LoCo Art sets up new homebase at Camp Willson
Visiting Nashville-based artists Kristin Andreassen, standing, and Lauren Balthrop, seated and holding the guitar, sing Wednesday with workshop participants The Three Friends, a song created by youths during the two-day LoCo Art workshop “Song, Dance and the Artistic Spirit” this week at Camp Willson, 2732 County Road 11. ALSO PICTURED IN THURSDAY’S EXAMINER: West Liberty sisters and Home Stringsn Dulcimer Club members Katelyn Cole, 11, left, and Ava, 10, pictured at the right, play the dulcimers. (EXAMINER PHOTOS | MANDY LOEHR)
The youth arts organization LoCo Art has a new home on the sprawling acres of YMCA Camp Willson just outside of Bellefontaine,and during the first summer workshop offered there this week, the outdoor atmosphere provided inspiration to local youths in the form of an original song.
Nashville-based artists Kristin Andreassen and Lauren Baltrop guided the participants through the song-writing process Tuesday and Wednesday at the free workshop.
The children and teens started by sharing the emotions that they wanted to convey through their piece, and then developing characters and a short storyline in song form.
The professional musicians helped the youngsters pen the song by jotting down the lyrics on large pieces of paper as they collaborated ideas in the Miami Cabin at the 2732 County Road 11 camp, now designated as LoCo Art’s Spot For Youth. Baltrop also provided musical accompaniment on the guitar.
For their piece, which they titled, The Three Friends, the youths envisioned three characters — a turtle named Al, a Frog named Buddy, and a Flying Fish named Frida — meeting up and sharing the challenges they encountered during their respective days at the camp in each of the verses, such as Al’s troubles of being poked by a camper wielding a stick.
The chorus for the song also captures the friendship of the trio and the spirit of the camp:
Down on Lake Mac-O-Chee;
Passing the time today.
Three friends meet by a tree;
Sharing what’s happening.
Through the bridge, the animal characters offer encouragement to each other:
Everybody’s got their way;
You’re not defined by your day.
Come on, Frida; try, try, try;
Those freshwater flips are
your way to fly.
Read complete story in Thursday’s Examiner.
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