LYNN — Raw Art Works celebrated the graduation of its senior students Friday with a ceremony outside its gallery in Central Square.
“This year, it’s even more special, because it’s been such a challenging year and all of our students stuck it out,” said Project Launch Manager Hebert Labbate. “We’re so very proud of you.”
RAW, a nonprofit youth arts organization that incorporates art therapy techniques into its educational programming, blocked off part of the street to make space for a stage, food, music, a photo booth and audience members for the celebration, which was staggered into three cohorts to allow for social distancing.
Students were honored individually with paint brushes hand-decorated by their mentors with words that described their achievements and qualities, like “valor,” “ablaze,” “magnetic” and “gleaming.” The students also offered similar paintbrushes to the mentors whom they felt had helped them with their work.
Inside the gallery, attendees were able to view work by RAW students, including sculptures representing what the artists wanted to see monuments built for and a painted lily pond featuring words and images that students said gave them strength.
Much of the ceremony focused on the growth, creativity, leadership and optimism the students had demonstrated throughout their years learning and making art at RAW.
“Your artwork speaks volumes about who you are,” said Bruce Orr, an art therapist at RAW.
