For more than 20 years, volunteer-driven nonprofit Peninsula Hands on Art has been a creative powerhouse in the Gig Harbor community, providing elementary school students in the Peninsula School District an opportunity to produce an original piece of art with inspiration and instruction from visiting artists.
As with many community and school-based organizations, it’s the volunteers whose passion ensures a memorable, lasting, and creative experience for the students. For Peninsula Hands on Art, that unsung hero is Gig Harbor resident Mädchen Stone.
The organization recruits adult volunteers like Stone and provides them with in-depth training, which she describes as “both fun and educational.”
Stone is a graduate of the Peninsula School District, where she developed her initial creative passion in music, participating in the choir and playing
both flute and clarinet, and she was a cheerleader. Stone married a fellow Peninsula High School grad and has two children, two cats, and a fondness for Willy Wonka, “Little House on the Prairie,” painter Maxfield Parrish, ferries, and chocolate.
These are no “paint-by-numbers” projects, but an extensive and diverse mixed-media immersion that results in a tangible memory of their experience.
The PHOA program provides students with artist-quality supplies to complement each art project. Inspired by the artists who lead each session, the students feel confident and motivated and begin to see themselves as creators and artists.
“I am so very fortunate to be blessed with such a full life,” she said. “Peninsula Hands on Art has been a big part of such fulfillment. Knowing that the kids are learning art history, about local artists, and creating magic themselves is incredibly inspiring and fulfilling.”
Per its website, the program provides a vital piece of education that might otherwise be lost to these children.
Karmen Furer, the organization’s executive director, said, “Thanks to her unwavering support, countless young lives have been enriched, confidence has blossomed, and a lasting love of art has taken root. Mädchen is more than just a volunteer; she’s an unsung hero, a cornerstone of this program, and a beloved part of our creative community.”
“For over a decade, Mädchen has been the heart of Peninsula Hands on Art, a dedicated volunteer who’s not only completed every project, but some more than once,” Stone continued. “Her deep love for the program and its mission shines through in all she does, making sure no student ever misses out on the joy of creative expression.”
