This past weekend, September 13th to September 15th, Portside Arts Center had the pleasure and great honor of participating in the 92nd annual Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show. This is the third year in a row that students from Portside's After School Arts Program have been invited to partake in the event, which includes over 140 critically acclaimed artists exhibiting their artwork in the historical park in Center City.
The Fine Art Show began in 1928, organized by a group of students from Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts who were inspired by the art in Parisian street exhibits. They decided that it was most appropriate to have the event in "the heart of the city - Rittenhouse Square." Back then, the artists had their work strung up on clotheslines hanging between the trees. Today, artists line their tents along the perimeter of the park, and student exhibitors (including Portside) occupy the center of the park. This year, the students from the After School Arts Program did something special for the show. They each received their own unique piece of wood cut from trees in the Poconos. On these pieces of wood, each child created a painting using a watercolor wash for the background, and scenes from nature in the foreground including images of plants and animals. They proved to be very popular among passersby, who were drawn in and intrigued by the materials and concepts of the pieces. We had many familiar faces come through the show, including some of our students and their families. A few of the students even conducted live on site painting projects! We were able to raise enough money to reach our goal, and all of the proceeds will be put towards scholarships for our After School Arts Program. "When you sell a piece, you feel like you're a part of something bigger than yourself," said Maya L. about having her artwork in the Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show. The show was a pleasant experience for families and passersby to come together and share their appreciation for art. Portside aims to maintain a welcoming environment for all ages to create art, and encourages all to be lifelong patrons of the arts. For more family fun in the arts, join us for our upcoming Family Art Night on October 11th, a monthly event at Portside where parents and kids can collaborate on art projects and work together to create something everyone can be proud of!
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