Thursday, July 11, 2019
By Brian Foley, Web Content Specialist
Room 39 in the basement of the Riverside High School Community Center is a rather simple multi-purpose room, but it transforms into a bustling chamber of smiles, music, and friendly barbs when the "Painting Portraits from Photos" class takes over every Monday evening.
Milwaukee Recreation embraces inclusivity within every program, which certainly shines through in Riverside's portrait class, led by Fred Bell, a longtime Recreation instructor. As participants trickle into the classroom, they are warmly greeted by the rest of the group, even if he or she has not attended a session recently. The hospitable environment almost gives off a "Cheers"-esque vibe, because it seems as if everyone in the class truly does know everybody's name. There is a genuine family atmosphere between the participants, yet they are still eager to accept new members.
Bell teaches everything from portraits to acrylics to landscaping, and many of his participants have followed him from class to class through the years because of his accommodating teaching style.
"Fred does a really good job of working with what he sees," participant Tom Callan said. Bell certainly leads with a laid-back style, calmly tossing in painting pointers during his demonstration, while also connecting with the participants in general conversation.
Callan (see right) has been attending Bell's classes since the fall of 2012, and has now fully embraced art throughout different aspects of his life. Callan conveniently lives near Riverside, and recently upgraded from a one-bedroom apartment in his building to a two-bedroom unit, partially because he wanted to flip his spare room into a quasi-art studio. "It's a real nice workspace, not only for painting, but for everything else too. It's a real good way to lose yourself in something."
His new arrangement allows him to more easily set up his equipment, and he has upped his art regimen to two or three sessions per week.
Callan had not picked up a paint brush since his grade school days, but he credits his Recreation art enrichment programs for pushing him to see the world a little differently as well. As Bell said before the class, "Change the way you see the world by learning how to paint."
"[These classes] bring out a talent that people have, and there have also just been great groups of people," Callan said. "I think it's just a real good way to get out of yourself and get out of your routine."
Bell will be teaching his typical three classes at Riverside again this fall (see page 42 of the Fall Recreation Guide), and Callan and co. will undoubtedly be along for the ride.
See our full listing of fall arts enrichment programs here, from pages 42-45. Fall registration does not begin until Aug. 5 for Milwaukee residents and Aug. 12 for non-residents.