Palatine art school to raise money for scholarships

For 15 years, Positive Strokes Art School & Gallery in Palatine has provided private lessons and community workshops to spread the benefits of art education.

The studio will host a festival this weekend so those who otherwise could not afford it can share in those benefits. The fall festival from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday will raise money for art scholarships.

"Art helps (students) grow their cognitive thinking process and obtain problem solving abilities," said Marlene Woods, who has taught at Positive Strokes since it opened in 2000. "It presents them with challenges that they can't get the answer to by using Google."

Woods said having the desire and ability to become a professional artist is not a prerequisite to pursuing an art education.

"Like sports, there's very few people who can make it just on their painting or just on the athletic ability," she said. "No matter what they do in their lives, it is important they have that release and ability to see that world in a different way."

The event will feature tours of the school at 125 W. Colfax St., art demonstrations, face painting and hands-on fun for kids. There also will be several gift baskets that will be raffled off.

The school hopes to offer 25 to 30 scholarships allowing local children and teens to take six- to eight-week classes The scholarships are given through schools, teachers, organizations and private referrals.

Since 2000, Positive Strokes has given out more than $16,000 in scholarships.