Encourages Creative Thinking

by beth Diane braDLey >> MiLestones photography

When Emily Williams-Wheeler says everything she does in her classes is an experiment, you might think her students are busy dissecting frogs. But if there are any frogs in her class, they are most likely made of clay. “I call my art studio a laboratory because we’re always wowed by the results of our experiments,” Wheeler said.

Her classes focus on art enrichment and creative thinking. And when it comes to the projects she assigns her students, she leaves much to their imagination. “I have a vague idea, but I don’t know where it will go. It’s very important to explore their own creativity I don’t want to direct them too much. I believe art is magic. It is amazing to watch someone creating something. I try to make the children see and feel the magic as I do. When they do, they just beam!”

Originally from southern Iowa, Wheeler graduated with a degree in interior design from Iowa State University and moved to Fargo in 1986 with her future husband, John Wheeler, the meteorologist at WDAY. The couple has two children�Maggie, 22 and Cameron, 16.

She worked in interior design for about five years, focusing on health care facilities, schools and churches. Her first impression of the area was a little grim. “I was really thinking I’ll only be here three years, because there’s no design here,” she said. But twentysix years later, Wheeler admits she loves it here.

An art class taught by local artist Janet Flom led her back to her true passion and she spent the next 20 years as a studio artist focusing on acrylics and mixed media. Six years ago, she decided to share her talents by offering art classes to youth ages six through high school at “Studio e” located in her South Fargo home.

When kids first come to her classes, they often want to draw pictures of something that already exists like Pokemon, Wheeler said. “I don’t want anything that has already been drawn. They are frustrated at first, and once they get past that, they relax and start doing their own thing.”

“Every year we have the ‘ultimate whatever’ project,” she said. “The first year it was the ultimate tree house. The kids had to learn to draw a floor plan and read it with the basic symbols. Imagine a whole city in tree tops because they had so much fun they added many trees. They made a model of part of their project.”

Each class has just five kids and the age groups are mixed together. “I can give them a project, and everybody attacks it in their own way with their own skill level and the results are amazing,” Wheeler said. “This is going to be my biggest year so far. I had to add three more classes, for a total of 12 and I have almost 40 students signed up, with a waiting list.” The cost is $16 per hour of class plus a supply fee, and the students meet once a week.

“I totally understand the difficulty that school art teachers face, like the time limits and a required curriculum,” Wheeler said. “I try and support what they do and expand on the base they’ve provided.” She incorporates some background in art history, architecture and history into each class.

The students work with clay, papier mâché, and many other materials. “We do a lot of threedimensional things, something they don’t get to do in school. They can really visualize, it helps to develop their spatial abilities. We don’t go by a curriculum; I throw some ideas out there, but it has to be something they want to do,” Wheeler said. “And the wonderful thing about my classes is there’s no deadlines, no rush.”

“I don’t have a lot of rules, but I do require good manners,” Wheeler said. She is passionate about teaching the kids to be respectful of each other and tolerate differences.

“If they can walk away with the art experience, that’s great. But if they can also learn how to treat people fairly outside the classroom, then I’ve really accomplished something.” She said, “I always get a great bunch of kids. It’s like I handpick them I get the cream of the crop as far as personality. I don’t worry about talent, I just want them to have a very positive experience.” And judging by her waiting list, it appears they do.

For more information and a class schedule, go to www. Studioefargo.com. [AWM]

Nina Flippance needed some gentle prodding to walk in the door of her first playdate. “I had to be persuaded,” Flippance said of that first fateful gathering with other members of the MOMS Club of Fargo-IR (immunization required). “I was intimidated by the size of the club.” Her uneasiness melted away within moments of meeting other full- or part-time stay-at-home and work-at-home moms who make up the local chapter of MOMS Club.

“There was someone like me in there,” she said. “And no matter who joins there will always be someone who you relate to. Older moms. Older kids. Younger moms. Younger kids. People who live in apartments. People who live in houses. MOMS Club has a wide range of people with a wide range of backgrounds.”

When the non-profit MOMS Club was looking for its next volunteer president, Flippance, who grew up active in 4H and worked in daycares during college, thought she’d be a great fit. So did other members who had witnessed Flippance’s love for her own nearly two-year-old daughter and her organizational skills. “She’s organized, business- and goal-oriented and most importantly, friendly and approachable,” said Jacalyn Oster of Fargo, MOMS Club member and mom of two children.

When asked about her duties as president, Flippance