Kaleidoscope to hold family art workshops this year

The Kaleidoscope children's arts series will hold four family art workshops this year.

The Saturday Morning Art (SmART) workshops begin Oct. 13 with Colorful Yoga. Each workshop will take place at 10 a.m. in Blaisdell Hall. Designed for children in preschool through 4th grade and their families, the workshops will engage audiences in artistic learning through a variety of music, theater, literature and visual arts. A parent or guardian must attend with their children.

The workshops are free, but registration is requested by contacting Courtney Mealy, assistant director of arts programming, at 814-362-5027 or cmealy@pitt.edu.

Colorful Yoga will encourage participants to be creative and explore movement, breathing and meditation through an imaginative, structured-play approach. The workshop will incorporate animal and nature imitations as well as focus and expression games with pops of color.

On Nov. 3, “Christopher Agostino's Story Faces - Tales of Transformation and Wonder” will combine two of children's favorite things - stories and face painting. StoryFaces is an exciting and innovative performance in which artist Agostino brings volunteers on stage to paint faces that illustrate the stories he tells. Agostino captivates the audience with folktales and his uniquely animated original stories that are an inspiring fusion of theater and visual arts.

When it's cold and snowy, a Family Folk Dance Party will keep things moving on Jan. 12. No experience will be necessary to take part in dances from the folk traditions of Appalachia, France, England, Ireland and beyond with instructor Sarah VanNorstrand and musicians Eloise & Co.

The final workshop on Feb. 9 is Books and Brushes, which will focus on art-themed books. An activity will follow the reading and give families the opportunity to immerse themselves in a hands-on creative connection to the story.

SmART Workshops were made possible by a Bradford United Way Community Impact Grant.