Hundreds of children get head start into holidays at Butler art museum

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Stefanie Morgan has been to the Butler Institute of American Art on only two occasions, but one major, family-friendly event likely will change all of that.

“It’s our new tradition,” the Niles woman said about having the internationally renowned museum on her to-visit list.

Placing the Butler front and center on Morgan’s radar screen was having attended Sunday afternoon’s second annual Holiday Fun Day at the museum, 524 Wick Ave., on the North Side, with her 5-year-old daughter, Chloe Morgan.

Sponsoring the three-hour fest was Stifel Nicolaus, a brokerage and investment banking firm.

Hundreds of children and adults attended the holiday-themed gathering, which was to expose more people to and make them feel welcome at the Butler, jump-start getting them in the holiday spirit, deepen their appreciation for art and culture and let them “explore art and creativity, which enriches lives,” noted Wendy Swick, public-relations director.

The event fit squarely into Chloe’s interest of painting pictures of people, rainbows and trees. In addition, Chloe, a kindergarten student at Seaborn Elementary School in Mineral Ridge, enjoys painting rocks and giving them to others, her mother said with pride.

In addition, Chloe, whose passions also are dancing, gymnastics and being part of a Girl Scout troop, was among the youngsters who challenged themselves to a scavenger hunt in one of the art galleries. Participants were tasked with matching the paintings with their titles, then connecting on a piece of paper a set of clues with the correct piece of artwork.

The funfest fulfilled a diet of fun for Jessica Farrier of Youngstown, who brought her son, Kvaughn Royal, 11, and granddaughters La’Kiyah Williams, 5, and Aubrielle Williams, 2.

“They love going and doing,” Farrier said about the youngsters. “Whatever events are in Youngstown, we go.”

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.