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ARTKids Worker Zettie Shults
ARTKids Director Sherry Sparks has "sung the praises" many times of her wonderful volunteer helper, AFAP member Zettie Shults. Sherry isn't Zettie's only fan, and with good reason. The Daily Register Online in Eldorado IL (www.dailyregister.com) recently ran two articles on Zettie by Sarah Bean, one 15 Feb. 2000, the other (which made the front page!) 8 March 2000 (both of which made the front page!).
The first article talked about the birth of the Renaissance House art gallery. Zettie is the founder of this non-profit gallery. Zettie, her son and her sister purchased the building and plan to have the gallery open in time for the First Daffodil Festival, April 7 and 8. The front portion of the building will host art shows, hopefully in time for this festival. Another portion of the building will be used as a bistro, offering cappuccino, coffee and tea.
The Renaissance House board of directors is working with the Main Street Organization to restore the exterior of the buillding. They are seeking donations of art equipment and computers, as well as teachers and volunteers to help with the cleanup. Zettie would like to have computers in the gallery so children can find art-related sites online (such as ARTKids!). Zettie is taking a seminar through the Small Business Developement Center to learn Website building so she can develop a site for the gallery. Such training will also be a great help to Zettie in her volunteer assistance of Sherry Sparks in the management and outreach of the ARTKids site.
Zettie was scheduled to be the April Artist of the Month at Joy's Hallmark in Harrisburg IL, but instead stepped aside to make the show at Joy's a showcase of the Renaissance House gallery artists. The month-long show included work by master carver Dan Brown, an internationally recognized wildlife artist; Dan Satterly, who creates Ukranian eggs; Harrisburg High School art teacher Barb Allen, who's also a member of the gallery's promotion committee. Some of Allen's students' work was also on display during this show. Other artists with work in the show include Chad Willis and Josette Blackman. Willis is vice chairman of The Renaissance House board of directors and a former art student of Zettie Shults'. Blackman displayed both watercolors and some sculptures made of clay and found objects. Another Renaissance House artist whose work was on display at Joy's is Mary Nelson, chairman of the promotion committee for the Main Street Effort in Eldorado. Nelson is in charge of the planning of the Daffodil Festival and the Art Show being held during the festival at the Eldorado School.
Zettie's work is collected in her region, and she's also painted a coal mining mural in downtown Eldorado (www.artfaces.com/artkids/white.htm) She also enjoys teaching art to children, which she's been doing in her home for some time.
ARTKids Director Sherry Sparks adds:
"In her work with ARTKids, Zettie visualized a new area for the site that will include lessons and information for kids wanting to know more about art. We began brainstorming and the e-mails flew back in forth. Her energy and enthusiasim impressed me tremendously. Zettie has outlined and designed several lessons for an upcoming series, categorized for all ages. I was able to take her ideas and create the Web pages for them. Zettie is also the creator of the new ARTWords crossword puzzles, and came up with an idea to replace the old Java gameroom with new art related gaming. She is always available to bounce ideas off of, and ready to tackle any project that comes her way. She is currently working on an intense lesson series on her favorite movement, "The Impressionists". All of the lessons are "print ready" and available for teachers, parents, and students alike.
"The new ARTKids wing will be announced and officially launched on April 1, 2000."