Joys From a Life Fulfilled Through Art

Arts Week is underway this week at NCS, and a particular highlight was the visit Tuesday of New York artist Corinne Amato '95. Amato told students how her love of arts, especially musical performance, developed on the Close and led to a professional career that fulfills her.

Today Amato is the co-founder of Arty Garden Party, which encourages communities to make art with what is around them -- using sequins, for example, to turn a piece of plain cardboard into eye candy. She described how the simple act of winding and unwinding yarn around a piece of styrofoam brings her peace and solace during stressful times, and she invited the students to try it for themselves. Some found the wrapping transformed what might be viewed as scraps into charming little artworks.

Amato also described her various artistic forays -- discovering a joy in printmaking, for instance, as she studied at the University of California, Berkeley; and her work with a variety of musicians both in San Francisco and New York.

She told the students that she reflects often on a lesson she learned from an art teacher at NCS, Susan Easton: "There are no mistakes, only opportunities."

It was a particular pleasure, then, that Ms. Easton was able to attend the assembly, as did Leslie Eckmann and Lori Milstein, who also taught Amato in art.

We are grateful to Corinne Amato for returning to NCS to share her love and appreciation for all that the arts contribute to a life. We also salute the Arts Board for arranging her visit. Arts Week concludes Friday with a Close-wide talent show at 5 pm, in which all forms of artistic expression are welcome.