On November 1 the Manassas Arts Department had a very big day by hosting three major arts events.

First, the Fine Arts Club brought sidewalk chalk into the courtyard to allow students a free hand in adding color to the Campus. There were some really exciting designs.

Fine Arts Club Vice President Amanda Miller helped Professor Matt Pinney continue a project begun at the SysSTEMic Solutions tent at Joe Gibbs’ annual “Youth for Tomorrow” event and County Fair. The community-based painting project has a grid with over 600 squares to be painted. The idea comes from an art term called “Relational Aesthetics” where we recognize that everything that is done is a product of our environment, our community and our experiences.

Each participant is asked to paint one square, mixing any color from their clothing and painting it onto the paper in any way they like. Over time, the grid is filled with the individual representations of all the people involved, adding up to a representation of the quilted fabric of the community. Participants are excited to finish this project over the next couple of weeks and get it into a large frame for display.

Finally, there was a spectacular opening for the photographs of Gail Sullivan Goodall titled, “Monet’s Garden: More Than Just Water Lilies.” The photographer was on hand to talk to students and visitors about the images taken in Monet’s famous gardens that inspired some of his most famous impressionist masterpieces. The photographs will be on display until November 14.