Class learns the art of the possible

Want some art instruction for your child?
The Target Community Grant Program and the Art Center will present free children’s art classes for third- to fifth-graders Jan. 5-30. To register, call 244-1271.


The fifth-grade French and fine arts students in Carmen Patterson’s class at Destin Middle School had a little color added to their Tuesday when a local artist stopped by with a canvas and a few handy tools.

Linda Kernick donated her time to the program arranged by the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation that provides eight months of visual arts enrichment each year to bring the fifth-graders at DMS some hands on learning.

“We’re trying to balance art, history, literature, music ... we want to try to encompass as many visual arts as possible,” said Leah McGill, education director of the foundation.

The students in Patterson’s class are currently taking music, but Kernick delivered a taste of what is to come when the students alternate into the fine arts portion of the program next semester.

The Fort Walton Beach artist set up a canvas and proceeded to demonstrate how to paint with different tools. She let the students experiment with tools like a sponge, pizza cutter, scraper and acrylic paints in a setting conducive to creativity. Patterson’s room inspires the imagination, with French scribed on the board and student art hanging around the room.

“The visual arts is about making a mark ... it’s an adventure,” Kernick told the kids.

Kernick is an accomplished artist who uses mixed media, acrylic, oils, collage and often recycling in her work. She explained to the class that she picked up art classes when her own children became teenagers and she had more time on her hands.

Her newfound hobby turned into major talent.

“You can do many things in life,” she told them.

Kernick shed light on the inner workings of the mind of an artist. She told the students that they see the world in a different way — with passion.

They like to work alone, invent things and tell the truth.

“Sometimes artists just want their own quiet time so their ideas can come out,” she said.

Kernick even got the chance to learn from the class of bright students. When explaining the many different types of art, Kernick referenced theVietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., a monument that has the names of fallen soldiers etched into a black granite wall. The class let her know that it was Maya Lin, a young architecture student at Yale University, who designed the memorial.

Kernick also told the students how art could be created with recycled materials.

“I wasn’t taught to do that,” she said. “This is the green generation. You will learn to take care of the planet.”

In October, Kernick’s mixed media style won the 13th Annual Destin Festival of the Arts poster contest presented by the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation. She was also a featured artist at Destin Commons in November to unveil her own interpretation for the Rockin’ Rockwell: A Modern Day Norman Rockwell Series.

Now she is adding more time to work with children to her agenda.

“I’m impressed with this school and the work that Mattie Kelly does (especially) with all of the budget cuts,” Kernick said. “We all need to pitch in.”

The students all walked away knowing something new and had favorite parts of Kernick’s presentation.

“(My favorite was) learning the cool and warm colors, because I never learned that,” said Bailey Jenrich, 11.