Roselle Fine Arts Academy brings children together to paint

An art class in Roselle is bringing children together for the first time in months.

The Roselle Fine Arts Academy is providing outdoor learning opportunities with its Outdoor Summer Painting Series, with all ages permitted. The Monday classes, which began last week, saw more attendance in the second week than instructors were expecting. Although the classes are usually taught inside the academy at 116 S. Prospect St., COVID-19 caused the switch to outdoors.

The academy, usually known for in-person piano lessons that have now had to switch to online due to the pandemic, is engaging with children living through an uncertain time in their lives and during a summer when many aren't able to see their friends.

While last week's painting class saw nine students, 20 children ages 8 to 12 attended Monday's class.

Founder Rebecca Hahn, who runs the academy with her husband Dan, said the increased participation came from parents who wanted to give their children a more constructive use of their time during a summer when most activities are limited or prohibited entirely.

"Roselle is becoming a good local area with some good hot spots for nice activities, and we hope to be one of them," Hahn said.

Classes are $25 per person, and they adhere to routine social distancing guidelines. Tables are spaced six feet apart, instructors and students must wear masks, and only siblings are allowed to sit next to each other.

The classes are not limited to children - an adult was present in last week's art class and the academy plans to see more adult students as they transition to night classes in coming weeks.

Each week carries a theme of summertime activities - this week, students painted fireflies in a jar.

A private instructor, Hahn has brought in local Roselle teachers to teach classes as well.

Karen Scoles, an art teacher at Springwood Middle School, led Monday's painting class using a mask and a microphone.

"It's very fun to teach locally like this," Scoles said. "There was a lot of moving and shaking, but we all had a really good time."

Scoles said it was one of the largest classes the academy has had for painting, and she would like to see outdoor painting continue even after the pandemic ends.