A new student-run arts program launched on Aug. 31 seeking to bring the joy of creative expression to residents young and old of the Tindall Heights public housing project.
One of the volunteers for the program is Gabrielle Carter, a sophomore nursing major at Mercer with a talent for art. She works with kids in Tindall Heights and is trying to teach them more than just drawing techniques. When one little girl said that she couldn’t trace a picture of Elsa from “Frozen” because it was too hard, Carter responded jokingly, “anyone who says that they can’t do something has to stand in the corner for three minutes.”
While Gabrielle’s playful smile showed the kids that she was only teasing, the lesson on perseverance was still there.
When asked how she believes art improves our communities, she said that people need to express themselves and that when kids use their imaginations, it keeps them “busy and out of trouble.”
About a year and a half ago, philosophy professor Creighton Rosental began brainstorming with his students ways to bring more public art to the Macon community. He and his students agreed that their project should give a voice to the voiceless and help bridge divisions in the community.
Mercer Students Bring Art to Residents of Local Housing Project
A girl who attends the afterschool arts program at Tindall Heights shows off one of her creations.
