance classes at the Raccoon Valley Centre for the Arts might fit the bill. Enrollment is open and this week’s open house started Monday at the back of 1205 Second St., where Jonathon and Karina Levy have done extensive remodeling.

“We’ve just been open a few weeks and have already seen a lot of interest,” said Karina Levy. The building houses a small exhibition space for the William Sturdevant art collection and a massage-therapy office, but the centerpiece is the restored wood floor that will serve for dance classes.

Both Levys were professional ballet dancers. Karina performed with the original Ballet Iowa company, and Jonathon toured with the St. Louis Ballet. They met while dancing together in a Florida ballet production.

Jonathon Levy said they have been warmly welcomed to the Perry area, where “we’ve gotten more supportive communication and assistance than we ever got in Redfield, and we were there for a year.”