Children’s Study Home to Hold Second Annual Art Show & Auction on Oct. 14

SPRINGFIELD — The Children’s Study Home will host its second annual Art Show & Auction at the Carriage House Barney Estate in Forest Park on Thursday, Oct. 14 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Artwork from all media — including acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, chalk, and sculptures — will be shown from the students of the Children’s Study Home’s Mill Pond School and Curtis Blake Day School, as well as artwork from the children of the Children’s Study Home’s residential programs. The art will be auctioned to raise funds for the school and its programs.

The event not only showcases students’ talent, but is a product of how art is part of the educational and therapeutic experience of the students the school serves, Yamilca Nogue, director of Community Relations and Development, explained, adding that this year’s show also features donated works from both Don Blanton and Glenn Rossi, as well as a donated piece from the Art for the Soul Gallery. “We are so excited to count on the support of all these amazing local artists,” Nogue added.

The students at Mill Pond use art class as a way to express their personalities, through both their approach and their creation, explained Evelyn Cass, school adjustment counselor for Mill Pond School.

“Some students enjoy following specific instructions and practicing skills like carefully cutting out shapes or delicately mixing paints to create just the right shade. Alternatively, some students love taking the materials available to them in each class and letting their imaginations explore, creating unique and interesting pieces of artwork. No matter their approach, watching each student take the given prompt and materials for the day and create something distinct and creative each week is inspiring.”

The Children’s Study Home is a 154-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to partnering with families by providing innovative and educational programs and services that strengthen children and families, empowering them to succeed at home, within the community, and throughout life.

The facility serves children, adolescents, and families with special needs throughout the Pioneer Valley, the Berkshires, and Cape Cod. These children are often struggling to cope with behavioral, psychiatric, and cognitive issues related to the experiences they have survived. The staff assesses their needs and develops individualized service plans that foster recovery, growth, and wellness.