TORRINGTON — LARC has been awarded a grant from Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation to fund an art workshop at the Five Points Center for the Visual Arts. Twelve individuals in LARC’s Day Support Option (DSO) attend a one-hour weekly class at Five Points’ new arts center on University Drive in Torrington. The classes are taught by Noel Croce, associate director, who has been with Five Points Gallery for many years.
“We are so pleased to work with LARC,” said Noel Croce. “It is always a pleasure to teach students who are enthusiastic about the lessons.”
Art has always been a part of the day program at LARC. According to Erin Tierney, manager of DSO, “This is a new level of instruction and having an experienced art teacher who, for many years, worked with special needs students, is making a big difference. The students are really enjoying the hour we spend at the center.”
The individuals are experimenting with different mediums of paint as well as a variety of subjects. The workshop is introducing participants to a variety of art making techniques and materials. Through demonstrations, individualized attention, sensory explorations, and mixed media materials, participants are exploring art making at their own pace, using materials that are tailored to their needs. Throughout the 12 weeks of the workshop, participants will create paintings, drawings, and other finished art works where they can explore art and express themselves! At the end of the workshop, the artwork created will be exhibited in a two-week show at the Five Points Annex on Water Street in downtown Torrington.
The workshop is made possible through a grant awarded to LARC by the Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation. “We are thrilled to be part of the partnership between Five Points and LARC,” explained Cheryl Lindstrom, Thomaston Saving Bank, Community Outreach Officer. “The workshop will provide a rich opportunity for self-expression. It is exciting to witness the collaborative efforts of the non-profit sector in Torrington. Initiatives such as this go a long way to strengthen the community.”
The Five Points Center for the Visual Arts is envisioned as a dynamic fulcrum for cutting edge exploration and community driven activity. The property is in the process of transformation into a world-class art center the likes of which have not been seen before in Northwest Connecticut.
Five Points Gallery, located in downtown Torrington, is a permanent non-profit 501(c)(3) visual arts organization dedicated to the belief that contemporary art is a vital component of human understanding. In 2013, the new gallery, named after its location at the five-point intersection in the heart of downtown Torrington, expanded to an adjacent storefront creating a contiguous 3800 square foot space composed of three beautifully renovated galleries. The Gallery mounts new exhibits every six weeks showcasing professional regional, national and international visual artists. Since its opening, the Gallery has exhibited over 800 artists, and boasts artists’ submissions from around the globe including China, Russia, Japan, Israel, Greece, England, Denmark, Germany, France, and 49 states in the US. The guest book is similarly impressive.
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