After-school arts program expands to Irwin church

A Scottdale woman who is opening an after-school program at an Irwin church next week is hoping to instill a greater appreciation of art in children while spreading her late son’s love of creativity.

Antonette Dues, a retired Connellsville Area art teacher, will begin the program from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and continue subsequent Wednesdays at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 612 Chestnut St.

She calls it the Tajz Mahal Maker Space, in memory of her late son, Tajz Dues, who loved the arts. He died at 28 in June 2018 of a severe asthma attack while working at Penn Residential, a New Stanton-based company.

Dues created the Tajz’s Hope Foundation, with the intention of offering a broad arts program. Her son worked with people at Penn Residential who had intellectual and developmental disabilities, and “he always was trying to find a way where they (people living in the residential homes) could be a part of society,” Dues said.

The church maker space will be “a different expression of art — more visual arts,” Dues said.

She has stocked a cabinet at the church with a variety of art supplies — crayons, paints, pencils, brushes, paper, rulers, glue sticks and art travel kits that she purchased.

While the after-school program is focused on the children, parents can participate, as well, Dues said.

She has enlisted the help of volunteers, including Carol Miller Yates, a retired Wilkinsburg School District elementary reading teacher who works to incorporate reading and writing into art. Another volunteer, Ramona Cosentino of Pitcairn, has experience in similar programs, Dues said.

The Regional Family YMCA of Laurel Highlands in East Huntingdon offers a similar program that will be used as a blueprint for the one in Irwin, Dues said.

“We were looking for outreach (opportunities). Anytime you can help somebody, you do it. She (Dues) can help the children,” said Don Pohland, a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church’s council.