Janet Pezzelle, a volunteer leader of the Forsyth Fantastics 4-H Club for 15 years, said she wanted to expose her club members to something new. Her "something new" was bright, shiny and full of bling, glass mosaics. Members brought in items from home as the base for their mosaic project, and with a little instruction from Glass House owner Marilyn Trebacz, the 4-H members went about designing their own original art pieces which will be exhibited at the Macon County Fair 4-H Show at the Decatur Arts Council in July. For 15-year-old Megan Kershner, the workshop was a perfect chance to turn the guitar she never played into a piece of art. Megan said the workshop challenged her to expand her talents in the visual arts project beyond the painting and drawing pieces she typically exhibits. Read more about this unique training online.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Judy Mae Bingman, University of Illinois Extension Marketing and Communications Manager

Judy uses powerful words and photography to tell the Extension story. She is a skilled communication strategist and storyteller with demonstrated success in building teams and creating strong organizational brand identities that deepen Extension’s impact among key audiences, build brand loyalty, strengthen employee talent, and expand public engagement. She is a frequent conference presenter at the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents Conference and helps Extension staff across the nation tell compelling stories.