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River Islands conducts first ever school art fair
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River Island youngsters got involved in the cubism workshop. - photo by VINCE REMBULAT

Donna Moline shared some tidbits of Vincent Van Gogh with youngsters at River Island Technology Academy on Wednesday.

This took place at the first-ever Art Fair at the charter school campus. It was part of the Art Docent Program, an online interactive education in art history and artistic skills.

“It’s a structure program,” said Kathy Scholl, who is among the many River Island volunteers. “It has studio lessons and allows you to visit a virtual art gallery.

The multi-purpose room doubled as the River Island art gallery. Included were over 1,200 pieces of art from the various genres from students in kindergarten- through- sixth- grade.

As the docent, Moline coordinates the art curriculum at the school. For the Art Fair, she held four workshops – Line lessons, Italian Renaissance, Cubism, and Self Portrait – during the evening.

 She handled the Self Portrait workshop, with the post-impressionist painter Van Gogh known for doing his self portrait.

“Van Gogh sold only one self portrait (when he was alive) for $80. But when he died, his (self portrait) was worth $50 million,” said Moline.

Another famous self portrait artist was Andy Warhol, who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art.

 Students then had a chance to do their own self portrait, using some of the same techniques from the masters.

“They also learn about art vocabulary,” said Scholl.