Local artist Cherie Serrano last week told students inn Lisa Auran’s first grade class that everyone is an artist.
To prove to the group of youngsters that her theory is true, she helped the class create self portraits on a canvas board using acrylic paints.
“They really seemed to enjoy the project,” Serrano said of the group.
The idea to bring her artistic talents to the class came from Serrano, whose son, Will, is a student in Auran’s class. Serrano described the idea as a fun way to interact with the kids and let them be expressive through their painting.
The self portraits had three steps and took three days to complete. During the first step, Serrano discussed the project and defined a portrait. The students then designed the background of their artwork.
Students sketched their head and upper body in the second step.
“They painted what they thought they looked like,” Serrano explained.
She said she told them to pay attention to their specific features — what color their hair is, how long it is, and what color their skin is.
The third and final step was for students to draw features on their face and sign their name.
“They enjoyed each step as far as I could tell,” Serrano said of the final product. “I think they were surprised to see it all come together.”
Serrano said she overheard several students discuss what they were going to paint next. She said it thrilled her to know that she helped inspire them to paint beyond the project.
“I hope to encourage young people the way I was encouraged when I was younger,” Serrano said. “If I can do that, that would be great — I would feel successful.”
Auran said she was grateful Serrano came to her classroom to help the students and plans to have her return next year.
“Cherie is such a soft spoken, kind lady. The kids responded well to her personality and teaching style,” Auran said. “We love her.”
Serrano, who is a self-taught artist, will teach an art workshop for kids at Backus next week. She plans to teach participants how to paint landscapes and lake scenes.
