LEWISTON – “This was awesome; I hope it happens more often,” said mom Lauren Levigne as she left the Lewiston Youth Advisory Council’s “Lessons Through Expressions” on April 26. LYAC members manned art stations for area kindergarten through grade four children at the Multi-Purpose Center.

Stations encouraged children to try their hand at artwork mimicking known artists such as Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian and Robert Oddy, as well as artwork focusing on the earth in light of LYAC’s upcoming focus on recycling.

The art event was LYAC’s second focus on the importance of arts in the community, the first being a youth fine and performing arts event in 2006. LYAC member Athena Andoniades who planned the April 26 event, facilitated the daily activities, receiving praise from attendees such as Stacey Skillings. “She did a wonderful job putting this together,” Skillings said.

Other LYAC members who assisted were Ashley Morgan, Devin Bergeron, Jeff Lewandowski and Luke Jensen, along with friends of LYAC.

Children who attended Saturday’s event stayed for the two hours, visiting multiple art stations and leaving with mounds of artwork to display at home. Mom Robynn Marley brought her two children and noted, “This was great; my children got individualized attention.” “Mimi” Monica Lee echoed Marley’s sentiments, “Thanks for having this; it was a lot of fun.”

Jon Skillings, who was the first child through the door on Saturday, was a winner of a Red Sox “win” colored sketch by local art teacher Melinda Campbell. Other local artists and art teachers who donated their work were Richard Dahlquist, Nathaniel Meyer, Kay Allison, Jae-Eun Pilsbury, Jody Dube, Peter Skowronski, Kyna Pitula and Hillview art students.

Other raffle winners were Lindsey Bolduc, Natalia Atkins, Lee Morgan, Mack Whittier, Sue Glann, Iorthanis Andoniades, Ashley Morgan, Theresa Andoniades and Stacey Skillings.