Artist bringing colorful summer to Mount Morris

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MOUNT MORRIS – Encore! Mt. Morris is launching a new program this summer, an artist-in-residence (AiR).

What is that, you say? An AiR is a practicing artist or college-level art student who can inspire the artist in all of us through art experiences of all kinds.

Encore’s 2018 Artist in Residence is Brittney Meyer. She attended the opening reception of the Student Art Show in the Old Sandstone Gallery, Mount Morris, June 1, to meet the community and will likely be attending future shows this month. Meyer grew up in Forreston and graduated with a college degree in education, taught school a few years in Hawaii, and has returned to the main land to earn a second degree in art to pursue a career where art education is a focus. Part of that goal is developing a summer’s worth of art experiences for all ages in Mount Morris: children, adults and seniors.

Meyer and Encore! have loads of ideas of what those art experiences might be, but would love to hear your ideas too. A few to start in June will be a weekly art program for K-3rd graders and 4-6th graders, a project for budding adult artists who’d like to learn how to make a straw sculpture for the August Straw competition (a community build will be happening in the Union Savings Bank parking lot), the art gallery shows (See her own art displayed in the foyer of the gallery soon), and the Color Me a Memory and the Village activities program at Pinecrest. She anticipates partnering with other summer programs happening in town, as well.

Although we will be publishing many of her activities and how we can all get involved in the area papers, you can also check the community display board/kiosk in front of the Mount Morris Bandshell where Meyer’s activities will be posted each week, along with photos of what has been happening recently. You can also check our encoremtmorris.com web site for additional information. You may share your ideas or questions with Brit at britm@encoremtmorris.com. She will be in Mount Morris until Aug. 10. 

Encore! Mt. Morris is composed of volunteers committed to developing Mount Morris into a unique, thriving rural and cultural arts destination in northwest Illinois. Volunteers and donations are welcome. Learn more at EncoreMtMorris.com.