“We will be offering 10 free video art projects geared toward elementary-age students and four free video art classes geared toward middle-high school students,” BluSeed founder Carol Vossler said in a press release. “We don’t want to cancel the classes, because the children are going to need to look forward to learning a new skill or craft more than ever.”

Vossler and volunteers are putting together craft kits — using gloves and masks, and with everything sterilized — and uploading the videos to BluSeed’s YouTube channel, with links from BluSeedStudios.org.

There will be a total of seven videos each week (one elementary art project a day with two middle-high school per week) during the two-week period that had been scheduled for spring break, April 6 to 17. Students and parents wishing to participate in the project can reserve free craft kits containing all the necessary materials for each registered class.

“We will have a limited number of free art kits,” Vossler said. “I am designing each of the elementary-age projects to use regular art items that can be easily accessible to everyone. We hope that people who do have access to certain supplies will use their own to allow those students unable to purchase supplies to have access to the free kits.”

Volunteers wear masks and gloves while putting together art project kits at BluSeed Studios. (Provided photo — Mark Kurtz)

The middle-high school projects are more advanced and will require specialized materials that BluSeed will also provide in a kit. Vossler said she understands that parents may not have access to those materials.

“We hope to be able to provide materials for everyone who wants to participate,” she said. “We feel it is important to continue to provide these classes in any way possible. We do understand that not everyone will be able to stop by BluSeed to pick up the free art kits. We have a small group of volunteers willing to deliver kits to students within a reasonable distance.”

All BluSeed spring break videos will be available for free, but to receive the free art supply kit, parents must register their children online at BluSeedStudios.org. Vossler encourages all participants, whether they use the Bluseed kit or their own supplies, to post their artwork on Facebook with the tagline #Bluseedfreeartprojects.

Vossler said she would like to thank the Adirondack Foundation and the Saranac Lake Teachers Association for helping provide these free classes, as well as Sawyer Chase for filming and editing each lesson and Jessica Locke for providing instructions.

If any school or organization would like a supply list for the free online art classes to provide students with art supply kits, contact Vossler at art@bluseedstudios.org.