First Friday Celebrates Art from Across the World

Cape Girardeau, Mo. --Works from the Guiyang Stars Children's Art School will be featured during the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri's First Friday With The Arts this Friday, Oct. 2. The collection includes more than 90 pieces on display throughout the month at the Arts Council, Kent Library at Southeast Missouri State University, and The Black Door Gallery, all in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

"We are thrilled to bring this bright, colorful and inspiring exhibition all the way from Guizhou Province in China to Southeast Missouri," said Melissa Miller, executive director of The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri. Guests at the First Friday opening will receive fortune cookies to celebrate the Chinese art exhibit.

Arts Council Board Member and SEMO Art Faculty Member Carol Horst taught Yunxue Fu, the daughter of the school's owners, in her class last year.

"The artwork is like my sister or brother going to visit Cape," said Fu. "I am excited to have my parents' students' artwork showing in the city where I went to college in the U.S."

The Guiyang Stars Children's Art School, located in the city of Guiyang in the Guizhou province of China, currently has about 1,000 elementary students and 20 teachers working in rented classroom space on weekends. About 40, two-hour once weekly classes are offered.

The student's works have been on display at Beijing Art Museum, Shanghai Art Museum and the Chinese National Art Museum. From Cape Girardeau, the collection will travel to San Francisco.

Also at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri during October, the Chapman Gallery will feature more than 30 works by local Artist Co-Op members.

First Friday reception food is provided by Ray's of Kelso and wine is provided courtesy of Major Brands.

The Arts Council, located at 32 N. Main Street, is also a stop for the free First Friday Around Town shuttle, which runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This month's First Friday Shuttle is sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Convention & Visitors Bureau.

View a Flickr slide show sampling of this exhibit at this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68052887@N00/sets/72157622311959249/