Millsboro Art League to host Creative heARTs open house Aug. 11

The Salvation Army Developmental Disabilities Program will host its 9th Annual Open House featuring artwork from the artists of the Creative heARTs program from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 11, at the Millsboro Art League, 203 Main St., Millsboro. The show this year will be called Pots in the Yard. The art will be exhibited throughout August.

The Salvation Army DDP is a community program whose goal is to support people with developmental and cognitive disabilities so they can become integral parts of their communities. Program participants hold jobs within the community, volunteer with other nonprofit agencies, and participate in many community activities with the support of DDP staff.

Creative heARTs members are very dedicated to their craft and spend many hours a week trying to learn and grow as artists. The artists work in many different mediums such as watercolor, acrylic, and pen and ink, and they are always learning new techniques. Two new techniques will be featured in the upcoming show – mosiac and acrylic pour.

The Millsboro Art League has been working with Creative heARTs artists since 2010, offering them classes in a variety of different techniques including watercolors, painting on ceramics, pointillism, and more.

“We are so grateful to the Millsboro Art League for both their time and support of our artists the past eight years. It has been great having their artists mentor and encourage our artists to grow. I think the ladies who teach our classes are as excited when a painting sells as our artists,” said Christy Cugno, Creative heARTs program director.

For the past eight months, Arlene Bailor and Barbara Harris have focused on helping the artists with mosaics. The mosaics are on a variety of items such as flowerpots, trays and even a gazing ball.

“We are so excited for the wonderful art and crafts that will be on display and for sale at the Millsboro Art League Aug. 11. The collaboration between the Creative heARTs Program and the folks at the Greater Millsboro Art League has produced lovely frames, plaques and mosaic pots I hope everyone will come out to see,” said Harris.

In addition to the mosaics, the artists have also been working with local artist Terry Lake to learn a technique called acrylic pour. They learned several different ways to create beautiful abstract art with the pour technique. Acrylic paint is layered and then poured onto canvas to make beautiful designs.

“It is so interesting and exciting to see what comes from each artist. Everyone who looks at the paintings see a different image. I can’t wait to see what people who come to the show will see in the paintings,” said Barbara Buford, Creative heARTs art teacher.

These paintings will be on display in the gallery during the Creative heARTs show.

Creative heARTs artists have a line of greeting cards that will be for sale during the open house as well. The sale of the cards helps purchase needed supplies for the artists to continue to create. The artists will be at the open house to discuss their art. 

For more information on The Salvation Army, DDP or Creative heARTs program or to purchase cards, contact Christy Cugno at 302-934-3730, Ext 111 or christy_cugno@use.salvationarmy.org. For more information on the Millsboro Art League, call 302-934-6440 or go to www.millsboroartleague.com.