The Blackstone Valley

ART IN THE VALLEY

The Blackstone Valley Education Foundation and North Grafton's Sunshine Sign have partnered for the SIXTH Annual Art in the Valley student Art Exhibition of Visual Arts for K-8 students throughout the Blackstone Valley. Come join us for the opening reception on Friday, April 6th from 7-9pm and Saturday, April 7th exhibition from 10-2pm at the Elmwood Street Elementary School located at 40 Elmwood Street, Millbury, MA 01527.

Opening Reception will include greetings from Millbury's Superintendent, Susan Hitchcock, and David Glispin, president of Sunshine Sign in North Grafton, will be addressing Teaching and Learning for the Creative Economy. So come and celebrate the talent and achievements of these remarkable students and enjoy refreshments provided by Goretti's Market in Millbury. For more information, please contact Julie Salmon at jsalmon@blackstonevalley.org.

Art in the Valley is an effort among K-8 Blackstone Valley Art Teachers made possible by a generous grant to the Foundation from Sunshine Sign in Grafton, MA. The goal is to showcase the impact on students that Art Education provides. Since 2005, art teachers in the Valley have pooled resources and imagination to assemble representative work, prepare an accessible venue, and encourage valley-wide participation. Each year is stronger, better attended, and more exciting for Blackstone Valley teachers and students. Art in the Valley coordinators select and prepare the venue, which sometimes changes from year to year, conducts advertising, and provides programming for an outstanding 2-day event that attracts families, friends, the curious and the even more curious.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW:
• More than 400 people attended last year's exhibition
• More than 100 Art in the Valley window decals adorn cars - look for them!
• More than 100 student artworks were on exhibition
• There is NO cost to you or your school to participate
• Each teacher may submit up to 15 (!) pieces of art work
• Sunshine Sign Company, North Grafton, MA, is event sponsor provided through the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation
• Sunshine Sign is providing handsome gallery space for your students' artwork throughout the year. Call Dave Glispin, President/Owner at (508) 839-5588 to make arrangements to view.

PLAY ART IN THE VALLEY VIDEO (You may be prompted to run a Microsoft add-on; this is totally safe. Click here to download the video (right click/save target as) or launch in Windows Media Player.)

FOR YOUR INSPIRATION:

Clocks have more than just a pretty face.

Where can you find a Little Lamb belonging to "Mary", a small girl in farmyard, Mt. Vernon, the War of 1812, many images of the sun, the moon and the stars? All of these, and much more, can be found on the clocks at the Willard Clock Museum. And that's not all: eagles and acorns perch above the faces, and designs on reverse glass adorn the cases. Although the ticks and tocks tell the time, the artwork on the clocks tells a much deeper story.

The Willard House and Clock Museum, located at 11 Willard Street, North Grafton, MA, is the home of the Willard clockmakers. Founded in 1971, the museum's collection includes over 80 Willard Clocks on display as well as the original farmstead, built in 1718, decorated with period furniture and artifacts and clock art. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm, and Sunday, 1:00-4:00pm. Winter hours: January through March: Friday and Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm, Sunday 1:00-4:00pm, or by appointment. The Willard Clock Museum provides a unique and insightful means to enhance your art instruction or your colleagues' instruction in history, social studies and technology AND it's right in your backyard!

For more information, call 508.839.3500.

Art in the Valley is funded by a generous donation from the
Sunshine Sign Company, Grafton, MA, to the
Blackstone Valley Education Foundation.