Student creations. photo by Jim Cornelius

Artists from age five on up -- students and professionals alike -- will offer up their works in a variety of media next month as part of a celebration of the arts as a force for change in the world.

The celebration is called "My Own Two Hands" and it is a fund-raiser for the Sisters Folk Festival's Americana Project and for arts education in local schools. The Americana Project brings roots music education into Sisters schools.

The art works will be auctioned at a party on Saturday, April 3, at Ponderosa Forge and Iron Works, following an art stroll and chili feed on Friday, April 2.

The "My Own Two Hands" project follows on the success of previous arts fund-raising projects from the past two years: 2002's Painted Strings project and last year's Kite Strings.

High school students have been intimately involved in all of these projects and they will also participate this year. But this year, the student artists are younger, too.

Nancy Scharf worked with middle school students during their interim week to produce works of art, and elementary school Arts Literacy consultant Paul Bennett worked with K-5 students on a large-scale contribution.

Each class at Sisters Elementary School decorated birdhouses for the project -- 170 in all.

The birdhouses are displayed throughout town at merchant sponsors' locations, side-by-side with work from dozens of professional artists.

The birdhouses are available for purchase and many parents have hunted up their child's work to make a purchase.

The birdhouses will be displayed through the My Own Two Hands Art Stroll, which will be held on Friday, April 2.

According to Americana Project director Brad Tisdel, the event's theme asks, "What can you do with your own two hands to make the world a better place?"

That theme was central to the students' efforts at Sisters Elementary School.

"Right from the beginning I wanted this to be seen as a community project," Bennett said.

With that in mind, Bennett had his students work in teams to paint, tile and decorate birdhouses purchased for $4 each at Michael's art supply house in Bend.

"They put a lot of thought into their own style," Bennett said. "There was a lot of teamwork from the beginning."

Parent volunteers helped out in the classroom, enhancing the communal spirit of the work.

"Everyone got it right away," Bennett said.

The students, even the youngest, understood that their birdhouses will be sold to raise money that will help keep arts programs alive and vibrant in their school.

"They learned a little bit about commerce and how to make more money out of a little bit of money," Bennett said.

Bennett, who is an award-winning and nationally recognized artist in his own right, holds a grant-funded position conducting the Arts Literacy program at the school.

He teaches parent volunteers, who in turn help bring arts into the school curriculum.

Bennett noted that the Sisters Schools Foundation has been faithful in its support, consistently awarding grants amounting to $3 per child for arts at Sisters Elementary School.

Those funds help purchase supplies.

The My Own Two Hands Art Stroll will run from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. throughout Sisters.

A chili feed will be held at Bronco Billy's Ranch Grill and Saloon that evening from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by live music from 8 to 10:30 p.m.

Chili feed tickets are available for $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under.

They may be purchased at High Desert Gallery, Sisters Athletic Club or Bronco Billy's. Proceeds benefit the Americana Project.

The April 3 party and auction at Ponderosa Forge starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person. For more information call 549-4979 or visit www.sistersarts.org.