https://www.psu.edu/news/wilkes-barre/story/transformational-art-exhibit-open-penn-state-wilkes-barre/

The Penn State Wilkes-Barre Friedman Art Gallery announces the next campus art exhibit “Healing Through Transformational Art” that runs from April 1 through May 31, 2023. This campus exhibit features artworks by members of the Dallas, PA organization TWIGS. (Together We Initiate Growth & Stability) TWIGS offers Transformational Art sessions to stimulate the mind and create a healthier thought process for those who participate.

On Wednesday, April 5^th, 2023, in conjunction with the art exhibit, the Friedman Art Gallery sponsored a live open panel discussion about the effects of trafficking and how the creation of art is used as part of transformational healing from the effects of various traumas. The interactive program will be held in the Nesbitt Academics Commons Building, Barry Auditorium, Room 103 from 12:15-1:15 pm and included two guest speakers including Sarah Isaac-Samuel and Heather Shnyder.

Sarah Isaac-Samuel is known as a survivor of abandonment, abuse, and sex trafficking. She has beaten the odds and dedicated her life to helping others through their own trauma and abuse. In 2018 Sarah‘s personal memoir, A Journey Back to Restoration was published and lead her to public speaking engagements worldwide. She continues to speak at events to raise awareness and advance the fight to end sex trafficking. In 2020 Sarah began sharing more of her talents with other victims and survivors of abuse, domestic violence, and sex trafficking by using art as a tool in their healing process.

Heather Shnyder has been with Transitions of PA for over 21 years. She has been an educator since October 2001 and recently moved into the position of Health Systems Training Specialist in January 2022. She is responsible for coordinating the agency's medical advocacy program with healthcare providers in Union, Snyder, and Northumberland Counties. Ms. Shnyder is recognized in the Commonwealth as an expert witness for sexual assault trials and a trained Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) Suicide Gatekeeper Instructor. She is an accredited facilitator for "Care for Kids," "Parents in The Know: Engaging Parents in Child Sexual Abuse Prevention program," "Strengthening Families," "Adults and Children Together (ACT) Raising Safe Kids" programs, and "Preventing Sexual Harassment at Work."

Arts at Hayfield - 2022

Academic Scholarships Awarded!

      In 2022, Arts at Hayfield, the nonprofit, campus, and community arts organization at Penn State Wilkes-Barre granted $4000.00 in academic scholarships to five qualifying Wilkes-Barre Penn State Students.

     Annual scholarships are awarded to academically and artistically accomplished students who demonstrate their commitment to the arts by submitting a detailed application that outlines their interest in the arts. The student applicants are asked to describe their experiences and opinions about being a scholar, express their personal thoughts about becoming a valued member of society, and how they see themselves contributing to their community in the future, based not only on academic achievements but also on personal interests including support of the Arts. All applications are carefully evaluated by an Arts at Hayfield scholarship committee.

     In Spring 2022, after a two-year hiatus, the Arts at Hayfield organization was able to resume the academic awards. On Monday, April 18, 2022, at the regular Arts at Hayfield Spring meeting, Cloe Mazzatosta, majoring in computer science, was awarded a $1000.00 Irene Thomas Academic Scholarship Award.

     On Sunday, November 13, 2022, Verena Lake, majoring in surveying engineering, was awarded the Fall 2022 $1000.00 Irene Thomas Academic Scholarship Award. KateLyn Krzysik majoring in biology, and Hannah Corson, majoring in surveying engineering, were each awarded $750.00 for honorable mention academic awards and Kyler Burke, majoring in English, was awarded a $500.00 Honorable mention academic scholarship award.

     For additional information about “Arts at Hayfield,” the annual Irene Thomas Scholarship, and other Academic Awards, contact Jonathan Pineno, Arts at Hayfield president.

Phone: 570-675-9159

Photo L-R: KateLyn Krzysik, Verena Lake, Cloe Mazzatosta 

The 36th Annual Summer Arts Festival Returned!

