Turkish Artist Will Work with Clarkston Community Center Camp

This summer, children attending summer day camp at Clarkston Community Center June 12-15 and June 18-21 will have the opportunity to work with renowned Turkish artist and art educator Baris Karayazgan to create an oversized animal sculpture from reused plastic water bottles. Karayazgan, who founded the Pace Art Center for Children in Turkey, is being brought to the Clarkston Community Center by Atlanta’s ArtReach Foundation.

“Karayazgan is known for his large sculptures, created entirely out of reused materials,” said Cindy Bowden, executive director of the Clarkston Community Center. “As he helps the children create the sculptures, they will have the experience of working cooperatively and cross-culturally to create a piece of art that will remain on display on the Center’s grounds. We invite anyone who wants to assist with this project to drop off clean plastic water bottles at the Center Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. from now until June 8. We can’t use glass or soft drink bottles. We only need clear plastic water bottles,” she said.

The Clarkston Community Center’s STEAM-Plus Summer Camp is a dynamic, fun, day-long camp focused on improving literacy and academic performance and bolstering the confidence levels of low-income students, refugees, immigrants and native Georgians. During the two weeks Karayazgan is in residence at the Center, some smaller art pieces will be created along with the large ones. The campers and Karayazgan will parade with their creations on Sunday, June 17, from the Clarkston Thriftown parking lot to the Center beginning at 11 a.m. On Thursday, June 21, the Mayson Gallery in Midtown will host a reception for the young artists and Karayazgan.

About the Clarkston Community Center

Established in 1994, the Clarkston Community Center offers programs for children, teens, adults and seniors, centered around education, wellness, art, recreation and community building. The Center serves over 56,000 individuals annually, primarily from Clarkston and greater DeKalb County, Ga., many of whom have immigrated to the United States or are newly-arrived refugees. In addition to classrooms and meeting space, the Clarkston Community Center includes an activity field for sports and recreation, a community garden, private event space, a bicycle shop and a kitchen. Angora Hall, the Center’s renovated auditorium and stage, is available for public rental for parties, weddings and other special events. The Center relies on private donations, corporate support and financial grants to provide its numerous services and programs to the community. The Clarkston Community Center is located at 3701 College Ave. in Clarkston, Ga. For more information, call (404) 508-1050 or visit www.clarkstoncommunitycenter.org