10 Feb Feeling the love at the ACP
February at the Arts Council of Princeton is always a little extra: more color, more connection, and a whole lot more glue sticks.
Art Quest: Collage & Composition Class
Earlier this month, our Burke studio buzzed with creative energy during a mixed-media collage class led by instructor Donna Payton that invited students to explore how art is built – layer by layer, idea by idea. Designed for both new and returning students, the class encourages experimentation with a wide range of materials and techniques, grounded in the fundamental elements and principles of design. From matboard and cardboard to paint, paper scraps, fabric, and found imagery, the possibilities were wide open.
In this session, participants cut, layered, painted, and assembled their way toward handmade collage Valentines – each one a small, expressive artwork. Some leaned bold and graphic, others soft and textural. Along the way, students shared ideas, reflected on their creative processes, and explored new ways of making art, whether they were practicing artists expanding their techniques or beginners discovering their visual language for the first time.
Volunteer Valentines
At the same time, a dedicated group of volunteers came together to prepare Valentines for senior citizens in our community. With care and thoughtfulness, they added handwritten notes, personal touches, and finishing details, knowing that each card would soon be received by someone who might truly appreciate a moment of connection.
There’s something powerful about making art for someone you may never meet. It turns experimentation into empathy, and creative practice into an act of care.
By the end of the sessions, stacks of completed Valentines told a quiet but meaningful story: art can be playful, personal, and deeply generous all at once.