After a two-year hiatus due to circumstances beyond our control, the Arts at Hayfield Summer Arts Festival was back!  On Sunday, August 28, more than 120 artisans, performers, crafters, food vendors, and more than 2200 visitors converged on the campus grounds of Penn State Wilkes-Barre in Lehman, PA to celebrate the 36th Annual Arts at Hayfield Summer Festival. The event ran from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

From 11:30 until closing there was a steady string of performances including folk rock, bluegrass, chamber music, magic, juggling, costumed storytelling, and a roving violinist ending the day.  Food vendors served up a variety of festival foods including burgers, wraps, Middle Eastern fare, chicken tenders, potato pancakes, haluski, pierogies, snow cones, pizza, hot dogs, kielbasa, funnel cakes, piggies, mac and cheese, desserts, fresh lemonade, ice cream, gelatos, and sundaes.

The craft tent was the place to pick up free balloons and will feature face painting, and projects for children all day. Helen Grebski offered a variety of special craft projects for all ages. Hundreds of visitors joined in conversations, storytelling, crafts, art projects, and photographs with the costumed Princesses and Heroes at the Gazebo from 1:30-3:30.

Dr. Violet Major hosted an open house for the Friedman Observatory from 11-12. The Master Gardeners were available all day to answer gardening questions. 

Three tours of the historical Hayfield House took place at 11:00 AM, 1:15 PM, and 3:00 PM. This was a great opportunity to learn some local history about the house and the life and times of John Conyngham, the gentleman farmer whose interest in farming gave rise to Hayfield Farms in 1910. A DVD history of the farm that was made from primary sources to honor its 100th anniversary is available for sale. 

The requested donation for adults of $2 supported an annual achievement award for an arts-oriented Penn State campus student, public performances and arts programs offered to the larger community by other groups in the Wyoming Valley area, and contributes to restoration projects for Hayfield House and other art enrichment activities and programs on the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus.

For more information, contact the Festival Chairperson, Janis Winter, at 570-675-9232, or jrw4@psu.edu.

OLD NEWS! 2020 - THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Student Helped Create a Virtual Craft Fair

After Arts at Hayfield canceled both of its planned 2020 craft shows, volunteers began formulating a plan so the show could go on – with the assistance of a Penn State Wilkes-Barre student who is using her skills to help the event go virtual.

The Hometown Traditions Virtual Craft Fair launched on September 6, 2020, and continued through August 2021.

Arts at Hayfield has a long tradition of raising funds to support local arts programs and artists as well as supplying scholarships to Penn State Wilkes-Barre students. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and concern for patrons’ safety and well-being, the organization was forced to cancel both the 2020 Summer Arts Festival and Homespun Holiday Craft Show.

As an alternative to the live on-campus craft shows, organization volunteers worked together to create a craft fair to promote crafters and vendors. Jonathan Pineno, president; Janis Winter, treasurer; William Bachman, marketing and promotions, and Autumn Resauit, social media, and marketing coordinator, developed the Hometown Traditions Virtual Craft Fair, which pays homage to the history of Arts at Hayfield craft fairs that have been hosted at Penn State Wilkes-Barre for 35 years.

The 2020 virtual craft fair connected crafters to visitors through Facebook and the Arts at Hayfield website. Throughout the coming weeks, Arts at Hayfield will post a featured crafter to help them gain exposure to Arts at Hayfield craft show patrons. Those interested in an item they see during the virtual event were able to visit the crafters’ websites or contact the crafter to make a purchase.

Autumn Resauit worked with Pineno, her mentor, to create a proposal and advertisement pieces for the virtual craft fair. Resauit continued managing the Facebook page, where she created graphics and developed posts until September 2021.

Autumn stated: "Everything that I know about social media, event promotion, and communications is from my Penn State courses,” she said. “Volunteering with Arts at Hayfield has given me the chance to combine my passion for the arts and to apply what I have learned in my courses.”   

Resauit also said helping the craft show continue is important to her because as a student herself, she knows how important the scholarships offered at Penn State Wilkes-Barre are. “I’m so passionate about helping Arts at Hayfield because it benefits students. I know that as a student, any help is welcomed,” she said.