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Cook Elementary accepting applica¬
tions lor pre-kindergarten program
A tew spaces are available in the
Cook Elementary School pre-kinder-
garten program for 4-year-old children for
the 2001 -2002 school year.
Parents who are interested in the pro¬
gram should visit the school, 820 llth
Street in Winston-Salem, or call 727-2784
to make an appointment. The pie-school
program helps prepare children for
kindergarten by enhancing their language
skills and problem-solving abilities.
To be eligible, children must be 4
years old on or before Oct. 16. 2001. and
must live in the Cook residential area.
Also, a parent, guardian or other adult
must volunteer in the classroom four
hours each month, attend monthly parent
workshops, provide transportation to and
from school and allow two home visits.
For more information, call 727-2784.
National Association of Retired Feder¬
al Employees (NARFE) annual picnic
Instead of the regular monthly meet¬
ing of the National Association of Retired
Federal Employees (NARFE). the annual
picnic of NARFE will be held at Miller
Park on July 6 at Shelter 1 (located on
Rosewtxxl Avenue off Knollwood Street),
starting at 11:30 a.m. The picnic specialty
will be Little Richard's Bar-B-Que.
Lillian Creger. vice president.
NCFOC, will be the honored guest.
All federal retirees and employees are
invited. This is one event you don't want
to miss.
For more information, call (336) 721
1783.
Belews Street Vicinity Olde Timers to
meet
The Belews Street Vicinity Olde
Timers will meet Saturday. June 30, at
p.m. at Mars Hill Baptist Church. This
will be the final meeting before your
"Sixth Reunion" July 27- 29. All fees
must be reported at this meeting. For more
information, call the president. Elaine
Shuler, 722-1841.
Bivouac 530 OES to sell fish
dinners June 30
Sharpen your taste buds and get ready.
Bivouac 530 OES is ctxiking up some¬
thing just for you! Fish dinners will be
sold for $5 Saturday. June 30. from II
a.m. until 6 p.m. at the corner of Liberty
Street and East 14th Street.
Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble to
present Dance and Heritage ('amp
Otesha (which is Swahili. meaning
"to cause a dream") has dedicated more
than 25 years to educating and enriching
the community. In 1972, Amatullah
Saleem's dream of "keeping the culture
alive" came true through her use of Otesha
to create the Otesha Creative Arts Ensem¬
ble.
Now. more than 25-years later. Otesha
Creative Arts Ensemble is still based in
Winston-Salem.
The ensemble, in the spirit of the
founder, remains committed to communi¬
ty and other grass-roots organizations. To
enhance partnerships between education
and entertainment. Otesha has continued
its mission of promoting cultural arts and
education to audiences across the nation.
Otdsha is also extremely active with col¬
leges, civic groups, churches and school
systems in the Southeastern United States
in addition to hosting events in the Pied¬
mont Triad community. This energetic
group performs for weddings, festivals,
family reunions and lots more.
Currently, Otesha is prepared to
embark on an endeavor to enhance the
lives of youths in this community by pre¬
senting the Otesha Dance and Heritage
Cdmp.23-26
The camp will run July 16-19 and
at Emmanuel Baptist Church
July
in Winston-Salem. There is a cost for the
camp. This will be a two-week, full-day
program for children in grades three
through 12. It will be a unique, fun-filled,
mentally and physically stimulating sum¬
mer program that will enrich campers'
awareness of their African and African-
American heritage through dance, music
and drama. For more information about
the camp, call (336) 253-2669 or (336)
725-8413.
"1 Sam McMillan
Winston-Salem Greensboro High Point
section
I he /-i
C f
Choice Jor ,/
AJrican-American
, June
v
Sews 2 8,
From sharecroppin' to polka-dottin'
Internationally acclaimed folk artist Sam
McMillan incites youths to create with color
BY FELECIA P. MCMILLAN
COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT
Most of his admirers call him "The Dot
Man." When Sam McMillan began doing his
folk art 15 years ago. he used the dots to repre¬
sent flowers and to create patterns of vibrant
color. He could then add such content as cows,
trees, horses and other memories of rural life.
McMillan stumbled upon his calling as a
folk artist quite by chance at the age of 60. On
Tuesday. June 19. McMillan sponsored anoth¬
er of his monthly youth workshops at Sam's
Art Gallery, 701 Northwest Boulevard. The
purpose of these gatherings is to encourage
youths to use their creativity with vivid colors.
The cake, ice cream, soda and prizes McMillan
sponsors are extra treats.
