COMING ALONG SWIMMINGLY: Some of the younger art students in Visual Arts try to recall what they saw in the Watercolor exhibit, while working on their coy fish painting.

THOMASVILLE- Thomasville Center for the Arts is rekindling a love for art of all kinds with their Arts in the Afternoon program. The program, which had to be re-imagined during the coronavirus pandemic is back in full swing, with openings still available in the performing arts class.

Brittany Shiver, Community Arts Director, said each year the Art in the Afternoon program changes. In previous years, visual art, animation and writing were offered. However, this year visual art is still being offered with an additional performing arts class.

The performing arts class is taught by Thomasville On Stage and Company musical and play directors, Kimsey Hodge and Cameron Parker.

Throughout the semester, students learn about the various roles needed to put on a performance, including actors/actresses, choreographers, stage managers, lighting and sound technicians and costume designers. Upon learning about the duties, students will put their knowledge to the test, when they perform a winter and spring production.

“‘The kids have an idea of what they want to perform, but the instructors try and guide them,” Shiver explained.

The performing arts class currently has eight participants, but Shiver would love to see it grow prior to their winter performance.

“Having 15 students would be ideal,” she said. “I would love to be able to register more kids for the class.”

While performing arts may have some openings, the visual arts class is filled to the brim with students coloring, painting and molding all different forms of art.

Taught by Florida State University instructor AnnaBrooke Greene, students have a full curriculum this semester.

Greene’s goal throughout the semester is to integrate exhibits on display at Thomasville Center for the Art into the Art in the Afternoon program.

On Tuesday afternoon, she took the class to the gallery, where the Watercolor Society’s exhibit is on display.

“They got to learn about watercolor and then paint a frog on a lillypad, based on what they saw from downstairs,” Shiver said. “They get to imagine themselves as the type of artist on display here.”

Shiver said the students will next focus on geometric, acrylic paintings similar to those currently on display at Grassroots Coffee.

They will then turn their attention to Susan Hable’s organic sculptures that are situated on the front lawn of the Center for the Arts, crafting their own outdoor wooden, painted sculptures.

The sculptures will remain on display with Shiver stating that the works may be a Wildlife Display during the November Wildlife Arts Festival.

“We will be talking about outdoor art and public art, so this will help expand what local art means and looks like,” Shiver said.

Despite the students not knowing all their future art projects, Shiver said they have loved what they’ve done thus far, hearing a lot of great feedback from the students’ parents and caregivers during the first week of the program.

Shiver was happy to hear this, as the class does have a wide range of ages (6-14) that they try to target, along with kids from every school.

“I’m just really impressed with the community and kids and parent’s enthusiasm and I’m really excited to bring in some extra classes in the spring semester,” Shiver said. “We have some things in the works that are not visual or performing arts, so that’s exciting.”

Shiver hopes this will draw in even more kids who have a desire to engage in the arts in a new way.

“I’m really passionate about growing that community and I think it starts with the Art in the Afternoon program,” she concluded.

For kids who may not want to commit to an entire semester, Shiver continues to encourage kids to come to their Second Saturday, allowing them to engage in kid and family-friendly activities.

“We really want this to be a place for community building on Saturday afternoons and a place for people to feel comfortable immersing themselves in public art,” Shiver concluded.