By Monica Drake
Review Intern
In the popular Disney movie Mary Poppins, a chalk drawing looked so real that the Banks children literally jumped into the painting, thanks to a little help from their nanny’s magic.
Donald J. Chadwick, who founded The Chadwick Group P.C., described the teen art pieces he has seen over the years in a similar fashion ? as ‘incredibly realistic? artwork of nature scenes in both chalk and watercolor.
Chadwick, a philanthropist who has also volunteered his time at the Orchid Lake Fine Art show, said he finds it important to use his business to help out the community. The Chadwick Group P.C. is a tax and accounting firm with a location on both South Broadway Street in Lake Orion and Tanview Drive in Oxford and will be sponsoring the teen art portion of the art festival.
Realistic enough to jump in to? See for yourself at the First Annual North County Art Festival at Canterbury Village in Lake Orion from Friday, August 14 through Sunday, August 16.
With his firm, Chadwick’s helped non-profit organizations with their taxes, like the Orion Art Center, the Institute for Arts and Education, the Oxford and Orion Rotary clubs, Knights of Columbus councils, Oxford Hockey and the Orion and Oxford soccer leagues.
‘I think society counts on [non-profits] for a lot of benefits, and I feel that’s why the government has an exempt status for non-profits. I like helping them out,? Chadwick said.
Chadwick said he has been the president of the Clark Fund, a private Oxford foundation which provides funding for youth programs, since 1994. This is where he found his passion for helping out the youth of the community.
When he heard about the North Oakland County Art Festival, he said he knew sponsoring this event would be a great way to help support the youth of Lake Orion too.
Chadwick said the art festival gives teens an outlet to express their creativity and become ‘leaders of change.?
‘Helping people express themselves artistically is not only fulfilling for them but it can benefit the whole community,? Chadwick said.
Teen art work, created by students in grades nine to 12, will be showcased during all three days of the art festival in for the Teen Art Competition. Participating students submitted several different mediums of artwork, including paintings, clay and metal sculptures, drawings, photography and jewelry.
Judges will select four participants? works of art to award. First place will receive $100. Second, third and fourth place contestants will receive $50. Chadwick will be awarding these prizes to the winners in the award ceremony on Saturday, August 15. There will be free admission to the North Oakland County Art Festival, which begins at 6 p.m. on August 14.
For more information on the art show, visit www.HotWorks.org.