Youths from the William C. Sims Recre¬
ation Center's summer program in Happy Hill
McMillan congratulates Andre's and Sara Gonzales on a job well done. Gardens, under the direction of Ben Piggott,
center supervisor, and Cassandra Penn, attend¬
ed the workshop along with the Gonzales fam¬
ily. residents in the local area. For his years of
service to the community, McMillan received a
plaque from Piggott and the Sims youths.
McMillan, clad in his painting smock with
paintbrush in hand, did not expect to receive an
award. He set down his tools to accept his
prize.
"I was really surprised that they gave me an
award. I did not dream of that," McMillan said.
"It was a beautiful session. It was wonderful. I
loved it! Piggott has those children trained
right."
"Sam's Art Gallery is a part of our cultural
tour of famous locals in Winston-Salem. Mr.
McMillan is a part of their education. A child in
this area has not had a complete education until
he or she encounters Mr. Sam McMillan's Art
Gallery." Piggott said. "It is very important for
the elders to pass on their craft to the children.
The elders are the wisdom and the children are
the seed. If the elders fertilize and water these
young minds, they can create another local
producer."
During the workshop. McMillan demon¬
f'-
^ '
strated his unique method of blending colors
Joshua Crews, Ana Gonzales, Andres Gonzales and Sara Gonzales work on projects. and dots to form a rural landscape and encour¬
aged the youths to try the method for their per¬
sonal masterpieces.
McMillan gives back to the community by
sharing his artistic secrets with children. He
has hosted several art sessions for children
from various schools and summer camps over
the years. He has done them locally, in Atlanta.
Savannah. Ga.. and other cities. He also does
birthday parties when parents request. He loves
children, and he wants them to use their minds
creatively in order to provide for themselves.
The children and adult chaperones who
participated used water paints to imitate
McMillan's style or to create their own.
"You have to let them do what they want to
do. They were so excited." McMillan said.
"Some of them 9 years old and 8 years old
drew better than I can. I learn a lot from them."
Several of the students received prizes from
Sam McMillan signs his autograph on personal photos for the children before they eat
cake and ice cream.
All photos by Felecia P. McMillan
Brian Pate won a prize for his painting of a white kitten, similar to
connects with one of the young painters from the William C. Sims Recreation Center. McMillan's painting above.
2 OO 1
the McMillan collection of folk art. Abril Penn.
9; Brian Pate. 12; and Sara Gonzalez, 10, won
sets of elephant or puppy bookends for their
bedrooms.
Sara drew a white cow and used McMil¬
lan's dot method to cover the animal with red
spots.
"It was really fun. 1 liked getting to team
about the way he does it," Sara said. "I saw the
cow on one of his paintings and I thought I
would like to try it out. I won a prize!"
McMillan was surprised to see the handi¬
work of Brian, who imitated McMillan's paint¬
ing of a white kitten.
"Did you really do that all by yourself?"
McMillan asked Brian. "I believe that you are
going to teach me something."
Dr. Luis Gonzales, assistant professajr of
Romance languages at Wake Forest "University,
and his wife. Ana, brought their children. Sara
and Andres, to the workshop. Originally from
Colombia, South America, they relocated in
Winston-Salem from Chapel Hill. They contin¬
ually passed the shop on their way to church.
McMillan invited them to attend the workshop.
Dr. Gonzales was glad his son and daughter
could participate,
Ana Gonzales painted along with her chil¬
dren. but she had another agenda in mind when
it came to McMillan's treasures.
"I like the colors. The artwork is very col¬
orful. I want one of those big dinosaurs or
dragons to put in my front yard. They are so
colorful and bright," she said. "I guess my
neighbors will want me to move away after
that, but I love the colors. The kids enjoyed
their visit here today. They want to come back
and do more of this. So do I."
"I think the idea of having a work space to
explore creativity is really cool," Dr. Gonzales
said. "1 consider Mr. McMillan very lucky to
be able to do what he is doing. He is doing
what he loves. He encourages the children to
plan, explore and create. This is the best kind
of job you can get."
"You have to get your hands dirty in order
to have something." McMillan said to the chil¬
dren. "You have to believe in people and love
everybody, black white; love everybody in the
world. If you do this, everything will fall in
place," he said.
According to McMillan, blacks and whites
have had their share in the progress of racism.
"Black people have also done wrong things,
and I don't bite my tongue about it," he said.
According to McMillan, we must all take
responsibility for creating racial harmony in
our communities and teach the children to
respect all people.
McMillan celebrated his 75th birthday on
Friday. June 22. A group of friends covered his
shop door with balloons. Because there were
so many, he had to cut them down in order to
enter his shop.
You have to do people right," McMillan
said. "It is good to be remembered. Ben does
See Artist on COt