A lesson in the joy of art

Ozaukee Elementary School art teacher Mandy Culver wanted to do something special to inspire her students, so at a Museum of Wisconsin Art auction last year she bid on and won the opportunity to have Milwaukee artist Anwar Floyd-Pruitt work with her students. Floyd-Pruitt, who focuses on community art, puppetry and mixed media portraiture, came to Fredonia on March 2 to host a Hip Hop Puppet Party and work with fourth and fifth-graders who created puppets during the after-school program. The artist showed off his puppet (above) while Gio Bares (front) and Christian Gerrold worked on theirs. Also showing off their puppets were Rayen Seeman (above right), Nolan Johnson (far right) and Emma Goodman (right). Culver’s winning bid not only benefitted her students but will help fund similar experiences for other students through the West Bend museum.       Photos by Sam Arendt