The ArtVan Program brings art and creativity to the Lewiston Public Library from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays. From left are Mohamed Ali, Rob Logan, an ArtVan staff member, and an unidentified youth.

ArtVan Program brings arts to Lewiston library

LEWISTON – The ArtVan Program of Volunteers of America Northern New England brings weekly art and creativity to the Lewiston Public Library from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Weed and Seed Initiative and CCDO, Program Manager Jamie Silvestri and ArtVan Staff Rob Logan provide a new project each week free to children of all ages.

A recent project, “ArtVan Art Trading Cards,” is spreading like wild fire

From ages 2 to 14, kids have been designing their own trading cards, and all are tradable. They begin with a blank template and draw an image of anything they can imagine and write a name for their creation. There is the “evil blank,” “the Toaster,” “Run Watermelon,” “Belladona” and many more. During the creative process the imagination has no limits; it is brain storming at its best.

After the children have created their deck, the trading begins … here they learn about productivity, marketing, letting go, compromise, patience, negotiating with peers of different ages and going beyond a peer conflict. The ArtVan Program is a huge success.

For more information, contact Jamie Silvestri at 650-1608 or jamie@ArtVanRolling.org or call the Children’s Room at 784-0135, ext. 4.