LP_032218

lockportlegend.com LIFE & ARTS
the Lockport Legend | March 22, 2018 | 21
Butler students bond with mothers at paint night
Mary Compton, Freelance Reporter
Swiping her paintbrush on canvas,
artist Dottie Mueller stood in
the gym of Butler school in Lockport
Friday, March 16, to show
about 170 parents and students
how to paint.
Third-grader Brady Roach
painted a tree that was the color of
a small plastic army man.
“I thought this needs some
touches, so I got this weird green
when I mixed up all my colors,”
Brady said.
“I showed my friend Louie, so
he did some colors that look like
this,” Brady added as he proudly
showed his art piece.
Danielle Klages from Lockport,
the PTO Hospitality Coordinator
for Butler School helped organize
the second Monet with Mom
event.
“It was a fun night to come together
out with their mom,” Klages
said. “This is a PTO planned
event for moms and kids. We
had a great turnout last year and
everyone wanted to do it again.
Thursday night we had 161 participate
and Friday, 172. The artist
is fantastic; she is very engaging
and the kids have fun. I hope the
PTO will do this again next year
because I will be moving on to
Hadley.”
Besides doing school painting
parties, the artist, Dottie Mueller,
is known for her pup portraits and
angels. Mueller is currently painting
angels for St. Dennis in Lockport.
“I’ve been drawing since I was
3 years old,” Mueller said. “I was
sick a lot as a child, I actually
missed 50 days of school in first
grade. I would spend time drawing,
my dad helped me a lot. I
went to Illinois State for art and
centered on medical illustrations,
as life happens there really wasn’t
a need for that type of art later
on. Later, after having a family,
I began teaching kids art. I then
began the Jr. Art League out of
my home.”
As Mueller went table to table
helping parents and their kids
Artist and instructor Dottie Mueller looks over a painting done by Ava Fotsis and her mom, Tracy, Friday, March 16, during Butler School’s Monet
with Mom event. Photos by Mary Compton/22nd Century Media
make masterpieces, she continued
with her story.
“I enjoy doing these paint nights.
Last year was the first year I did
the paint night at Butler school. I
was so glad, them inviting me to
do this, I have done three other
schools since then. I love to teach
others to paint because it amazes
me. Every single paint party that
I’ve done, I have one person that
always walks in and tells me, ‘I
can’t even do a stick figure.’ By
the end of the party they tell me, ‘I
didn’t even know I could do this.’
I love teaching kids, because I get
to plant a seed and see how their
art grows.”
Ava Amato, a fourth grader
from Lockport, and her mom
Alyse sat close as they worked on
their canvas.
“I love just bonding with my
mom and hanging out,” Ava said.
“I like to paint animals and nature,
we’re putting this in our living
room.”
As the night wound down, art
pieces were shown to each family
at the various tables.
Debbie and Maria Petrakos
from Lockport were proud of their
canvas.
“We are loving this to spending
time with each other to creating
this,” Maria said. “Combining our
paintings to make one big artwork
that will be in our playroom.”
RIGHT: Debbie (left) and Maria
Petrakos from Lockport work on
a painting together.